Before a document is translated, it needs to be well formatted, including fonts, text spacing, margins, etc. – every detail counts, as having to redesign the entire document’s format and layout during or after the translation process costs time and money. Therefore, there are steps you can take ahead of time to make the original text’s layout easier to edit throughout the translation process.
Text length is usually increased when the target language takes up more space than the source language. Usually when translating from English into other languages, it takes more words or bigger words to make the same statement in the target languages. A number of languages, such as Finnish, German and Dutch, create single large ‘words’ to replace what is a sequence of smaller words in other languages. For example, the English “Input processing features” may become “Eingabeverarbeitungsfunktionen” in German. Whereas the English text can easily be wrapped on two lines where there is restricted width available, such as alongside a form entry field, or in a series of tabs or buttons, or in narrow columns, the German may not wrap automatically, and may pose a challenge for your layout. Conclusively, text expansion may have an impact on margins, spacing and other elements of a document.
Changes are also expected to take place due to reading-writing direction for certain languages, such as Hebrew and Arabic, whose reading direction is right-to-left; other languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Korean, in the traditional way, are written vertically in columns going from top to bottom and ordered from right to left, with each new column starting to the left of the preceding one. Consequently, it is imperative to take into account layout and formatting aspects when translating into such languages.
In general, according to W3C on Web internationalization, the more flexibly you can design your layout, the better. Allow text to reflow and avoid small fixed-width containers or tight squeezes where possible. Be especially careful about fitting text snugly into graphic designs. For example, keep text that overlaps images separate from the image itself, allowing for easier reformatting. Separate presentation and content, so that font sizes, line heights, etc. can be easily adapted for translated text. You should also bear these ideas in mind when designing database field widths in character lengths.
If you are abbreviating your text to make it fit in a restricted space, you should really consider whether this is a good idea. Other languages may not be able to replicate such an abbreviation, and the text may need to be bigger in translation. In many languages abbreviation is uncommon. This may be down to the style of that language. In other cases it may due to more practical concerns. For example, Arabic ‘words’ tend to be constructed from very compact, pattern-based roots with prefixes, suffixes and small internal changes to express the precise meaning. It can be hard to abbreviate without losing meaning.
Sending documents, particularly documents that contain confidential or private information, is often a nerve-wracking experience. At TranslateFromTo, we have built a document translation platform that enables you to upload and use your documents with confidence. All data is encrypted and our security protocols are certified and approved in-line with GDPR guidelines.
If you have any questions regarding the formatting and layout of your documents, or how you would like your translated documents to be presented, or any other question regarding the translation and management of your documents, do not hesitate to contact us.