In aus.electronics Bazil wrote:
If we had a requirement to produce a manual in Chinese or Japanese or
any other language for that matter, we would get a translator who can
speak the other lingo correctly.

The hardest part of this is finding someonw not only knows the language
well but have a good under standing of the product, or is willing to learn
about your product.


I don't know if its pride or just an assumption that their high school
english cuts it, that they continue to produce their manuals without
getting them proof read, but either way, their manuals suck.

Bryan

Most of the people who does these trnslations are armed little more that
and a dictionary.

I've done some translation myself, both from English to Chinese and the
otherway round. I've experieced how hard it is sometimes to come up with
that perfect phrase. It is oftern difficult to get someone to proof read
it since
1. you are probably the only that able to translate into target
language
2. even if you're not, there is probably no one more capable.,

In my opinion, he only way to get good quality translation is to hire a
full time manual writer in the target language who is to learn your
product inside out. you can only guarantee high quality manuals if it is
written from the propective of the users from the target language.

Some instructions just doesn't translate well across cultures.

Thats all I've got for now.

PS. I anyone has translation consignment(especially for document in the EE
field) I'd like to rack up some practice.
I can do Chinese to English. I can go the other way, but I'm not as
eloquent. It'll be functional but not all that pretty. I'll be trying for
my NAATI level 3 later this year, it be nice to get some practice under
the belt.

--

Wing Wong.