Translation Glossaries & Terminology

Translation Glossaries: An Introduction

If we consider that every business has its own language that differs from others and from ordinary usage, then it becomes immediately apparent that some sort of customized guide is needed in order to ensure proper usage. This is where a translation glossary comes in: it constitutes both a tool and a terminology method to assist you in creating consistent translations in your targeted business language.

This is especially important for an international company, when you want to make sure all colleagues are using the same term to describe the same concept. A word's specialized meaning might not only differ from ordinary usage, but also vary among target language users of different backgrounds. For example, a layman might hear the word "gearing" and immediately think of some sort of clockwork mechanism, whereas an investment banker in the City of London would understand this to mean the level of a company's debt vs. its equity capital. And yet her counterpart across the pond in New York would use the term "leverage" to describe the same concept.

Why do I need a translation glossary?

In short, to save time and money for your organization, industry statistics have indicated that rework accounts for up to 15 percent of all globalization project costs, and the main reason for rework in turn can be found in inconsistent terminology. By creating a translation glossary, future translations benefit from standards that can be followed when going from one specific language to another. This naturally will save time for your translation staff in the future and help them avoid doing the same thing over and over.

How does a translation glossary work and how does it benefit my business?

After building your translation glossary, all you have to do is upload your next file for translation and our system will automatically match the file with your glossary. If the system finds an identical word, it will put the translation after the word in your source document. Words that have been provided with this automatic translation will not be deducted from your account's word count, thereby saving you money.

Who can build a translation glossary for me?

You can build one yourself, or you can be provided with one by your colleagues or by WritePath. If you build the glossary on your own, it will be more accurate and have fewer mistakes. However, it's also fine if we do it for you in order to save your time; all you have to do is check whether it is correct.