How to write for translation: 3 tips for writing texts that lend themselves well to translation

Some texts are more translatable than others

Just as the readability of texts varies, so too does the translatability of texts. A text that does not lend itself well to translation has three disadvantages:

1. It will take more time to translate.

2. It may be more expensive to translate.

3. The translation will not be as close to the original text.

Luckily, it is possible to write source texts that are well-suited to an international audience and to translation by following the tips below.

3 tips for writing texts that lend themselves well to translation

1. Avoid culturally specific metaphors

A culturally specific metaphor is one that references a concept, piece of media or custom that is well-known in one or more cultures, but not in others. For example, a ‘catch-22’ is understood by most English speakers as an impossible situation, but is meaningless for people from a culture that has not been exposed to Joseph Heller’s book of the same name. The general idea of an impossible situation can of course be translated into any language, but the exact connotations of the reference will be lost and finding the closest alternative will take the translator time.

Of course, if 'catch-22' was the inspiration for your product or means a lot to your CEO, it is worth investing time into conveying the concept in a foreign language. However, figurative language used in passing should not contain cultural references that are more effort to translate than they are worth.

2. Avoid unnecessary wordplay

Wordplay is also famously untranslatable. Take the German joke: “Sagt ein Schwein zum anderen, ist doch Wurst, was aus uns wird”. This is funny because it literally means ‘One pig says to the other, it’s sausages that will become of us’, and in colloquial language, it also means ‘I don’t care what will become of us’. However, this joke cannot be translated into English because there is no word with a similar double meaning. Depending on the text, the translator might find an unrelated English pun, or explain the joke, or miss it out entirely, but making this decision and finding the most appropriate substitute all takes time.

It is best to save wordplay for the sake of wordplay for texts that don’t need to be translated. Or, if wordplay and humour are an essential part of your marketing strategy, ask for a transcreation service instead of a direct translation. This is a combination of translation and content creation for when a more literal translation won’t meet the needs of both your brand and your target audience.

3. Think about spacing

Did you know that a German text uses up to 35% more characters than an English one? If you are creating multilingual texts where presentation matters, it is important to plan this in. If you are unsure how much longer or shorter you can expect translations in a particular language combination to be, just ask your translator or language services provider – they will be grateful that you are considering the issue in advance, rather than after they have already provided the incorrect length translation!

Following these 3 tips will make the translation process faster and easier for both you and the translator(s). For more insights and advice regarding translation, check out my other blog posts. To discuss a translation or transcreation project from German into English, contact me.

A German Currywurst. Image: Unsplash