In an increasingly globalized world, we find that people from a variety of countries who speak different languages coexist in a variety of professional sectors. This is quite common in high performance sport, an area where it’s very important to have good communication. But sometimes this is nearly impossible for us due to language barriers. In these cases, it is best to hire the services of professionals who can guarantee a high quality sports translation.
The translator, a coach’s best ally
In professional sports teams, especially basketball and football, but also others such as volleyball, handball, or water polo, it’s usual to have players of different nationalities living together. Although foreigners usually end up adapting to the local language, this process takes time. And it is absolutely essential in order to guarantee the team’s optimal performance from day one, for the player to understand the technical concepts that the coach wishes to convey, so that they can apply them in the playing field.
However, if the coach doesn’t speak the player’s language fluently, he or she may not be able to communicate the desired information. To avoid any problems, it is best to have a technical sports translator who not only knows the language, but also has knowledge of the sport in question. This is very important, because sometimes a literal translation may prevent the real message from being delivered. Therefore, it is absolutely essential for the translator to also understand the concepts pertaining to the sport, which the coach is trying to explain.
This is not limited only to team sports, because in individual disciplines, such as tennis or cycling, where technical teams are usually comprised of people who speak different languages, communication among all members of the team is just as Important. This is why having a translator remains vitally important to improve performance.
Why is it so important to translate specific sports terminology?
When we play a sport, we realize that, as a result of this, we develop a specific vocabulary to describe plays, violations, or actions. For example, when we talk about basketball, it’s important to know what the “backcourt” is or what kind of play we are referring to when we do a “pick and roll”. Likewise in tennis, we must know what it means to “lift” the ball in a “backhand” and what a “topspin forehand” is.
This terminology hasn’t evolved the same way in every country, so a literal translation simply won’t do to explain the concept. In these cases, the translation of specific sports terms requires a translator with prior knowledge of the sport.
If you’re an elite athlete or leading a team comprised by people from different countries and cultures, we encourage you to hire the services of a quality sports translation company. Remove any language barriers you may have, and you’ll see that your results will improve considerably in no time.
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish) Français (French) Nederlands (Dutch)
