Interpretive Editing Can Help Your Business

Interpretive Editing is the process of editing a translated document to ensure its meaning is properly understood. In other words: it says what it was meant to say.

When a message is translated it often loses meaning due to the differing context and nuances of the language into which it is translated. The cultural expectations of the reader also come into play. You understand this when you read documents that have been translated into your language from another. You understand what the message is...or do you?

While we find translations commonplace these days, we also find ourselves having to work to understand the intended meaning. Now, this is essential:

If you have to work to understand the meaning of a document, you risk not understanding what it means.

Just as importantly:

If your customer has to work to understand your message, he may not understand what you are trying to say, and may look to your competition for understanding.

The Editing Service provides the ability to not only interpret your meaning into English, but also advise you on the subtleties of the language that can lose or win business for you.

Two examples of where imperfect translation had devastating effects:

-Assembly instructions for a home product were not adequately translated into English, causing confusion and misunderstanding. Several users who did not understand the instructions missed a critical assembly step. The product failed and caused several deaths.

-A direct but naïve translation of a document caused a derogatory term to be included in the document. Potential clients were offended by what they believed to be an intentional insult and refused to do business with the company.

The Editing Service can prevent these and other errors that can have devastating business, financial and legal impacts on your company.