Why is translation vital in engineering industry?

by Target Language Translation Services

- July 30, 2021

The engineering industry, as a prolific field, is characterized by sophisticated, obscure, and very specific terminology and jargon where translation is required extensively. In the engineering industry, translation will be required in numerous situations. Some examples are: technical drawings, operating manuals, various plans, technical patents, technical reports, engineering specifications, safety manuals, responses to RFPs and academic work regarding the topic. The language used in this industry can be impenetrable to non-engineers, regardless of whether they are native language speakers or not. It would be almost impossible, for example, for a non-engineer to guess the correct French translations for the setback, Kelly dive, and shale shakers in an oil drilling rig, or the components of a jet engine in a Gulfstream maintenance manual. That is why engineering content developers who want to translate technical documents need to look for specialized engineering translation services that cater to technical content, and not rely on general translators. The ideal scenario would be to build a team of translators and editors who are experts in the given domain, who master perfectly the engineering terminology with extensive knowledge about the topic, and have them build and translate a glossary of terms before the engineering translation even begins.

When searching for a translation company to translate your technical documents, it is imperative that you find the one with the ability to put together the right team, either from translators on their staff or, for more obscure subject matters, from a recruitment and testing process. And not all “technical” translators are the same. For example, a civil engineering translator will know different terminology than a mechanical engineering translator. The key is for the agency to recognize your specific needs and adapt the team to them. Also notice that contractors are frequently required by construction authorities present their documents in the world’s most used languages, such as English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

Why is technical translation important?

Clarify the ambiguities of the text

The polysemous nature of both technical and general language can cause problems even for native speakers. Even a moment with lack of attention can give a whole different meaning to the text. In this case, it’s really important to apply professional engineering translation by expert translators who remain critical towards his work and pay attention even to the things that seem very easy, because very often mistakes are made in the least expected parts of the text.

Risk of losing potential clients

Engineering translation services make sure your project is compliant with local and international standards. Without this compliance, you risk two things. First, your potential clients might be reluctant to do business with you worrying that your company is incompetent and illegitimate. Second, you risk having your license canceled and even being hit with fines by quality regulation authorities.

Presenting professionalism

Your business partners and employees will feel safer working with you if you show genuine efforts to protect their interests, both business-wise and health-wise. A good translation company will make sure that all the information is precisely and professionally translated so that everyone involved with your company can feel comfortable.

Potential risks of unclear translation

The risks of misinterpretation in the engineering sector include personnel and user injuries, fatalities, and endless lawsuits and penalties. Even a small mistake could have extremely serious consequences. You cannot wait for any of that to happen. It is beneficial on your part to seek professional engineering translation services: translators who have engineering skills and know the subtle differences between the technical names commonly used in different industries and in different countries.

Necessary translation within the engineering

Not only does translation takes place between engineers and the world, it occurs within the engineering as well, as each discipline has its own unique language and perspective. For example, when people complain about the speed of the elevator, a computer engineer might see a software problem, whereas a mechanical engineer might see mechanical issues, and an industrial engineer might see a usability problem. It shows us how different engineering groups might look at the same thing. What translation’s primacy in engineering theory and practice means is that communication is paramount.

Conclusion

Technical translations are important when an engineering firm is communicating information about a product, service, or piece of equipment to employees and potential clients. And because it needs specific skills, it's vital to find the most reputable technical translator who has extensive knowledge about the generally used technical terms and works in your target market. A good engineering translator will make sure you get quality work on your documentation.

Meanwhile, be aware that these services can be more labor-intensive and time-consuming than general translations, so they often are more expensive. The good thing is that they are worth every penny. Do you require qualified and reliable engineering translation services for your sector? At Target Language Translation Services, we have a diverse team of native translators, many of whom specialize in engineering and technology. Our dedicated project managers select or recruit the most appropriate and specialized linguist for your documents and tailor the project to your budget and timeline.

This article is reprinted from A Translator’s Thoughts and Be Translated.

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