Marina Ilari, CT

This is unfortunate, and I disagree. Even "uncomplicated bread-and-butter stuff" like instruction manuals contain specific, context-dependant terminology that can pose challenges for generative AI. Any company depending solely on generative AI for these purposes risks translations containing huge blunders. https://lnkd.in/ex6d4YYS.

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When it comes to #videogame testing, Functional Quality Assurance (FQA) and Localization Quality Assurance (LQA) are often treated as separate entities. But is that the best approach? Our experts say, "Not quite!" Our new blog post can help level up your game testing.

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Aimed at providing guidance for human evaluation of the translation output, ISO 5060 can be applied to workflows involving both human and machine translation with or without subsequent post-editing. The standard combines hands-on advice with the strategic considerations and general principles for translation quality evaluation. It is built on the analytic approach that involves a “bilingual examination of target language content against source language content while classifying any errors with respect to translation evaluation specifications and for the purpose of reaching a quality rating.”

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Not Everything Can Be Transcreated! Ever had a client who thinks you're a bad translator because you can’t make their highly technical manual sound like a Shakespearean sonnet? 🙈 Imagine this: A client hands over a complex techncial document and says, “Can you make this sound engaging?" 🤯 Not everything can (or should) be transcreated! While turning a shampoo ad into a local cultural gem is thrilling, translating a tax regulation document or a legal paper with the same flair? Not so much. Let’s clear things up: - Marketing content? Transcreation is your best friend! 🌟 - Legal or technical docs? Precision over pizzazz, please. 📜 Clients, we love you. Let’s work together to get the right tone for the right text! #Translation #Transcreation #LanguageServices #ClientEducation #Localization #TranslationChallenges #TranslatorLife

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Have you had a chance to participate in our conversation on the Localization Fireside Chat with Rodrigo Corradi? if not and you don't have the time to watch, here is a blog post that captures in high-level points of our conversation

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"When redesigning the portal experience, we embraced the principle that "Every Page is Page One." This means: ▫ Users don't follow a linear path: They navigate unpredictably, expecting each page to provide instant value. ▫ Searchability is crucial: Information must be easily findable and understandable, much like how Google operates. 🎯 To meet these expectations, we ensured each piece of content is well-defined, easy to navigate, and valuable independently. Our design principles are: ▫ Clarity and Focus: Clear hierarchy, minimal distractions, and concise content. ▫ Scannability and Findability: Content arranged in an F-shaped layout, ample whitespace, and intuitive navigation. ▫ Accessibility: A simple, consistent design that is responsive and mobile-first." #PortalExperience #EveryPageIsPageOne #UserExperienceDesign #InformationArchitecture #ContentStrategy #Searchability #ContentFindability #UXDesign #Accessibility #MobileFirstDesign #ResponsiveDesign #DigitalDesign #ContentNavigation #Usability #InformationDiscovery #DesignPrinciples

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Proud to have passed the RWS Group certification in Linguistic Prompt Design, which explores how to craft efficient prompts and leverage generative AI for language tasks. Check out the course, test your skills and get your certification for free. #https://lnkd.in/dvUVf8ab #AI #Linguistics #GenAI #GenerativeAI #Tech #Learning #TechInnovation #Certification #PromptEngineering 😊

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Are you a software company attempting to grow globally? If so, you must translate your software User Interface (UI) for international audiences. Make sure you do this right from the beginning, and avoid wasting time and money on shortcuts or “cheap” options. Art One team is highly experienced in UI localization for global markets, currently supporting 90+ languages. Please reach out to us to have your software localized. #UILocalization #GUILocalization #SoftwareLocalization #LocalizationServices #SoftwareStringsTranslation

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MTPE (Machine Translation Post-Editing) seems to bog this big pink elephant 🐘 in the room that nobody wants to talk about. I have two types of clients that use it: Client 1 – Uses it well and gets good quality content Client 2 – Doesn’t use it well and spends double the money Let’s see how they approach it differently and how it impacts the money they end up spending. Client 1 has a financial text to translate. They put it through MT (Machine Translation) and then they contact us and say: “Hi guys, 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 can you please do your 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 with it?” ✅ The client was 𝐮𝐩𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 about where the text comes from ✅ The client hires a team of human translators to - make structural and stylistic changes - adapt it to the company’s tone of voice Client 2 contacts us and says: “𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 this text could you please 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭” ❌ Does not specify that “we” means me and the machine, so we understand it’s me and the team = humans. ❌ Client hires a team of human translators to provide a service that isn’t “enough” because proofreading is -     a lighter editing service to catch human errors -     a service that assumes the human translator will not make structural grammatical or gender errors/ inconsistencies.  - a service that assumes the team know their brand voice and therefore we don't need to review it. What usually happens to client 2? 👉 The "proofreading" doesn't cut it 👉 They need to hire us to translate the text from scratch or to do a full post-edit. So they end up paying for 2 or 3 services instead of one. So, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO WHEN USꞮNG MTPE? 📍Be transparent about the use of MTPE 📍 Ask your linguist and make sure you hire the service that best meets your needs   ☀️ We are on your side so let us advise you, bad copy doesn't look good on you or us, so it's in everyone's best interest to do things properly. #mpte #machinetranslation #technicaltranslation #financialtranslation

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For a change, this has nothing to do with AI and MT. The game being discussed is Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. You can find the review at this link: https://lnkd.in/eApNNK8t. The issue centers on the ongoing debate between localizers and fansubbers who advocate for a more literal, faithful translation approach (https://lnkd.in/ewjt5i44). Other users accuse the translators of inserting a woke agenda by using the word "chud" (a slur for right-wing people) in a classical setting. There's a clear distinction between adapting translations to ensure they are fluent and natural, and altering significant portions of the translation because you believe you can write better than the original creators. The previous titles in this series were localized by Bonus Stage Loc, MoGi, Transee (https://lnkd.in/evBsT85n). Apparently this title was done by Sweet Baby Inc When selling something as a translation it's important you actually translate stuff. If the plan is merely to rewrite everything and call it localization, then please state so. This would prevent lots of issues.

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I am excited to attend an upcoming webinar about maintaining high-quality standards for translations, where human expertise is needed to verify precision and accuracy. See you there 😎#translators #ai #labels #labels4translations #interpreters #foodforthought #wordsmatter #aiandtranslation

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It’s fascinating how, whenever localization is under fire, some translators see it as an opportunity to jump in and say, “This wouldn’t have happened if you’d hired me instead!” These posts pop up like clockwork, complete with screenshots and exaggerated outrage. What’s often missing, though, is an actual understanding of what’s gone wrong—and in this case, what didn’t. Let’s be clear: what you’re seeing in the Polish localization isn’t the result of poor translation. If you’d taken a moment to check the credits, you’d have noticed the names attached to this project are absolute legends in the industry. These aren’t amateurs making rookie mistakes. The Dutch localization, which I worked on, is solid. My first impressions are positive, and most of what I delivered remains intact (note: I only played the full release for 15 minutes and all I noted was a very strange translation for Interact, but I have to post quickly before this starts leading its own life). I’ll need to play more to give a full verdict, but the early signs are good. The errors in the Polish version don’t look like translator mistakes; they look like the result of post-delivery edits or rushed QA. Developers sometimes tweak strings without consulting the translators, and these changes can introduce glaring inconsistencies. Other times, QA is deprioritized, leaving small issues to slip through. This isn’t a hypothetical—these are real industry challenges I’ve seen repeatedly. It’s frustrating for everyone involved, but let’s not throw translators under the bus without evidence. What’s really disappointing is how some translators seize moments like this to position themselves as saviors. “This is why you should have hired me!” they cry, eager to capitalize on a high-profile controversy. Let me tell you: nothing screams “unprofessional” louder than using someone else’s hard work—or the mismanagement of that work—as a springboard for self-promotion. Localization is a team effort. When something goes wrong, the blame doesn’t fall neatly on one person or group. It’s a systemic issue that often stems from mismanagement, tight deadlines, or unrealistic budgets, not a lack of talent or dedication. As professionals, we should be advocating for better practices in the industry, not tearing down our peers to build ourselves up. Critique the product? Fine. But do it constructively. Call out the real issues—like insufficient QA or post-delivery meddling—without tarnishing the reputation of those who worked tirelessly to deliver quality. So, before you jump on the blame-the-translators bandwagon, remember this: good translators are the backbone of any great localization. If something went wrong here, I can assure you it wasn’t because the people involved didn’t know what they were doing.

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🤗 Today, I’d like to introduce you to a linguistic solution which I find particularly challenging and fun: #TRANSCREATION! 🧬 This term is born from the blend of two others: “#Translation” and “#Creation” (i.e., Translation made creatively), and describes the process of adjusting a message from one language to the other while preserving: ✅ intent, ✅ style, ✅ tone, and ✅ context of the original text. ☯️ The difference with translation? Well, transcreation is the quintessential service if you need to evoke the same emotions and carry the same implications from the source to the target language. 🖌️ Originality and creativity are definitely brought into play here. That’s why most often than not, transcreating three words may take two days… or even more. If we apply a traditional translation method, the effect will probably not be the one intended in the first language. 🐛 So, Transcreation takes a lot of time, imagination, and research to come up with the best communicative solution possible. 🦋 💞 Transcreation is the service you should request if you want your marketing materials to reach and move an audience other than the one the original product was conceived for. 🏷️ Slogans, ads, and packaging are some examples of where Transcreation should play a key role. ☎️ Contact me and I’ll help you make your Spanish-speaking audience feel your marketing materials have been initially tailored for them! ✳️+21 years fulfilling linguistic needs in English and Latin American Spanish for companies in the #Fashion, #Sustainability, and #Software industries.✳️ #CreativeTranslation #Marketing #English #Spanish #LatinAmerica #TranslationServices #LinguisticSolutions

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It's perfectly acceptable to ask a client to pay for a translation in advance. In fact, when it comes to individual clients or brand-new clients, I highly encourage it! To piggyback off Corinne McKay's post yesterday about asking for prepayment for official document translations, here are a few solid reasons to have clients pay upfront for their translations: 1- Cashflow management: The money lands in your bank account immediately, instead of next week, next month, or... gasp... never! This lets you cover your regular expenses with ease and ensures financial stability. 2- Risk reduction: Eliminates the hassle/potential nightmare of a non-payment after the work is completed, especially with a client who is an unknown quantity. Ask anyone who has ever ended up in small-claims court. (Yup... me. This person right here.) 3- Time management: When you're paid in advance for a project, you can make it a priority in your calendar, knowing the client is serious about their project. You won't be worried the client is going to ghost you or that you'll be left hanging. 4- Professional image: Unlike what many people believe, asking for prepayment conveys that you are a professional who knows your worth and the quality of your work. There are many, many payment options out there, and they vary from country to country. Since I work almost exclusively with Canadian clients, my go-to method is Interac e-Transfer, which is almost instantaneous. For the rare international request I get, I use PayPal. If you're still reluctant to ask for payment in advance, ask yourself this: Would a luxury car dealer let you drive a fancy vehicle off their lot with nothing but a jaunty wave and a "thanks, I got your bill"? I think not. Have you been reluctant to charge clients in advance? Let's talk about why in the comments! ⏬⏬

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