One Last Thing! (Your Translation Isn’t Finished Yet.)

Translation gets wacky in the transition from text to design. Sometimes the words don’t fit! And the rules for word division may not be the same in both languages. A word improperly divided at the end of a line is a glaring mistake. (TIP: The Spanish translation will be roughly 10% longer than the English version. And the rules for syllabic division differ.)

The desktop designer moves translated text (copy and paste) into the original layout of the newsletter, pamphlet, or annual report. The mere act of copying and pasting increases risk of errors and omissions. An omission occurs when a paragraph, sentence, or word is dropped. To complicate matters for the desktop designer, he or she may not speak the target language. This makes the task of matching exact segments even more difficult.

A last step (frequently overlooked) is to give your translator a final copy of the layout for review– a chance to give it the thumbs up– before the document goes to print or distribution.