After Hurricane Sandy, all eyes were on New York City Mayor Bloomberg… or rather, on the sign language interpreter assisting him. He gave a dry speech to update New Yorkers on the latest hurricane news, but it seemed that everyone was more interested in watching Lydia Callis, the sign language translator standing nearby. She was animated, charismatic, bright, and it was impossible to look away.
The vibrant feel of great translation carries over to written translations as well. Nobody wants to read drab marketing materials. The public wants ad campaigns to jump off the page, grab them by the heart, and skip merrily beside them towards the nearest product or service. Think of Mayor Bloomberg as a flat document with word-for-word translations. Sure, the info may have been mostly there, but the delivery wasn’t. Now think of Lydia Callis as the translated document which understands the nuances of language and the importance of translating with true, deep understanding of the cultural impact of the subject matter. Words, whether written or spoken or mimed, are full of life. The words you choose define how people feel about your marketing campaign. Lydia Callis did a first-class job translating, and she stole the spotlight from the Mayor of New York City. Does your advertising campaign take center stage once it’s translated into other languages? Does it shine brighter than its foreign competition?
Apex Translations, a leader in the translation industry, believes that your marketing materials should blow your competition out of the water. Many translators out there provide verbatim translation, failing to understand the subtle feeling and intention s behind each foreign word. They just don’t pick up on the images and metaphors that come up when each word is selected. Your translation service should have cultural expertise as well as language expertise. After all, every word in every language is a symbol carrying many different meanings. That symbol needs to be understood in context. That’s exactly what Lydia Callis did in New York, and she gave life to words that Mayor Bloomberg merely spoke. And that’s exactly what your translated advertising materials need to be: a Lydia Callis.
