Setting the tone for a translation/editing project

A common misconception is that a translation or editing project is simply correcting grammar and reading through content. On contrary, both translations and editing projects need certain information to make the project successful. This is best done in the format of a brief, which is provided by the client. Typically, a brief will contain a great deal of information for the translator/editor. Let`s consider some of the most important:

Who is the intended audience?

Here, it is especially important to know the audience’s knowledge level of the subject. This will help the translator/editor to understand how to best tailor the copy to suit the receptive needs of the intended audience.

Style and tone of voice

Every culture has its own cultural values and communicative habits and expectations embedded in its language. The most successful vehicle of information is that, which adapts the way it communicates to the receivers ‘needs.

The source content may need to be restructured for the target language/to the target audience so that the meaning is conveyed effectively as well as ideas and arguments being understood, as they were intended to be. This includes not only literal translations but more specifically in the case of translations, choosing other forms of expressions as well as changing cultural references and idioms.