“Writers make national literature, while translators make universal literature.”

― Jose Saramago, Portuguese writer

Many Americans (78% of us!) know and speak only one language at home, American English. You may be part of that statistic. While the United States of America has been known as the Land of Opportunity since the late 1800’s, imagine how many opportunities you’re missing by having your content, products, and presentations only in American English. Talk about missed opportunities – big time!!

It comes, metaphorically, as a bright lightbulb over your head after exploring the many ways your expertise as a Subject Matter Expert can be delivered online and offline - how-to tips, booklets, audios, videos, card decks, puzzles, and many other formats. That lightbulb shines even brighter realizing you can create an entire product line from the exact same content. Then, separated by a pause, you hear or read “and that’s only in English.”  

Whatever products, content, and presentations you’re creating or archiving on your computer hard drive can be translated into other languages, and sold to non-English speakers in North America and in many places around the world. You’re giddy with excitement at the prospect of expanding your reach, helping more people, and increasing your revenue and profit. 

Your head is spinning with all the possibilities coming to mind. What’s first? Oh, you have a neighbor three houses away who speaks Spanish. Maybe she’ll do the translation for you. And you also know someone in town who is originally from France, and he’s such a nice guy. You presume he’d be happy to put something into French for you. After all, so many countries in the world speak Spanish and French at home as their native language. And someone in our congregation came to America from Russia, so she would certainly want to help. It can’t be difficult to get this done.

Image by: Freepik

STOP

While each person you’re considering may be a lovely human being and can speak their native language impeccably, there are so many potholes you can and probably will risk falling into on that path. Think about the native American English language speakers you know. Each one of them has a different command of the native language, for better and for worse. The same is true with the non-English native language people you are considering. They may not be a very proficient communicator at all in their own language! The reasons go on, and you get the idea.

Okay, you understand. How else can you get the translations done? Well, translation software and other technology have been around for a long time. And now AI - Artificial Intelligence–has shown up. How about that?  

Certain well-established translation companies also provide a quote for their services as:

• An AI version only with no human intervention

• An AI version with professional human editing and guaranteed accuracy

There are missing crucial elements in those AI and mechanical translation approaches, too. Cultural sensitivities and differences are often overlooked, stopping your chances of making sales to those non-American English-speaking decision makers before you ever get started. Technology has made things easier and faster when it comes to translation, and will always need capable humans involved in the translation process. 

Speaking of which, while you may end up having a well-done translation of your original English information, what do you know about how business is done in other cultures, whether within North America or beyond? It can be challenging enough for some native born Americans to make the appropriate distinction in their approach when selling to New Yorkers or to buyers in Alabama, much less the cultural differences between the United States and a country in Southeast Asia where language, personal and professional culture, and many other aspects of life couldn’t be more different.

It’s an understatement to say how great a find it is to discover a translation company that not only guarantees their own work, provides translations into 120 languages, and uses top quality talent, it’s the find of the century when they also know and provide marketing services to help you sell more to the non-English language decision makers in various industries.

Tips Products International -dba Tips Products Publishing Agency has formed a Trusted Resources relationship with such a company. We’d be delighted to introduce you. The above article is the tip of the iceberg of their translation and interpreting services. Contact Paulette Ensign at [email protected] to learn more.

© 2024, Tips Products International, Paulette Ensign