What are the challenges and benefits of using Plunet for a transcreation business? James Bradley, Operations Director from Mother Tongue, will give some expert insights into the process of transcreation, who it is for and how it differs (or not!) from translation.
8. Transcreation? What that?
Translation
• Focus on meaning: “What does the
author want to say?”
• Done by a translator
• Is correct (or not)
Transcreation
• Focus on message: “What does
the audience need to hear?”
• Done by a writer
• Feels right (or doesn’t)
“Translation that doesn’t sound translated”
13. Why we have to charge more
It costs more because …
• copywriters are more expensive
• it takes more PM effort
• clients spend more time talking about it
14. Why clients will pay more
It’s worth more because …
• it gets people to buy (in)
• it shapes perceptions
• a chain is only as strong as its weakest link
16. Reasons to be careful
• Unique projects, unique prices/instructions
• Divas ain’t so eager
• Culture wars
17. Reasons to Plunet
• Automate, integrate … and create
• Different to other LSPs … but not that different
• Helps us K.I.S.S. better
Notas do Editor
Translation – word by word
Transcreation – takes a step back. What would the author have written if he’d had this idea in the other language. Then hopefully, it sounds like the idea was created in this language.
Depending on the content type, the result may or may not be the same …. But even if it is, you got there by a slightly different thought process.
As we’re in Berlin, the examples I’ve picked are in German-English language pairs, as I hope most people will understand that way.
Simple sentence
Cartoon for chewing gum
Hallo = hello
Freunde = friends
Accurate translation. BUT nobody ever says this in English. So jarring, unnatural, breaks the “fun” of the cartoon
Now lets see how this looks when applied to a more classical; transcreation task – a brand tagline/”Claim”
One of Germany’s flagship brands
And they kindly have 2 EN versions of their tagline – one for international markets (non natove EN speakers) and one for the UK/US (native speakers)
translation. (OK, most literal translation is “pleasure in driving”; so this is the sort of “transcreation” you often get when you ask translators to transcreate; they realise that the most literal translation doesn’t sound good, but they don’t have the courage to completely set it aside).
Transcreation – going back to the idea behind this line. That what sets BMW apart is not the technology or engineering – it’s the experience. Hence “the ultimate driving machine”. Although it doesn’t mention “Freude” at all, the excitement of driving the car is conveyed. Which is why it’s been used for 40+ years.