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I am the translation coordinator for our company. Translation is a touchy
business. The best results I've gotten were with a machine that shipped to
China. We have an office in Shanghai, and they did a complete translation
of our manual at a much lower rate and faster turn around than any
translation company we've worked with, and since they know both our
business AND the target language, we are confident the translation will
fulfill our customer's needs. If that is an option for you, it would be
your best bet.
We have had some serious issues with translations, and I would suggest that
if my first suggestion is not feasible, use a technical translator if at
all possible. Here are a couple of examples that might help you lean your
company's management toward a technical translator.
*One of our machines packages juice and other liquids into little
rectangular drink boxes. The container starts out as a flat sheet of heavy
paper, called a "web," that feeds through the machine and is formed,
partially sealed, filled, then completely sealed. The original translation
of the term was equivalent to a spider web. :-/
*Several of our machines have metal drip shields that keep contaminants out
of the cartons. A translator asked if "drop cloth" could be used instead
of "drip shield." (At least that one asked the question rather than just
putting in what they *thought* the term meant.)
Good luck, and if you have further questions, feel free to contact me
off-list.
Lisa B.
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Lisa Bronson
Associate Technical Writer
Evergreen Packaging Equipment
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
319-399-3239
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"Writing about yourself is a tremendously powerful exercise. If you want to
know how accurately you perceive reality in the present, try writing about
your perception of your past. You just might discover an entirely new
reality."--Lisa Bronson
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