Translation goes beyond replacing words in one language with words in another. In order to produce a high-quality translation, there are a number of different aspects you should take into account. Your language project manager may have already provided you with a translation style guide explaining how to approach these aspects in your language specifically, but this document will give you a general overview.


Target audience

It is important to keep the intended audience of your translation in mind and make sure the final text is appropriate for them. Here are two main aspects to bear in mind when you translate Cochrane Reviews:

  • Cochrane Reviews have two types of summaries: the scientific abstract, designed for readers with a medical background, and the plain language summary (PLS), intended for the general public. So in the abstract, it is generally appropriate to use technical terms and language that are understood by medical professionals, whereas the PLS aims to avoid jargon and instead use commonly understood medical terms where feasible. A PLS should be easy to read by the general public.
  • Consider cultural influences that could impact the way you translate and how the information you translate may be interpreted by your audience. Some diseases or treatments are very common in some countries but are not so well known in others. In some cases, this might require an additional explanation or rephrasing of a certain term.


Accuracy

There are several aspects to a ‘good’ translation when it comes to accuracy:

  • Terms and phrases will be correctly translated in the appropriate context, without being ambiguous.
  • It will include all of the information contained in the source text.
  • It will use appropriate grammar and orthography in the target language.


In turn, examples of inaccurate translations include wrong or inaccurate terms or phrases, missing sentences or words, bad grammar and spelling mistakes. A translation that contains errors is likely to make the reader lose confidence in what they are reading.


Tips for improving accuracy

  • Use a range of resources to make sure terms are translated accurately. 
  • Knowing the difference in structure and grammar between English and your native language will help you avoid translating word-by-word. You should also be aware of the most common errors for your language pair, such as false friends. Try an online search to find examples of common translation mistakes from English to your language, and this can then help you avoid them.
  • When you have finished a translation, have a break before reading it again. You should proofread it against the English and see if you have made any mistakes, added anything that shouldn’t be there, misunderstood anything, or forgotten to translate individual words or sentences.
  • Read the entire text again, focusing on the translated text, and check for spelling or grammatical errors.


Consistency

Having different translations of the same term in one Review translation, or in several translations published on the same website, is confusing for a reader and does not make for a good user experience.


Tips for improving consistency

  • A translation glossary is one of the best ways to ensure consistent translation of terminology. It provides an approved translation for certain terms and also speeds up the translation process as you can simply select the translation from the glossary. Please make sure you use the translations from the glossary if your language project manager has instructed you accordingly. When you are translating in Phrase, do not modify the glossary. If you think that a glossary term is incorrect, or needs an additional translation, please contact your project manager.
  • When working in Phrase, remember to make use of the translation memory. It remembers words and phrases that have already been translated and suggests them as a possible translation if the same or similar text needs to be translated again.
  • If you use abbreviations, use the full term, followed by the abbreviation in brackets, the first time it appears in the text.


Fluency

A good translation should read as if it were written in your language originally, and it should be a coherent piece of text that makes sense as a whole and can be understood without consulting additional resources if possible. Translating word-for-word can easily lead to an unnatural-sounding translation that will be difficult to understand. Sometimes, it can be difficult to produce a fluent and coherent translation due to the way the original is written, so keep the following tips in mind when you translate:

  • Remember: the goal is to produce a text that is understandable in your language, by your target audience.
  • Read your translation as a whole, without looking at the English text – does it sound natural, as if it could have been written in your language? Does it make sense as a whole? Focus on the message, not individual words.
  • You shouldn’t hesitate to change the order of a sentence or add words to clarify meaning if it will improve the readability of the translation in your language.
  • If you are struggling to understand part of the translation, please contact your language project manager. They will either be able to help you or if there is a mistake in the English text, they will be able to contact the responsible author.

Translation checklist

You can use this list as a final check before you submit your translation.

  • Have you translated everything in the English text?
  • Have you used the translation glossary to ensure consistent translation of terms?
  • Have you double-checked medical or topic-specific terminology?
  • Is the text suitable for your target audience?
  • Are there any spelling mistakes?
  • Have you used the correct grammatical structures for your language?
  • Are figures, dates, numbers, and measurements correct and adhere to conventions in your language?
  • Did you format the text correctly?
  • Read the translation as a whole – does it sound natural and make sense?


  • No labels