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  • Hub You - Website Content for Foreign Audience: Writing for Translation

    Buying Promotional Badges? 5 Tips to Shop Smart
    There are literally hundreds of different product bases that can be used for customized promotional products to represent your company. Some companies choose to use stress balls so that when clients and customers are stressed, they squeeze your item with your logo on it and feel better. Lanyards are also very popular, as one can hang keys, pictures, or just about anything they choose from the clip. Silicon bracelets are the latest trend, but trends don’t last forever. Instead, you have chosen the ageless classic that has wit
    o. A good translator's opinion is pretty valuable, though you can get it for free. Just don't forget ask for it BEFORE the translator begins working.

    Things you'd better find out before your Website content is translated:

    Is the content easy-to-read, persuasive, or whatever you expected from it? Did you chose the right approach to your audience? Will the text sound "foreign" even after translation?

    Finding the right translator

    It is up for you to choose among hundreds of translation agencies and thousands of freelance translators. Even if you are dealing with an agency, it would be good to know who will be doing the job. If you can, get a well-educated native speaker of the lang

    Betwixt and Between - Staying Put or Movin' On
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    The Internet has made the world much smaller. Language and cultural barriers remain, though. People are still very different, and you should keep it in mind when you are writing anything for people who live in other countries.

    Surprisingly many people think that creating, say, a website in other language means just to translate the existing English version into Chinese, Arabic, Russian, or some other language. Good translation by all means is very important – a professional translator will do his best to convey your message to the audience. But what about the message itself -- will it work?

    No matter whether you are going to launch a website in Chinese, Arabic, Russian, or some other language, there are things you can't afford to neglect.

    Remember: your website is not for you.

    It is for VISITORS. So it is logical to consider what THEY think such websites should be like. It is their points of view that matter, not yours.

    Who is your reader?

    When writing in English, say, Web content or a document, you keep in mind WHO you are writing for -- and you are quite right. Your goal is to inform, to appeal, to persuade, to prove… It remains the same when you are addressing people from other countries. The difference is that sometimes it is necessary to change the very approach to your audience as well as the style.

    Several simple tips of foreigner-friendly writing

    What to begin with when writing for a person from another culture? To be as culture-neutral as possible - and more people will understand you. Here is what you can do:

    • Avoid slang, idioms, proverbs and sayings. They are YOURS, not theirs. Allusions to books they probably haven't read, quotations, however familiar they are to you -- all that most likely won't work.
    • Forget about wordplay and puns when writing something to be translated. Your jokes also might turn to be not so funny in other language.
    • Be cautious with metaphors and similes (comparisons). Pretty clear and familiar to YOU, for others they might be not so obvious.
    • Symbols can mean something very different in other cultures. If you can't do without one, find out what it means THERE.
    • Abbreviations and acronyms are tricky, too – they may be unknown to your audience.
    • Pay some attention to things you think everybody knows or likes -- your audience might neither know nor care for them.

    Before translating your website content, it would be reasonable to "test" it. You can find a person from the country you're going to launch the site for, and ask him to proofread the text. Not for spelling or grammar, of course -- for understandability. By the way, you can ask the translator to do that. If he is a native speaker who lives in this country, he surely knows your target audience -- probably better than you do. A good translator's opinion is pretty valuable, though you can get it for free. Just don't forget ask for it BEFORE the translator begins working.

    Things you'd better find out before your Website content is translated:

    Is the content easy-to-read, persuasive, or whatever you expected from it? Did you chose the right approach to your audience? Will the text sound "foreign" even after translation?

    Finding the right translator

    It is up for you to choose among hundreds of translation agencies and thousands of freelance translators. Even if you are dealing with an agency, it would be good to know who will be doing the job. If you can, get a well-educated native speaker of the langu

    Why Cost Reduction Efforts Fail
    Every business is trying to improve profitability, after all this is why the business exists. To achieve this goal there are only two paths that can be taken – increase revenue or reduce costs. The path of increasing revenue is typically seen as the most positive step. It is exciting, involves expansion and creates opportunities. Conversely, reducing costs is seen as negative and backward and so this approach often gets much less attention that it deserves.The problem with continuous improvement is that it can be really
    hings you can't afford to neglect.

    Remember: your website is not for you.

    It is for VISITORS. So it is logical to consider what THEY think such websites should be like. It is their points of view that matter, not yours.

    Who is your reader?

    When writing in English, say, Web content or a document, you keep in mind WHO you are writing for -- and you are quite right. Your goal is to inform, to appeal, to persuade, to prove… It remains the same when you are addressing people from other countries. The difference is that sometimes it is necessary to change the very approach to your audience as well as the style.

    Several simple tips of foreigner-friendly writing

    What to begin with when writing for a person from another culture? To be as culture-neutral as possible - and more people will understand you. Here is what you can do:

    • Avoid slang, idioms, proverbs and sayings. They are YOURS, not theirs. Allusions to books they probably haven't read, quotations, however familiar they are to you -- all that most likely won't work.
    • Forget about wordplay and puns when writing something to be translated. Your jokes also might turn to be not so funny in other language.
    • Be cautious with metaphors and similes (comparisons). Pretty clear and familiar to YOU, for others they might be not so obvious.
    • Symbols can mean something very different in other cultures. If you can't do without one, find out what it means THERE.
    • Abbreviations and acronyms are tricky, too – they may be unknown to your audience.
    • Pay some attention to things you think everybody knows or likes -- your audience might neither know nor care for them.

    Before translating your website content, it would be reasonable to "test" it. You can find a person from the country you're going to launch the site for, and ask him to proofread the text. Not for spelling or grammar, of course -- for understandability. By the way, you can ask the translator to do that. If he is a native speaker who lives in this country, he surely knows your target audience -- probably better than you do. A good translator's opinion is pretty valuable, though you can get it for free. Just don't forget ask for it BEFORE the translator begins working.

    Things you'd better find out before your Website content is translated:

    Is the content easy-to-read, persuasive, or whatever you expected from it? Did you chose the right approach to your audience? Will the text sound "foreign" even after translation?

    Finding the right translator

    It is up for you to choose among hundreds of translation agencies and thousands of freelance translators. Even if you are dealing with an agency, it would be good to know who will be doing the job. If you can, get a well-educated native speaker of the lang

    Getting Started in Online Business - 6 Steps
    Step 1. Bright Ideas To start a business the first thing you need is an idea. Now the thing about online business today is that there is so much competition, in almost every field. The key to success is finding what you call a niche area. Selling something no one else sells, or advertising something no one else does. When opening an online store for example, it would be a bad idea to try and sell Ipods or Playstations because the competition in those areas is so fierce that it's going to be extr
    begin with when writing for a person from another culture? To be as culture-neutral as possible - and more people will understand you. Here is what you can do:

    • Avoid slang, idioms, proverbs and sayings. They are YOURS, not theirs. Allusions to books they probably haven't read, quotations, however familiar they are to you -- all that most likely won't work.
    • Forget about wordplay and puns when writing something to be translated. Your jokes also might turn to be not so funny in other language.
    • Be cautious with metaphors and similes (comparisons). Pretty clear and familiar to YOU, for others they might be not so obvious.
    • Symbols can mean something very different in other cultures. If you can't do without one, find out what it means THERE.
    • Abbreviations and acronyms are tricky, too – they may be unknown to your audience.
    • Pay some attention to things you think everybody knows or likes -- your audience might neither know nor care for them.

    Before translating your website content, it would be reasonable to "test" it. You can find a person from the country you're going to launch the site for, and ask him to proofread the text. Not for spelling or grammar, of course -- for understandability. By the way, you can ask the translator to do that. If he is a native speaker who lives in this country, he surely knows your target audience -- probably better than you do. A good translator's opinion is pretty valuable, though you can get it for free. Just don't forget ask for it BEFORE the translator begins working.

    Things you'd better find out before your Website content is translated:

    Is the content easy-to-read, persuasive, or whatever you expected from it? Did you chose the right approach to your audience? Will the text sound "foreign" even after translation?

    Finding the right translator

    It is up for you to choose among hundreds of translation agencies and thousands of freelance translators. Even if you are dealing with an agency, it would be good to know who will be doing the job. If you can, get a well-educated native speaker of the lang

    Career Satisfaction - What Does It Mean To You? What Do You Need To Be Happy At Work?
    You want to love your job, you want to have career satisfaction, but have you ever taken the time to think about what career satisfaction means to you? This article outlines the main reasons why people feel satisfied with their job. So read through each of these 8 areas, and decide if they are being met in your job (or not).Do you need mentally challenging work? Some people like to daydream on the job and not be bothered with mental challenge - they work to pay the bills while their out of work life give
    res. If you can't do without one, find out what it means THERE.
  • Abbreviations and acronyms are tricky, too – they may be unknown to your audience.
  • Pay some attention to things you think everybody knows or likes -- your audience might neither know nor care for them.
  • Before translating your website content, it would be reasonable to "test" it. You can find a person from the country you're going to launch the site for, and ask him to proofread the text. Not for spelling or grammar, of course -- for understandability. By the way, you can ask the translator to do that. If he is a native speaker who lives in this country, he surely knows your target audience -- probably better than you do. A good translator's opinion is pretty valuable, though you can get it for free. Just don't forget ask for it BEFORE the translator begins working.

    Things you'd better find out before your Website content is translated:

    Is the content easy-to-read, persuasive, or whatever you expected from it? Did you chose the right approach to your audience? Will the text sound "foreign" even after translation?

    Finding the right translator

    It is up for you to choose among hundreds of translation agencies and thousands of freelance translators. Even if you are dealing with an agency, it would be good to know who will be doing the job. If you can, get a well-educated native speaker of the lang

    Creating A Successful Hotel Business Plan
    There is no doubt that striking out on your own and running your own small business is a great way to get ahead and take charge of your financial future.Few people have managed to get rich working for someone else, so becoming an entrepreneur is a great way to enjoy the success you deserve. One of the most interesting businesses for those with the drive to succeed is opening and running a hotel business.==The Hotel Business Plan Should Be One Of The First Things You Should Do When Starting A Business==
    o. A good translator's opinion is pretty valuable, though you can get it for free. Just don't forget ask for it BEFORE the translator begins working.

    Things you'd better find out before your Website content is translated:

    Is the content easy-to-read, persuasive, or whatever you expected from it? Did you chose the right approach to your audience? Will the text sound "foreign" even after translation?

    Finding the right translator

    It is up for you to choose among hundreds of translation agencies and thousands of freelance translators. Even if you are dealing with an agency, it would be good to know who will be doing the job. If you can, get a well-educated native speaker of the language you are going to have your text translated into (it is called "target language"). Why well-educated? Well, he will be more likely to have good vocabulary in his mother tongue. People who can't express their thoughts well enough in their native language make mediocre translators.

    Why native? The reason is that nobody can ever say: "I have learned this language" – only "I have been learning". We all have been learning our mother tongues since birth. That is why native speakers have an advantage. Besides, a native speaker often has precious knowledge about your target audience and will help you with good advice.

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