ESL
Clients
Addressing the Nuances of Language
by Phil Hanson
When
companies and 'Netrepreneurs in non-English-speaking countries
build Web sites to compete in English-speaking markets, they
often find themselves at a disadvantage due to subtle differences
in language that make literal translations impossible, or utterly
ridiculous.
Whether
it's a skewed word order, a misinterpreted word or a misquoted
or misapplied phrase, whenever translators and writers give
short shrift to the nuances of language, the results can be
disastrous. More than one company has been embarrassed (and
probably more than one company executive fired) because of language
screw-ups that proved to be insulting or embarrassing rather
than flattering.
Perception
is everything. Companies and 'Netrepreneurs who want to
get it right the first time, to make that all-important good
first impression, take careful measures to ensure that every
word, in every line of text, appearing in their advertising
and promotional material is absolutely 100% correct. This applies
as much to Web pages as it does to printed matter.
When
potential customers find spelling, word usage or other errors
on a company's Web site, subtle psychological processes kick
in. At a subconscious level, their minds work to reconcile
what they're told with what they actually see. If a company
claims excellence or superiority for its products or services,
but fails to provide evidence of those qualities in the sales
material it presents to prospective buyers, an element of doubt
creeps in.
Can
a company be trusted to get its products or services right if
it can't get its sales copy right? How can there be trust if
there's disparity between what a company says and what it does?
Why should anyone believe that a company that can't be bothered
to put excellent content on their Web pages would be any more
likely to deliver excellence in their products or services?
Sure,
getting all the words and punctuation right is nothing more
than detail work, but excellence is found in the details, and
nowhere else. When you pay meticulous attention to details and
make conscientious efforts to create error-free Web page content,
your prospective customers recognize your commitment to delivering
quality. It's an important first step in building trust.
I'm
not a translator, and I don't provide translation services.
However, if American English is not your primary language, but
your objective is to create Web page content to compete in American
markets, I can help. My excellent interpretive skills, when
applied to your previously translated written material, can
give your Web page text the exact shade of meaning it needs
in order for it to convey the exact message you want it to convey.
By
reading for context and using a combination of extrapolation,
interpolation and interpretation, I can take your previously
translated ESL text and convert it into flawless EFL text.
English may be your second language, but your English-speaking
(and reading) customers will never know it.
Copyright
© 2005 by Phil Hanson
All rights reserved.
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