Translations and proofreading
We sometimes read a slogan in an ad, a short article or a press release and we might think that something is off (but don’t know exactly what). Sound familiar?
In times where we communicate not only between countries but also between worlds, it is all the more important to be clear, concise and, of course, culturally appropriate during communicating. Since this isn’t always so easy, we need the help of experts, and in this case, professional translators and copywriters. When you run out of words, I am happy to support and help you with professional German translations and content, so your target group is able to understand you perfectly. But also, when your text is already written but you need it proofreading, I will gladly check style, spelling, and grammar by proofreading your text.
Translations and proofreading
USPs for translations
- ✓ Professional
- ✓ References and experience
- ✓ Quick and reliable
- ✓ Attentive and tailored to your needs
- ➔ More
Localization of websites, blogs and apps
This kind of translation only refers to web- and online-based content, for instance on your website, on your company’s website or in a mobile application. To make orientation on your website easier for potential clients or your readers, it is essential to correctly translate menu selection points, buttons or certain information that correspond to the conventions in a specific country. That entails for example the currency or how you would address your readership, which together creates an authentic reading and browsing experience. That’s why this kind of translation is called localization, since it’s the adaptation to the local market.
- Languages: English, Czech
- Target language: German
- Fields of expertise: services, tourism, blogs, lifestyle, education, culture, cosmetics, web-shops, sustainability and app localization
FAQ:
A localization is a specialized translation for web-based content, that means for websites, blogs and apps. This kind of translation is important, in order to make a website as authentic and user-friendly as possible in the target language and so that users don’t stumble on specific words, buttons or phrases or, in the worst case, don’t understand them. A good example is the translation of the English term Home on a website: the German word Zuhause or even Heim is certainly not appropriate to use here and from our own experience we probably know that it’s common to use the term Start on German websites. But also, space allocation on a website or in an app can have consequences for the language or the word length and naturally, this has to be kept in mind when localizing in relation to the layout. It is exactly for these details that it is recommendable to work with a professional translator in order to receive a professional localization.
Specific translations
Texts can vary depending on their author and their target group and can, quite literally, open doors if they’re translated well. But on the other hand, an unprofessional or even wrong translation can cause a text to not have an effect on its readership at all.
A press release or an academic publication have entirely different functions than medical training material and that’s why these texts have to be translated differently, including the different appropriate styles. In this context, terminology is key, but also the style which is being used in the text plays a major role. To really find the right words, given these specific requirements for a text and to convey your message in a concise and appropriate way, it is best to work with a professional translator.
- Languages: English, Czech
- Target language: German
- Fields of expertise: services, health, marketing, PR, cosmetics, tourism, blogs, lifestyle, education, culture, science, finance, IT, manuals, and training material
FAQ:
You can contact me via e-mail, use the contact option on my website or just give me a call, so I can learn more about the specific project that you need my assistance with. Quite often, it is helpful for me to take a look on the original text, so I can better assess how much it will cost you, how long I will need to translate your text into German and whether there are other specific requirements involved. One of those can be a glossary, which is extremely useful if you would like me to include a certain terminology. Lastly, I will need to know your preferred deadline for the delivery of the German text. Everything else will be best discussed when we proceed with the project, either via phone or e-mail.
certain way. Can I ask my translator to use a glossary or a terminology database?
Of course, you can create a terminology sheet, if this is crucial for your text. It is actually very helpful for me when I get to work and translate your text, if certain terms (like proper names or product names) are defined upfront in order to avoid mistakes or inconsistency. Such a terminology sheet, or glossary, is automatically developed when translators use CAT-tools (translation programs) like SDL Trados, which helps translators to maintain consistency and, in the end, creates a “clean” style of the translated text.
My offer also includes a terminological consultation. I gladly exchange ideas regarding the ideal terminology for your text, and would be happy to assist you in stylistic questions. Of course, there are several feedback loops involved (depending on the volume of the text or assignment), so it is, in the end, truly your text – only translated into German. Lastly, the most important thing is that the translation caters to your needs and/or those of your company.
Literary translations
A literary translation is mostly not about a strict and consistent terminology or about addressing a certain target group – and that’s probably the biggest difference as opposed to the translation of apps, manuals or press releases. It is more about the ability of a literary translation to convey a story, a mood, a certain style as well as humorous aspects into another language. It doesn’t matter whether you are a self-publisher and would like to expand to the German-speaking market, or if you wish to have your essay or an article translated into German – I am happy to assist you with all kinds of projects.
- Languages: English, Czech
- Target language: German
- Fields of expertise: novel translations, essays, articles, poetry, nonfiction
FAQ:
The native language works as a kind of quality assurance tool in translation work. Of course, the first condition is that the translator is proficient in the foreign language (in your case, English) but then again, it is our native language that we have learned for the longest time. It is very difficult for non-native speakers to have the same intuitive understanding of, not just the words on the page, but also the spaces between them. Having a deep connection to a native language allows an editor to work on the kind of “gut feeling” that cannot be taught. And also, in relation to regional linguistic differences, like accent or dialect, it is advisable to work with a native speaker as a translator for your project. Thanks to my studies in literature, linguistic, and cultural studies, I have had the opportunity to learn about internal structures of a text as well as about stylistics on an academic level. I can apply these skills in combination with German, my native language.
Copywriting
Sometimes it's too much hassle to have a translation done, adapt cultural and linguistic idiosyncrasies, and while doing so, maintain the tone of your brand. In this case, you turn to copywriting, where content is created directly in a language. You save a step in the process and usually have just one contact person writing content for different channels.
- Language: German
- Fields of expertise: Services, health, marketing, PR, cosmetics, tourism, blogs, lifestyle, education, culture, science, sports
FAQ:
Quite simply, translation involves transferring a text from a source language to a target language. In copywriting, you work directly in a language and therefore do not need any transfer or localization.
Proofreading and editing
This service is relevant for clients who already have a finished German text but need it to be checked regarding spelling, consistency and style. Sometimes, this kind of service is also called editing, mostly proofreading.
If you would like your German text to be improved by proofreading, you should ask yourself beforehand if there is a specific style you prefer, for example matter-of-fact and academic or rather catchy and appropriate for marketing purposes – what is your text’s purpose? If it is regarding a proofreading of a translation into German, it is useful to send in the original text as well in order to use it as a reference.
- Languages: editing/proofreading for English or Czech translations into German
- Fields of expertise: services, tourism, blogs, lifestyle, cosmetics, education, culture, science, linguistic, crafting, IT, finance, logistics, gastronomy
FAQ:
In general, this is definitely possible, but really depends on the quality of the translation and the original. Sometimes, a little “cleaning up“ is all a text needs in order to make the content easier to understand, but in other cases it is advisable to order an entire new translation, not least for financial reasons. It can well be possible that not the translation is the problem, but it is the original.
USPs for translations and copywriting
Professional:
Thanks to my bilingual, academic training in Germany as well as abroad (France, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden), experience in living abroad as well as my current training for becoming a professional sworn translator for the combination English-German, I have been working and living with foreign languages for more than fifteen years. Additionally, I am a member of the Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer e. V. (German Association of Interpreters and Translators).
References and experience:
Since 2016, I have been working with over 20 clients from different industries. For every client, I had to adapt the tone of my texts and translations to the brand, company and culture.
Quick and reliable:
Through regular feedback, part-deliveries, and constant exchange and updates on where we are in the project, I can ensure that you will receive your text on time and to the required specification.
Detail-oriented and tailored to your needs:
I do not work with machine translations and guarantee to personally translate your text. If research is necessary and further questions appear, I consider it my job to work them into the text and get back to you to provide a perfect text.
FAQ
Tools like Google Translate are great if you quickly need to translate a term or a phrase. These tools, however, hit their limits in terms of e. g. idioms or, especially important for German, the question of how to correctly use the different forms of gender (Student, Studentin, Studierende). But also, local peculiarities or jokes can be tricky when the translation is done by a machine or a web-based tool. Finally, a translator can provide a “gut feeling“ and therefore the better translation.
That might be sufficient for a rough translation at first. As soon as it is about a precise and stylistically appropriate translation, you should definitely consider hiring an expert. Just think about how much time you will spend with translating the text yourself and how much time (and energy) you will save by delegating this task.
It’s hard to answer this question generally. Mostly, it is possible to deliver a shorter translation very soon after the assignment, that can be within one day, but that always depends on my current capacity. According to the urgency of your project, it is also possible to agree on an express delivery.
This depends on which format you need for your further work with the specific text. I am regularly working with well-known CAT tools (tools for computer-assisted translations), so that I can adapt my workflow to your needs. That means that I can deliver finished translations in a specific format of the tool (e. g. SDL Trados or Memsource), but also in a Word document where you can see the original and the translation next to each other. The final formatting, however, is not part of a translator’s job.