Writing with website translations in mind: 10 tips to improve content quality
Want to improve the quality of your translated Web site content? Whether you are a content creator or a translator, there are several things you can do to ensure that your content is of the highest quality.
Here are 10 tips to keep in mind when writing for translations:
1. Keep it simple
In translation, simpler is always better. Keep your sentence structure and vocabulary as simple as possible so that translators or machine translation software such as Clonable can work with it more easily.
2. Use short sentences
Long sentences are harder to translate and often lead to errors. Keep your sentences short and concise to make it easier to translate (or have translated) accurately.
3. Use common words
Whenever possible, avoid using jargon or industry-specific terms. Instead, choose common words that are easy for translators or translation software to understand and work with.
4. Be clear and concise
Make sure your meaning is clear before you start writing. The more concise and clear you write, the easier it will be for the translation software or translators to work with it.
5. Avoid the so-called idioms
Idiomatic expressions can be difficult to translate accurately. If you must use them, provide both a literal translation and the idiomatic meaning to help translators. Indeed, in Dutch, "Op de fles gaan" is an idiom for "to go bankrupt. In English, an example is "To be stabbed in the back. Indeed, in this case it means 'to cheat someone'.
6. Use active sentences
Passive sentences are more difficult to translate and often lead to errors. Use active sentences whenever possible to make your meaning clear and avoid possible errors.
Passive sentence: In ten days, talks between the European Union and Hungary on the suspension of European subsidies will resume.
Rather:
Active sentence: In ten days, the European Union and Hungary will resume talks on the suspension of European subsidies.
7. Use gender-neutral language
Gender-specific language can be difficult to translate and can sometimes lead to errors. Use gender-neutral language whenever possible to avoid potential errors.
8. Avoid abbreviations
Abbreviations are difficult to translate and can often lead to errors. Avoid them whenever possible to ensure your meaning is clear.
9. Use simple verb tenses
Follow simple verb tenses, such as present and past tense, to make it easier for translators to understand and work with your text.
10. Proofreading.
Before submitting your work for translation, please proofread it carefully. This will help ensure that your content is error-free and of the highest quality.
