What is technical manual translation?

by Target Language Translation Services

- September 07 2021

Technical manuals, which helps ensure proper use of machinery and the safety of employees in the construction, automotive, or agricultural industries, are an essential component of all functional products. These vital documents describe the system’s functions, step-by-step setup and usage instructions, alternate modes of operation, and more. If your clients are non-native English speakers, then it is very vital to help them make the most of the product or service and ensure their correct use of the product. It also helps limit your liability in the event that the product is utilized incorrectly, saves time for your customer support team and acts as a springboard for sales. Translating your technical manuals may even be required by foreign regulatory bodies in order to sell your product in their jurisdictions.

But translating a technical manual is no easy task. A technical guide must be precise, thorough, and educational to ensure proper usage and safety. However, technical manuals tend to contain a lot of jargon, and if the product or service is newly developed, it may even contain vocabulary that has no direct equivalent in the target language. A literal translation simply won’t cut it when it comes to translating technical manuals. In addition to having a thorough grasp of the concepts involved, the technical translator needs to keep up to date with the industry in which they specialize, regularly improving their skills and keeping up to date with industry-specific terminology in order to correctly translate those concepts into the target language.

Where is technical manual translation needed?

Technical translation is most often commissioned by manufacturers of household appliances and electronic products such as computers or telephones.

A significant chunk of these products are manufactured in Asian countries and distributed worldwide, thus requiring instruction manuals in most languages.

Other common materials sent for technical translation are as following: product sheets, information brochures, catalogs or technical specifications, vehicle manuals, Industrial, construction, and agricultural machinery manuals and so on.

Translation of manuals for computer and board games as well as toys is also very common, as these products are usually developed in other countries and therefore require market targeting.

How to get a technical manual translation that meets your needs?

Look at what’s been done before

If the company has translated technical manuals in the past into the same language, they may have translation memory or a glossary in place that can be re-used, helping lower costs and saving time on your next project. If you have preferred terminology for specific languages, be sure to let your translation company know so that they can incorporate it. Finally, it’s helpful to review the fully designed version to get an idea of the look and feel of the end result.

Agree on a glossary

If there are key words and terminology that you use throughout your manual, it’s important to translate them as accurately as possible and consistently throughout your manual. Again, if the company has translated manuals in the past, it will help to provide consistent language which also meets the expectations of your customers.

Remain it simple

Writing technical manuals is complicated enough and correctly translating technical terminology is already a challenge. A qualified translation company will be able to provide more guidance and review your manual to see if there is anything too culturally specific that might not transcend the language barrier.

Notice the length

Technical manuals tend to be quite long. This can’t always be helped and it’s hard to keep it brief when you are explaining a complex process. But keep in mind that translators usually charge per word (sometimes per page) and that the longer your technical manual, the more it will cost to get it translated. If your manual needs to stay within a certain number of words, make sure the format gives you some space to play with.

Xiamen Target Language Translation Service Co., Ltd (TLT) is a translation agency that offers technical manual translation services for an array of industries, including the construction, automotive, or agricultural industries.

Our team fully understands that you need to feel empowered to outsource various projects to other qualified professionals so that you can stay on top of your workload. We extend the same effort to every translation request we receive by prioritizing communication, providing the highest quality, accurate technical translation and ensuring the translated text expresses the intended message.

We can have your user manual translated from English into over 200 languages through our trusted team of professional native-language translators. Our skilled translators are not only fluent in over 200 languages, but they are well-versed in technical vocabulary for a wide range of industrial sciences.

With help from our professional translators, your user manuals can be effectively translated into over 200 languages, allowing your business to expand powerfully to the global market.

Get in touch to deliver your message around the world today.

This article is reprinted from MORNINGSIDE, International Language Services and SUMMA LINGUAE.

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