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The internet has made it easier than ever for businesses to connect with new customers around the world. But the question of language is just as important as any other aspect of international expansion. In this blog, we’ll explain why language is at the core of global growth. When it comes to expanding internationally, there are many pressing and often complex issues that need to be addressed before the topic of language even comes up. However, language plays a vital role in all aspects of business operations, whether domestically or internationally. From legal and compliance, to HR and contracts, content, digital marketing and beyond, language is at the heart of all business operations. Whether it’s your brand identity, corporate vision, service offerings, or contractual terms, the way you interact with your customers, employees, vendors, partners, and others is the foundation of your company’s performance in any industry. The challenge for any organization is to bring the approach that worked so well in the local market, language, and culture to a broader audience—and do so in a language and culture that your core team doesn’t speak or understand. Translation, Localization, and Transcreation: What is the Difference? While design also plays an important role in brand equity, it’s the language that you use to reach, engage and educate your target audience that sets the tone for customer retention and business growth. Of course, the language you’re using to market your brand or products and services in English isn’t going to “work automatically” in your target markets. That’s when localization and transcreation come into play. Generally speaking, translation replaces one language with another by substituting words or text in the target language for the same phrasing or terminology. Localization takes this a step further by converting the content and messaging in one language to another. For example, you could convert U.S English to British English, or Spanish between Spain and Mexico or other Spanish-speaking countries or regions. Transcreation, on the other hand, takes the whole concept of the content and makes it culturally sensitive and commercially viable in your target market. In short, translation delivers a localized language version of the words as they were written; localization ensures the content aligns with the local audience’s expectations; and transcreation makes sure the messages behind each word resonate with customers from different cultures in their local languages. How to Create a Language Plan for Your Company Ideally, any company thinking about becoming global should take language into account right away. Fortunately, even if foreign activities have already started, it is never too late to get started. Step 1: Prioritize Your Work: Not every market or language will be the same. You will be able to deliver the most economical language strategy for each target location and local audience by evaluating opportunities and scaling appropriately. This is applicable to all industries, regardless of whether you operate in non-regulated fields like media, retail, travel, and entertainment or regulated fields like healthcare, insurance, or education. Step 2: Identify Content: Take into account every kind of content your company uses, ranging from materials intended for customers to records and information utilized by the legal, HR, and compliance departments. Obtaining source materials of all content kinds and formats in advance can help you make more informed decisions about what content to translate, localize, or transcreation, as well as create a production schedule that works. Step 3— Find the right partner: Your first instinct may be to work with your local teams to deliver translated and localized materials, or maybe you don’t even know that there’s a whole industry of LSPs that provide services to companies like yours! By outsource your language tasks to a specialized LSP, such as BIG Language Solutions, you’ll be able to provide high-quality, timely translations of your content marketing, your websites, your legal/compliance, your intellectual property, your eLearning materials and more. Choose an LSP that can support you through every step of your language journey, whether it’s design, formatting or multimedia capabilities, not just language skills. Language enables businesses to enter international markets with greater effectiveness, but it’s also important to make sure that content is properly localized if you want to realize the full growth potential of your company. Working with a specialized LSP will help you make sure your brand resonates with your target consumers, comply with all applicable rules and regulations, and match your language strategy with your overall company objectives. Get in touch with us now to learn more.

Are you ready to surpass other language experts and improve your interpreting skills? Just being able to understand two languages is insufficient when it comes to interpretation; you also need to use something extra that sets you apart. We’ll explore exciting strategies in this blog article that will help you become the interpreter that people remember. It will take some pizzazz to set yourself out as an exceptional interpreter and language expert! Maintain a bilingual mindset while speaking with ease To succeed as an interpreter and build a solid foundation in both your source and destination languages, you must learn the art of thinking in two languages. As you translate it into a precise meaning in the target language, allow that tiny voice in your head that began in the source language to continue speaking. By doing so, you can ensure that your interpretation is accurate and that the context is retained. Find a field of expertise that interests you Slang for it: niche down! Being an expert in just one field has many benefits and can turn you into a very useful resource. Not only do you establish your value as an interpreter, but you will also progressively gain expertise in the field and find it easier and easier to convey the subject. So pique your curiosity and explore the field of medical interpretation if you have a strong interest in medicine, or go into the field of legal interpretation if you find legal language fascinating. Just consider your areas of enthusiasm, act on them, and dedicate yourself to a few fields or professions! Develop your interpersonal skills While linguistic competence is undoubtedly necessary, soft skills like empathy, active listening, and cultural sensitivity are just as vital. Pay close attention to what is being said, and try to pick up on the emotions and situations that are conveyed by each word. Make an effort to develop into an attentive listener who can fully understand the nuanced details of any discussion. Putting ideas down on paper or seeking clarification through inquiries is one approach to accomplish this, after which you can use what you’ve learned to move on. Just consider how much more valuable a client would feel if you knew their background. Also, don’t be afraid to use technology to upgrade your skill set and adjust to remote or hybrid working environments by employing interpretation software, applications, and instruments. For example, learn how to use the interpreting functions within Zoom and other related applications. Video conferencing applications aren’t the only things that have given us technological advancements though. There are also things like interpreting booths where you can interpret at the same time as the speaker in real time, or speech recognition software that can transcribe what is being said which is of great help if the speaker is going too fast. Create an own style Accept your own style—every interpreter has one; it’s like a fingerprint—and use it to your advantage. Make the most of your nimble pacing, grasp of complex dialogue, or whatever skill you may have. You’ll become more relatable if you don’t hesitate to try different interpretation techniques because, as we all know, people communicate in different ways. Recall that originality is a strength, therefore take advantage of it! Become more culturally competent In addition to connecting languages, interpreters also need to cross cultural gaps by exhibiting a true superpower—the ability to navigate cultural nuances with artistry. Examine, comprehend, and show respect for the customs and manners of the groups you are interacting with. Your cultural understanding will leave a lasting impact because interpreting is a constantly changing field involving many languages and cultures. To stay ahead of the curve, you must constantly learn. To keep abreast of linguistic developments and cultural shifts, think about participating in workshops, webinars, and courses. There are a ton of benefits to attending events, including helping you develop a network that you can use later on! In the end, aim to be the interpreter that everyone remembers Being a different kind of interpreter requires you to take on the responsibilities of mentor, mediator, and cultural ambassador in addition to just facilitating language. You will differentiate yourself from the competition by honing your skills, utilizing industry-specific technical breakthroughs, and developing deep connections with your local community. Now go forth and demonstrate to us your brilliance in the field of interpretation. Make a statement, stand out from the crowd, and use your ability to bridge cultural gaps to your advantage! Wrapping Up Professional growth in the interpreting area is abundant, and there is no indication that the need for qualified interpreters will go away anytime soon. Interpreters are required to bring exceptional language skills, strong focus skills, and a diverse vocabulary to the table in exchange for attractive compensation packages. After completing your interpretation training course, you’ll be able to advance your career and use your language abilities to new levels!