Translation & Terminology Consistency - Creative Word

Terminology Consistency is vital in producing accurate, timely translations. Words must say what they mean and mean what they say in order to avoid misunderstandings and other unwanted consequences.

Consistent use in vocabulary, language or terminology, assists the reader in their comprehension and helps prevent confusion.

Terminological Consistency is especially important within the translation industry due to the problematic nature of misinterpreted words or meanings.

Industry technology, such as programmes that “harvest” stock words and phrases, are vital for translation companies, speeding up the translation process of multilingual, specialised texts, such as legal or medical documents, making for a reliable company terminology that ensures clients have a dependable language translation that they can trust.

Commonplace documents such as letters, brochures, and articles require language consistency every bit as much as legal contracts, instruction manuals or terms and conditions.

No matter what field your business operates within, if it is international, then sooner or later it will require translation services and these must follow through with a consistent use of language and terminology for the benefit of your company and your clients.

Clarity and accuracy are more readily assured by using verified translation services and language technology.

Tips on Translation & Terminology Consistency:

•    Make use of industry technology – especially in translation, as it can speed up the process and ensure consistency through use of stock phrases and words
•    Use correct terminology – from the outset check that your company is using the consistent and correct vocabulary and terms
•    Avoid ambiguity – be clear, concise and consistent in your use of language and choice of words.  If you say client initially then don’t change to customer part way through a document. Likewise, if you say IPad don’t change to Tablet
•    Establish a  company policy for terminology  – this way it can be followed by everyone and will guarantee consistency
•    Localisation will alter terminology – ensure your products or services retain consistency in new market areas and be aware that they will change for each target market

Terminology Consistency should be an essential focus for any businesses involved in translations to ensure uniformity and reliability in language, while also avoiding ambiguity, costly errors and time wasting for all stakeholders.