When we are thinking about communicating a message beyond our language borders, we often use terms such as transcreation and cultural adaptation. At first sight, they may appear to be the same thing, but in practice they have different purposes, processes and scopes. Understanding the difference between them is essential for those working with creative content, international marketing or videogame and software localization services.
What is transcreation?
Transcreation combines translation and creation. It doesn’t seek to translate the original text literally, but to recreate the message so that it has the same emotional and communicative impact in another language and culture.
A clear example of this can be seen in advertising or videogame narration: a joke, a slogan or an iconic phrase can lose all meaning if it’s translated word for word. Transcreation enables us to rewrite that idea, retaining its intention, tone and emotion. It requires cultural sensitivity, extensive knowledge of the target audience and, above all, creativity.
Agencies that offer professional translation services resort to transcreators when the goal is not just to inform, but to excite and persuade. In marketing contexts or in videogame translation and localization, transcreation helps make the product feel truly “local”, without losing the identity of the brand or game.
What does cultural adaptation mean?
Cultural adaptation, on the other hand, takes a more functional approach. It focuses on adapting the original content so that it fits with the target cultural setting, without changing the main message.
This involves changing references, symbols or examples that might be confusing or inappropriate in another culture. It can also include visual adjustments, date formats, names or measurements units. In practice, it involves adapting the form, not the core.
For example, in translation that specializes in technical materials or software localization, cultural adaptation ensures that users understand the content without any obstacles. This is a less creative yet equally strategic process that seeks naturalness and cultural acceptance.
The real differences between transcreation and cultural adaptation
Even though they share the idea of bringing a message to another culture, they have different purposes:
- Transcreation transforms the message so that it retains its emotional impact and communicative force.
- Cultural adaptation adjusts the message to make it understandable and appropriate in its new context.
The first operates in the realm of emotion and creativity; the second, in one of clarity and appropriateness. In many projects, the two are combined: for example, an advertisement or a cutscene might need transcreation, whereas the interface or user guide will require cultural adaptation.
Choosing the right approach
Determining which technique to apply depends on the type of content and the end goal. If the message seeks to persuade, inspire or build an emotional connection, transcreation would be the best choice. If, however, the priority is accuracy, coherence and ease of use, cultural adaptation would be more appropriate.
An experienced professional translation company such as Blarlo, will know how to identify where to apply each approach. Its professional translation services and videogame and software localization services combine both processes to offer coherent, culturally natural-sounding results.
