Belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family, Chinese is a super-complex language. Factors like availability of several complex dialects (will be explained), a unique system of writing and the tonal sound system, all add up to make it a very complex language. And when it comes to translating to or from Chinese for business or any other reason, you do need to have a reliable Chinese translation service provider for accurate translations.
Any random bilingual can’t provide flawless Chinese translations because it’s not that simple. Not only does the language poses great challenges for new learners, it is very complex for translators as well.
Here, we are going to see why it is difficult to translate language and some proven tips to get the best Chinese translations.
Major Dialects of Chinese Language
Following are the major 7 Chinese dialect groups:
- Mandarin
Widely used in southwestern and northern China
Has many varieties
The official language of Taiwan and Chian is Standard Mandarin
- Wu
Mainly spoken in Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu
Tonal rich dialect
Has different variants, including Shanghainese
Different vocabulary and pronunciation from Mandarin
- Yue
Famously known as Cantonese
Used in Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong
Has middle Chinese phonological features
- Min
Spoken in some parts of Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Fuijan
Has several sub-dialects including Teochew and Hokkien
- Xiang
Used in Hunan province
Has classic middle Chinese features
Exists in old and new variations
- Hakka
Spoken in Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi by Hakka people
Similarities with Mandarin and Cantonese
Has unique phonetic characteristic
- Gan
Used in Jiangxi
Shares features of Hakka and Xiang
Has distinct vocabulary
What Makes Chinese Complex for Translation?
As mentioned earlier, it’s a tonal language; the pitch of words changes the entire meaning. Here’s an example for better understanding: The syllable “ma” has different meanings. It can refer to “horse’,’ ‘’mother,” “hemp,” or “scold,” depending on the tone. This makes it essential for the translator to consider the proper tone variation, particularly for transcription and voice translation. It won’t be much of an issue for written text, but for that, context is important.
Pinyin adds to the challenges of translation. Unlike English, where alphabets are used, symbols are used in Chinese language where they convey different words and concepts. Pinyin shows pronunciations in the Latin characters. And for translation, it is important that the translator knows the context as each character can have more than one meaning based on the context.
Unlike English and many other widely used languages, the Chinese language lacks verbs and tenses. For example, the verb “吃” (chī) simply means “to eat” without any inherent indication of past, present, or future tense.Thus, translators may need to add some additional words to clarify the context and meaning.
Practical Tips for Best Chinese Translation Services
All the above-mentioned factors show how translation can be a big challenge. Here are some effective ways to help produce error-free translations, maintain a natural flow and ensure cultural relevancy:
Build Contextual Understanding
First things first, having a clear contextual understanding is important. It can level up your Chinese translations and bring in clarity. Clear understanding about the cultural implications and target audience can help produce flawless, impactful translations that read natural.
Avoid Machine Translation Tools
The quality delivered by professional Chinese translation services can’t be achieved by using any machine translation tool. Although the AI powered tools are improving, they still fail to help with idiomatic expressions, a proper flow and cultural intricacies. You will always need human input for natural sounding translations.
Prefer Clarity over Literal Translation
Literal translations can ruin everything. Make sure the translated content is clear for the audience. You can add some words if needed to clarify the message. But it should make complete sense.
Pay Attention to Style and Tone
The style you choose should be based on your audience and purpose of translation. Like, for social media posts, the style and tone can be informal and conversational, while for business documents, it has to be formal and polished.
Use Appropriate Character Variants
Different variants of Chinese are used in different regions. You must be careful about choosing the target variant based on the region for which you are translating.
Take Care of Cultural Sensitivities
Colors, symbols and certain phrases could be disturbing for the Chinese audience. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your translations resonate with the culture of China.
Bottom Line
The complexities of Chinese language make it very challenging for a translator to attain perfection. However, for the best translation services, keeping the above-stated points in mind can be really helpful.
Make sure a native Chinese translator works on your project. His linguistic skills, cultural knowledge and understanding of regional variations will help you get crisp, flawless and resonating translations.
