A Romance language, Italian comes from an Indo-European family. It has evolved as part of the vulgar Latin from the Roman empire. Italian is one of the languages that is not much divergent from Latin. It is the official language in Italy and Vatican City. There are more than 85 million people who speak this language. This is also commonly spoken in other countries by expatriates. The third largest community of Italian speakers comes from the USA, which is around 20 million. It is one of the most important languages in Europe as well as a working language of the Council of Europe. This also ranks as the second most widely spoken native language in Europe.
The growing and stable economy of Italy has always kept Italian translation services in demand. The Italian language has great significance for its poetic and literary background too. This has played a vital role in musical terminology too. Multiple Italian words are popular worldwide and are famous for becoming international terms. Every language comes with complexities and differences which make it divergent from other languages. Translating Italian could be a serious ordeal for a person who does not understand the language due to the complications that come with it.
The translation is a process that requires from the translators more than plain linguistic proficiency. The process demands a greater literary insight into the meaning, nuances, and cultural context of the source language. It further asks to convey the original message and intent precisely in the new language. Several challenges arise with Italian translation services if the translators are not more than proficient in Italian and another language. It is because the Italian language has a rich cultural heritage and literary background. I worked for a localization company that specializes in translating software and content into multiple languages.
Here are a few of the important challenges that may come with the translation of the Italian language. Moreover, a few tips have also been suggested to overcome these shortcomings.
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Idiomatic Expressions and Cultural Nuances
Every language has its certain idiomatic expressions. Likewise, the Italian language also has distinct idiomatic expressions which add more meaning and flavor to the language. Translating these idioms, expressions, and phrases can be a real challenge. Moreover, the Italian language has its own set of nuances with cultural references and it can come without direct equivalence in other languages making the translation process complex and critical. Therefore, it is important to guarantee that translators hired for the Italian translation have the relevant knowledge and expertise. They should have a profound knowledge of the language and culture of the Italian language and its speakers too.
The translators can follow certain tips to overcome these challenges, such as
- They should ensure to conduct thorough research about idiomatic phrases, expressions, and cultural links and can work on finding the best suitable words or alternatives to the target language.
- Collaboration with native speakers is a must. They should also consult the subject matter experts to make sure that they understand and interpret the cultural nuances well.
- They can also work on providing the contextual explanation of footnotes while necessary to help them understand the culture.
Regional Variations
Every language has different variations that they speak in different regions of the world. Be it Italian or French, there are different dialects and nuances. French is another popular language and also originates from Latin just like Italian does. Many businesses acquire French translation services to tap the French market. Italian also has different grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation which has made it crucial for translators to consider target audience localization and preferences.
They can follow these practices to cope with regional variations.
- Translators can identify the audience region and translate the content as per the dialects that they speak there.
- Consulting local people and language experts can also help clear doubts about differences in cultural variations.
Technical Terminology
To ensure consistent and accurate translations, sound knowledge of technical terminology is fundamental. The challenge lies in replacing the terms with the ones in the target language which are similar and precise in terms of meaning and intent. Moreover, it is also important to not lose technical accuracy while translating for the medicine, law, finance, and engineering content.
The terminology though may vary with the subject and niche that comes for translation. For instance, businesses can seek Italian translation services for legal, medical, or technical documents. These areas are quite tough to translate and have specialized industry-based jargon and technology. Hence, it is one of the grey areas where translators have to struggle with the right interpretation and meanings in the target language.
They should practice below mentioned tips to have a command of technical terminology.
- They should sit with their clients and work on the comprehensive glossary of the industry under discussion and the preferred translation.
- Also, they can collaborate with the subject matter experts in case of any ambiguity regarding terms and phrases.
Colloquial Language and Slang
Like French and all other languages, the Italian language also has colloquialisms and slang with a sense of informality and local dialect. Even the French language comes with a lot of slang. French people use slang quite commonly in their daily conversations. As a French language translator, you should know that French translation services can not be completed without translating slang words and phrases. Many times these are integral parts of the text and marketing campaigns.
Hence, slang is another factor translators fail at as it is imperative to maintain the intended tone and style of the original content while translating it.
Translators should keep themselves familiar with Italian colloquial expressions and slang to deal with this challenge. Also, they should be connected with the Italian media, conversation, and social medial platforms.
Keeping up with the Latest Happenings
Almost all industries are evolving and technology advancement has been playing its role since the time of its inception. Therefore, for a seamless and up-to-date translation of the text from technology, law, medicine, and technical content, it is important to stay updated with subject-related news and that’s why only subject experts should be taken on board for the job.
Translators should subscribe to newsletters that are industry-specific, relevant journals and also keep themselves connected with the subject matter experts.
Conclusion
It is not easy to translate the Italian language. It poses great challenges. Therefore, it is important that only professional translators are hired to perform the task. Idiomatic expressions, cultural nuances, regional variations, and technical terminology along with translating slang are a few challenges to name.
