Spelling involves the correct use of letters to correctly write each word. In order to implement it, it is necessary to know and apply the conventions and standards established in the language in question.
It’s much more than just a superficial issue, and we can’t change as we please. On the contrary: we must have impeccable spelling if we want our communications to reach our audience accurately.
Now, why is it so important? And how does it influence the translations you complete or receive?
Spelling and translation
Knowing how to spell words correctly is essential to communicate in any language, because only in this way will you be able to express yourself accurately and be perfectly understood.
When we complete or request a translation, the goal is always the same: to promote a clear understanding of the content, regardless of the language or languages you use to communicate or receive your messages. Do you want to know how bad spelling affects these cases?
Lower quality
In any text, spelling mistakes are perceived as indicators of poor quality: the more they appear, the higher the sense of expressive poverty, inadequacy, lack of recognition, and lack of credibility in the projects that contain them.
Consequently, those who publish a bad translation, riddled with spelling mistakes, issue a communication that projects a negative image, which generates mistrust in your audience.
If this translation has been done for the purposes of advertising, information or scientific dissemination, this kind of discredited perception will extend from the form to the content itself. Your audience will not want the product, will not believe your thesis, or will not value the presented finding.
Comprehension problems
In addition to a poor image, translated texts with spelling mistakes make it difficult for their audience to understand. They must be much more attentive and focused on the information they are reading, because they must interpret beyond what is set forth. If this has ever happened to you, you may have noticed the effort you had to make to decode each word and discover its actual meaning.
This additional formal concentration, indirectly, prevents you from focusing 100% on the information that the text is conveying to you. It’s much easier for you to get lost when trying to assimilate this information, which will usually require you to read the material again until you can fully understand it.
Waste of time
This is a consequence of the situation just presented. The audience reading these translations is forced to devote more time to their reading, interpretation, and analysis.
As a result, communications are delayed and lose accuracy.
Spelling is essential
Would you like to see a practical example? Imagine you want to study a page written with bad handwriting and full of crossed out words. You’ll have a hard time understanding what it says, and you certainly won’t be able to focus on the content as you would under normal conditions. Remember that every spelling mistake is like a crossed out word, a factor of illegibility that hinders the comprehension of the text.
As you can see, spelling is an essential attribute in every translation. Only the best translators manage to produce impeccable and immaculate content in terms of spelling, in the target language.
By contrast, misspellings project a poor image, make it difficult to understand, and require more time to read. Always choose highly qualified professional translators to avoid these problems!
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish) Français (French)
