How to Ensure Accuracy in Technical Translations from English into Spanish

There is no such thing as an “easy translation”. Perhaps there is for AI, devoid of self-conscience and eagerness to thrive as a professional linguist. Not interested anyway. Just like there are no “small parts” for good actors, but only bad actors. In any case, taking for granted any text you receive as a translator will not get you far. It might get you out the door and on the curb, but not far. In any area of expertise, approaching your assigned text with humility will open a wider door for understanding.

First Things First

It is never good to plunge into a pool without knowing its depth. The same goes for starting a technical translation “cold turkey” with no preparation, and no research. You are blind sighted from the get go. So, get your curiosity goggles on, and take them for a spin. Read all the material more than once, to grasp every little detail. Take notes of any doubts or comments to pass on to the client.

In general, if you work as part of a team, someone in charge of updating termbases for regular clients will provide you with terminology contents. This could be in the form of a plain Excel two columns glossary, a Multiterm Termbase or perhaps a Google Docs document with main approved terms.

Now, if this is a new final client, and you start from zero with no translation memory, another task will be added to your list. In the technical field, as in a few others, your glossary is the translation’s backbone. Without it, the text will crumble and collapse into nonsense. In this scenario, your best bet is creating a comprehensive bilingual glossary of technical terms. The best would be to include collocations, idioms, comments, exceptions, usage in different contexts, and so on. We know that not everything that shines on the Internet is gold. So, make sure to use trustworthy sources to create your termbase. These would include industry-specific dictionaries, official standards, glossaries from approved institutions like FDA, OSHA, ICH, and all applicable ones according to the subject matter.

The same process goes for the style guide. The ideal scenario would be for the client to send you their approved, revised, and updated style guide. If this is the first project in a series, you might need to work with the client side by side. Thus you will be able to create a style guide as the translation progresses, following the client’s preferences.

Translation Process Per Se

Technical translations are best processed with CAT Tools of the client’s choice. Since this material generally includes many repetitions and fuzzy matches, technology can help you work faster through those sections. Then you can focus on new words, and complex phrases. As you should. That is what you prepared for in university translation training, right?

CAT Tools are able to guarantee, to a great extent, terminology management, cohesion, and coherence throughout the text.

Of course, nothing is permanent. That includes Translation Memories. Project managers, content managers or yourself, depending on your work organization, should always keep translation memories updated. This is crucial to achieve and ensure consistency across documents, and projects from the same client.

Quality Assurance

You cannot review and correct your own work. Granted. That is written in stone. Probably in the Rosetta Stone. There is a basic and unnegotiable need to have your translation reviewed, corrected, and edited by another colleague. They need to verify accuracy, terminology consistency, and adherence to style guides. A good colleague pushes us to improve, and thrive. And so should we, when roles are reversed.

The proofreading step includes the thorough review of the translated text to check for grammar, syntax, punctuation, and overall linguistic quality.

Post-translation Support (Just like Post-Sales)

When you deliver a translation, and it goes through all the process steps, it is not buried for good in oblivion. Especially with technical materials, there are countless versions, and all updates are a new work opportunity for translators. If your work was good, chances are you will take part in updating the latest versions. Products are renewed, and so are their accompanying technical documents.

Who said there is no passion in technical reading, and translating? The only time I ever got closer to my dream car, Chevrolet Corvette 58’, was when I translated a short book for children describing the technical and cultural wonders of this American icon. Dreams can come true in the weirdest of ways. Just make sure to be there when they do.