Every industry and every organisation has its own unique language. Making sure everyone uses the same term for the same concept can be challenging. Even the simplest, everyday words can have a variety of meanings. For example, the word “screen” has at least 24 for meanings in English and can be a verb or a noun. The issue becomes more complex when the information is translated, where managing terminology in strategic way leads to enforcing consistency, and reducing the time and cost of translation.
There are two tools that make it possible to harmonise translations, reduce the number of corrections and prevent misunderstandings during the translation process: glossaries and translation memories. They form part of a project management plan which is fundamental in managing large-volume translation projects, especially those that are technical or repetitive in nature, or require regular changes.
Maintaining a glossary of technical terms is an efficient way to ensure consistent use of correct terminology in translations. Hand in hand with your internal style guide, an approved, current glossary of translated terms is a must for every organisation concerned about consistent branding. This way, the previously approved translations can be applied to future projects. At Polaron, corporate terminology is managed in close cooperation with you and our translators. Here are just some examples of glossaries of terms we have worked on. If you’d like one of your own, contact us today.
