How transcreation differs from translation

Anyone that works in the Transcreation industry, alongside translation, would know that it is not as simple as source, software and then output. A transcreator is a person that is, in a way a copywriter, that will not only translate the text but copy write the text into a new language giving it a whole new message of course with the same focus. This is where we base the new text on the original but give it a twist and make it focused on the current market in hand, remembering that all cultures and languages have different customs and by transcreating text we have to make sure to stay on top of the current cultural changes making sure the output text is in all aspects correct.

Transcreation is all about creativity and originality, while retaining the base focus. In the world and translation industry now, transcreation is looked on as a type of modelling for words. We model the words around the culture and country with the focus in mind, shaping the end product makes it more likely to succeed then standard translation, because this is to make customers and website viewers to feel that the product is aimed at them. This helps a belief that the product will succeed making someone more likely to buy.

Transcreation creates output text that is a whole new message, this message is different from what the source text was, but it has the same meaning. That doesn’t mean it stops there, text is one thing but design is another when you transcreate (for example) a website, you need to make sure the text is, of course, correct but also need to do some background checking to make sure that the design of the website, whether this has people on it or any kind of material that could ‘offend’ or ‘bother’ other cultures and this is yet another big difference to transcreation.

If we follow the example previously stated, transcreating a web page needs to make sure that the page itself is configured correctly with the wording, as Arabic or Hebrew both go right to left so you need to make the web page the correct way around so it all reads right to left, because if this is missed and/or this isn’t done, what would make them be interested in reading it?

Transcreation companies will most likely come with or offer some kind of design part as well. At the Transcreation Agency we will transcreate your requests and then we can add them to designs that will fit perfectly with your website allowing the finished product to be perfect for the markets you choose.

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