While it may be tempting to load a document into an online translation software program for a quick translation, these automated systems cannot provide you with the accuracy needed for business translation.
Professional translators understand the precise meaning of words in the original language and provide an accurate match to the translated language. This may seem an obvious requirement, but the complexity of words in business documentation can be challenging, requiring linguistic expertise. Consider a simple error made in the translation of Sharp Corporation’s quarterly earnings report in 2012 as described by the Wall Street Journal:
Originally, a sentence was translated to say: “Therefore, Sharp is in circumstances in which material doubt about its assumed going concern is found.”
Later the translation was corrected to say: “Therefore, there exists conditions which might raise uncertainties about Sharp being an assumed going concern. However, we judge that no uncertainties about Sharp’s ability to continue as a going concern will exist. The countermeasures described below are thought to resolve such conditions.”
The original translation from Japanese to English contained the term “material doubt” which instantly raised the red flags of investors about the overall financial status of the company. Once identified, Sharp retracted the sentence because that is not what they intended to say and provided the second translation that more accurately described a concern that was, in fact, being adequately managed.
Incorrectly translated business documents can have many consequences. Of course, inaccuracies can easily create confusion, miscommunication, and potential embarrassment if the translator is not proficient in both languages. Poorly translated contracts, transactions, and reports can have legal consequences for both the translation company as well as the organization that hired them. Perhaps the most difficult risk to manage, however, is the potential damage to reputation created when translations result in meanings that are embarrassing, rude, or simply unprofessional.
When your translation requires serious attention, contact the professional team at The Perfect Translation. We provide certified and notarized document translation services for all document types associated with industries such as immigration, business, real estate, financial, academic, legal, and medical. Click here to get a quote today!
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