Challenges Faced When Hiring English to Portugese Translators – and Possible Solutions

Challenges Faced When Hiring English to Portugese Translators - and Possible Solutions

Challenges Faced When Hiring English to Portugese Translators – and Possible
Solutions

When you’re looking to expand your business and grow your potential consumer base, nothing helps you meet this goal like partnering with a translation professional. After all, language barriers are some of the biggest obstacles to the worldwide expansion that modern companies have. Working with a translator can help you overcome these – and help you build a booming business that isn’t beholden to boundaries!

However, there are a few things you should be aware of when hiring a translator. We’ll use Portuguese as an example here since many businesses looking to expand in Canada and other parts of the world rely on English to Portuguese translators to make it happen.

However, these rules can apply to the conversion of text between almost any two languages. That means they can be applied to nearly every market you’re looking to expand into, which will help you better prepare for potential challenges you may face along the way.

Portuguese is a Very Verbose Language

Portuguese is an extended, somewhat flowery language. What may only take a word or two to convey in English often takes many more words to communicate in Portuguese. This makes direct, mechanical translation tedious – and a challenge when you have limited space for the finished copy.
To ensure that the message of your text remains intact while meeting mandated word counts or
overcoming other issues, it is a good idea to work with a translator that understands ways to shorten sentences without compromising content.

There are Multiple Variations of Portuguese

When hiring English to Portuguese translators, you may assume that every translator is equally qualified for the job. While this isn’t true on the level of merit – translators can operate as professionals with a wide range of qualifications – it also isn’t true of their knowledge of the language itself.

As with many other languages, there are numerous versions of Portuguese. What is spoken in France won’t be the same type of Portuguese spoken in parts of Canada. Likewise, in the Southern United States – specifically in Louisiana – there are people speaking versions of Portuguese that are very different from either of these two previously mentioned. It can make accurate translation very difficult. Be sure to ask your translator upfront what kind of Portuguese they specialize in. You’re always going to be better served by someone with extensive experience in the specific dialect you’ll be asking them to work with!

Grammar Varies from Language to Language – and Even Between Regional Dialects

If you have spent any time trying to translate text between languages – or even learning a second
language – you will undoubtedly know that grammar rules are not universal. What makes sense and is widely accepted in one language will sound like utter nonsense in another.

This makes a thorough understanding of grammar in both languages the key to proper translation. Your translator should be able to demonstrate a flawless use of both English and Portuguese grammar, or whatever two languages you are asking them to work with.

Portuguese Contains Numerous Unique Cultural Markers

In Portuguese-speaking society, certain things are just different from they are in cultures that primarily speak other languages. While numerous very different cultures can be considered Portuguese-speaking, each of these – and indeed, all of them, in some broader ways – are unique in comparison to those that do not speak Portuguese.

As such, a translator working with your business must understand these differences. Knowing what the cultural implications of something help them craft your converted text with more sensitivity – and yields a more powerful finished product.

Differences in Lexicon and Semantics

Everything must be taken into consideration when it comes to converting text from one language to
another accurately. This includes everything from colloquial terms and slangs to synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, and more. Otherwise, what might come across as a clever joke in one language might fall flat – or even read as offensive – in the translated version. Always mind these small details to make the most out of your translated advertisements and outreach materials.

Pragmatic Differences

In most languages, there are both formal and informal ways of speaking and addressing others. There are also modes of communication that fall somewhere in between. It is essential to know the difference, as well as how to choose the right level of formality and propriety for the audience you are addressing. A knowledgeable translator can help you do just that.

Work with a Professional to Avoid Problems

As you can see, the difference between languages and the potential problems they cause are almost as numerous and varied as the world’s languages, themselves. However, the solutions are often just as varied, offering the modern translator and business partner plenty of room to get creative in finding and applying English to Portuguese Translators.

With the right translation professionals on your side, your business doesn’t have to worry about the
boundaries of countries or continents. You can expand your reach worldwide and serve consumers from all over the globe. Partner with a translator or translation agency today to get started, and you’ll wonder why you ever waited so long!

 

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