How to translate your pack copy effectively?
While your Pack Copy needs to be complete, approved and consistent, there are other things to consider when you are dealing with translation agencies:
There are two types of translations in the example above
- Inline translation:
NET WT / PESO NETO 11 OZ(311g)
- Non-Inline translation:
English: Naturally sweet plantain slices delicately fried to perfection.Spanish: Pátano naturalmente dulce en rebanadas delicadamente fritas a perfección
Some translations are ‘Inline’ where the translated text is mixed with other languages in the same line. Non-Inline translations are where the languages are written in separate lines.
Another example of translated languages concatenated
Primary and translation languages: A pack copy consists of many Copy elements and it’s important to understand which copy elements require translation in which languages and in what way. The primary language from which all translations are to be done must be known. This primary language copy has to be first approved before it can be sent for translation. Each translation language has to be independently tracked as the task can be sent to different agencies. Instructions on Inline or non-Inline translations are to be clearly specified.
The translation agency should be able to export the translation text as a XLIFF file and import back a similar file with the translations.
Content Reuse: Sometimes, it may not be necessary to send the Pack Copy for translation because the translated text is already available. As translations are done, the translated text for commonly used phrases and words can be saved into a database and reused. This not only saves time but also saves on cost of translation. Reuse also improves the consistency of copy across products and allows a system to quickly search and retrieve products where a certain copy is used. An impact analysis can be easily done to determine all products affected if a certain copy is changed.
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