Challenges faced by language translators
30th May 2018
Professional translators play a crucial role in facilitating communication and understanding across linguistic boundaries. However, life isn’t always easy for professional translators. It’s a rewarding profession but can be extremely demanding at times. Translators encounter various challenges, each translation job being unique and presenting new complexities to overcome.
Challenge 1: The way languages are structured
One of the primary challenges lies in the way languages are structured. Each language possesses distinct components, including phonemes, morphemes, lexemes, syntax and context, along with grammar, semantics and pragmatics.
These elements work together to create meaningful communication among individuals.
The varying structures of languages pose challenges for translators.
For instance, English places adjectives before nouns (“red house”), whereas Spanish follows the opposite order (“casa [house] roja [red]”).
German, on the other hand, forms lengthy compound words by combining multiple nouns, while Chinese relies on tonal variations to convey different meanings.
All languages have structural underpinnings that make them logical for the people who speak and understand them. Furthermore, various factors need to be taken into consideration including idioms, expressions, dialects and false friends. This makes the translation a lot more complex.
Challenge 2: Culture
Cultural factors also significantly impact translation work. Each language group has its distinct way of communication, expression of emotions and worldview, shaped by traditions, beliefs, values, norms and symbols.
These cultural differences manifest in attitudes, morals and folkways, which, in turn, influence language translation. For instance, cultural beliefs can lead to the misinterpretation of products or ideas.
A famous example is a chocolate company introducing a new chocolate bar with peanuts in Japan, which didn’t sell well due to Japanese folklore suggesting that eating chocolate with peanuts leads to nosebleeds.
Challenge 3: Missing terms and compound words
1. Translating compound words
Translating compound words poses another challenge. Compound words are combinations of two or more words that function as a single unit of meaning.
For example:
butter + fly = butterfly
cup + cake = cupcake
There are three different types of compound words:
- Closed form: two words are joined together to create a new meaning (firefly, softball, redhead, keyboard, makeup, notebook).
- Hyphenated form: words joined together by a hyphen (six-pack, mass-produced, mother-in-law)
- Open form: created from open words that when put together create a new meaning (full moon, real estate, post office)
While some compound words are straightforward to understand and translate, others can be deceptive, meaning the opposite of their individual components. Translators must navigate this complexity accurately to convey the intended meaning.
2. Missing terms and language translation
Certain words or phrases may not have a direct equivalent, requiring translators to search for the most appropriate substitute.
Challenge 3: Multiple meanings
You often find that some words have no direct equivalent in another language (missing words) whilst others have more than one meaning.
- Homonyms are words which have the same spelling and pronunciation but have different meanings (date: My favourite fruit to eat is a date. /James took Alex out on a date.)
- Homophones are words which have the same pronunciation, but different spellings and meanings (pale/pail; ate/eight; red/read)
- Homographs are words that are spelt the same but have different pronunciations and meanings (wind: The wind swept up the leaves. /Wind the clock up before you go to bed.)
Homonyms, homophones, and homographs can create confusion, as they have similar spellings or pronunciations but distinct meanings. This is where translation work requires precision. Translators must have a comprehensive vocabulary in both languages and use various reference sources, such as dictionaries, to identify suitable terms.
Challenge 4: Sector expertise
Translators often need sector expertise to handle specific fields effectively. A deep understanding of subject matters like legal, marketing, or technical terminologies enables them to produce accurate and reliable translations for various projects and documents.
The life of a language translator is full of challenges, ranging from linguistic nuances to cultural differences and technical expertise. However, their ability to overcome these obstacles is vital in bridging language gaps and facilitating effective communication in an interconnected world.
If you are looking for help with translation, ask Foreign Tongues. We work with experienced translators worldwide. You can request the free quote here and we will get back to you immediately.
