1. Rage Bait (English) 

The Oxford Word of the Year in 2025 refers to an online phenomenon that, in our modern age of AI, deepfakes and perennial misinformation, is only becoming more prevalent. According to data studied by the dictionary, the usage of this term tripled in the last three months of the year, marking it out  as an expression deserving of attention – and one that reflects how we continue to become more literate consumers of online content.

In the words of Casper Grathwohl, the President of Oxford Languages: “The fact that the word rage bait exists and has seen such a dramatic surge in usage means we’re increasingly aware of the manipulation tactics we can be drawn into online. Before, the internet was focused on grabbing our attention by sparking curiosity in exchange for clicks, but now we’ve seen a dramatic shift to it hijacking and influencing our emotions, and how we respond.”

Rage bait beat out two other shortlisted terms for the accolade – aura farming and biohack – the first of which also belongs at home in the digital sphere.

2. Al Desko (English)

The adverb al desko – adapted from the Italian borrowing al fresco, meaning to eat outside in the fresh air – first appeared in English in the Washington Post in 1981, but was only added officially to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2025 after an uptick in usage. It refers to the practice of consuming lunch at one’s desk, sometimes while continuing to type away, answer emails and perform other light duties.

The inclusion of this word in 2025 appears to bear witness to a sharp about-turn in working practices from the days of the COVID pandemic. Gone are the longer and often more leisurely lunches of the WFH-era as workers continue to flock back to the office and pack more productivity into every last working day – apparently, and unfortunately, at the expense of the all-important lunch break. It seems many of the lessons learned in early 2020 have been very quickly forgotten!

3. Jernmarker (Fields of Iron, Danish)

For the second year in a row, the word chosen by the Danish Language Council in conjunction with the radio programme Klog på Sprog as Denmark’s Word of the Year has been one relating to the environment – Jernmarker, or Fields of Iron. In 2025, this word became a widely used metaphor in Danish debates about solar cell installations. The term refers to the large areas of land covered with solar panels, conjuring up a very literal yet evocative image of the phenomenon it describes, and thereby drawing on our emotions to clearly convey the speaker’s opinion.

The jury noted that the word is very Danish in that it combines everyday imagery with a pressing national debate about energy and land use. It’s tongue-in-cheek, direct and fairly damning all at the same time, and thus an example of very efficient language use. Jernmarker was chosen from a shortlist of words that, in large part, also reflected political developments rather than cultural or social phenomena, such as skyggeflåde (shadow fleet) and drone.

4. Balkongkraftverk (Balcony Power Plant, Swedish)

This entry from Sweden also reflects a growing trend in Scandinavian terminology developments over the past few years – namely the coining of new words relating to the worsening security situation in Europe and the everyday implications that this has for citizens of all creeds and backgrounds. As Sweden continues to remilitarise and the possibility of a future conflict becomes increasingly commonplace within the national psyche, Swedes are growing more and more familiar with words that describe new practices in the nation’s new alignment era.

Balkongkraftverk is one such word. It describes a small-scale solar power installation mounted on a balcony, allowing households – especially those in apartments – to generate their own electricity directly from sunlight. It has been heard in everyday conversations, policy debates and even in marketing campaigns, as Swedes increasingly frame their balconies not just as leisure spaces but as potential nodes of resilience and self-sufficiency in uncertain times.

Another similar Swedish word added to the dictionary this year was Beredskapsodling – the practice of growing crops at home (in the garden or, yes, even on the balcony) that can provide sustenance in an emergency situation. Together, these two words paint a picture of a Sweden that has grown more accustomed to the idea of a turbulent future. 

5. Simpa (Dine & Dash, Spanish)

One of the words acknowledged by the Real Academia Española in 2025 is simpa, a colloquial term in Spain that refers to the act of leaving a bar, restaurant, or taxi without paying. The word comes from the phrase sin pagar (literally without paying) and has been in usage since the late twentieth century. Its inclusion in the dictionary reflects how informal expressions tied to social behaviour – sometimes humorous, sometimes critical – gain legitimacy once they are deeply embedded in popular culture.

In English, this phrase often gets translated as ‘doing a runner’ (in the UK) or as ‘dine and dash’ as the practice is often known in the US. It was one of several slang terms to receive acknowledgement from the RAE in 2025, alongside farlopa (a common term for cocaine of uncertain origin) and boca-chancla (a word that literally means flip-flop-mouth and refers to somebody who blurts things out without thinking first). In many cases, these are longstanding terms that are now finally receiving official recognition.

6. Turismofobia (Tourism Phobia, Spanish)

Turismofobia is another Spanish term added this year, describing the rejection or hostility towards mass tourism and its effects on local communities. It reflects growing concerns about overcrowding, rising housing costs due to short-term rentals, environmental strain and the erosion of cultural identity in popular destinations such as Barcelona or Mallorca. 

The word captures the tension between the economic benefits of tourism and the social and ecological challenges it creates, and its inclusion in the Real Academia Española’s dictionary highlights how language evolves to express contemporary social anxieties. Much like other neologisms tied to modern life, turismofobia shows how everyday vocabulary adapts to debates about globalisation, sustainability and urban change, giving voice to communities that feel overwhelmed by the pressures of mass tourism.

7. Ómjólk (Unmilk, Icelandic)

This year, the European Parliament voted to restrict the use of meat-related words such as sausage or burger to describe plant-based alternatives to traditional meat products – like patties made from beans, potatoes and other vegetable products, for example. This followed on from a previous decision to do the same thing for dairy substitutes, and so it is interesting, therefore, that one of the words gaining traction this year in Icelandic is ómjólk – literally unmilk. This short and simple word can refer to any kind of milk substitute, whether derived from almonds, soya, oats or something else entirely.

The kind of lexical flexibility illustrated by the word ómjólk is useful in a context in which the aim is to describe what something is not rather than what it is – making it possible to group together disparate products on the basis of their function or shared qualities, even if they are very different in many ways. It is also interesting to note how the nature of Icelandic has allowed for such an elegant solution to emerge organically, while other languages struggle with clunkier phrases that add further fuel to the political debate. Could there be a correlation between the ease with which such new words can be adopted and spread and the outcomes of the wider political discourse?

8. Dinguerie (Madness, French)

Dinguerie is originally a French word that meant madness or folly, derived from dingue (crazy) plus the suffix -erie. In its earliest usage, it was used to describe irrational behaviour, reckless acts, or absurd situations – for example, “C’est une dinguerie de partir sans argent” (It’s madness to leave without money). This negative sense emphasised foolishness and extravagance, and for a long time this was the dominant meaning of the word recorded in dictionaries.

In recent years, however, youth slang and social media have reshaped the word. Dinguerie is now often used positively to describe something extraordinary, impressive, or surprising – like a daring stunt, a new fashion trend, or an amazing event. In that sense, it has followed a similar trajectory to English words like sick or wicked – words that once had negative connotations but now also describe things that are trendy or cool.

9. Sumud (Steadfastness, Italian)

Sumud, an Arabic word meaning steadfastness or resilience, entered Italian vocabulary in 2025 through Treccani’s Libro dell’anno. Its arrival was linked to the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international solidarity initiative with several Italian participants, that brought the concept into Italian public debate. In this context, sumud came to symbolise the values of endurance, hope and cultural identity associated with the Palestinian struggle, and its inclusion in the dictionary reflects how global political movements can leave a linguistic imprint.

In the same update, Treccani also added Pro-Pal, a shorthand for pro-Palestinian. The pairing of these two terms shows how the Israel-Palestine conflict is shaping Italian politics and culture, not only through activism and media coverage but also through the very words Italians use. Their recognition in the national lexicon underscores how deeply the issue resonates in Italy, with language itself becoming a marker of solidarity, division and engagement in global debates.

10. Sneukelspijt (Snacking Regret, Dutch)

Sneukelspijt is a playful Dutch compound word that literally translates to snacking regret. Far from being a uniquely Dutch phenomenon, it captures a feeling we can all relate to in the modern age – especially at the end of December, after the indulgence of Christmas and right before those new years’ resolutions kick in. The word itself is a portmanteau of sneukelen (to nibble or snack) with spijt (regret), creating a humorous yet relatable term that resonates with everyday life.

In 2025, sneukelspijt gained recognition in Dutch dictionaries and media as part of a wave of neologisms tied to lifestyle and culture. Unlike more serious additions such as hallucineren in the AI sense or manosfeer (manosphere) for online communities, sneukelspijt shows the lighter side of linguistic creativity. It’s a word that blends humour with self-awareness, acknowledging the small guilty pleasures that shape daily routines. Its inclusion highlights how Dutch continues to evolve by embracing both global influences and local quirks, ensuring that even the most ordinary moments – like regretting a snack binge – can find their place in the national lexicon.

Up to the Minute at All Times

We hope you’ve enjoyed this year’s round-up of new words not just in English, but across many of Europe’s most important and widely spoken tongues. We like to compile these lists each year not just because we find them to be fun and insightful, but because we think language can teach us a lot about the world we live in and where it’s headed – and because, as language experts, it’s important that we are always up-to-the-minute on how different languages evolve and change with time.

Curious to read more? Check out our round-up from 2024 for more neologisms and insight.

Or if you’re more interested in the future than the past, explore our range of services and find out how our language knowledge can work for you and your brand: Our Services.

The post Ten New Words in 2025 appeared first on Comunica.

But how should translators deploy inclusive language? What happens, for example, if the conventions around inclusive language in the source language are not as developed as those in the target? Or say, for example, that a translator is working on a text that uses non-inclusive language – when is it appropriate to change the language in translation, and can this ever cause problems? These are some of the questions we will be exploring in today’s edition of the blog!

What Is Inclusive Language?

Let’s start by clearly defining what we mean by inclusive language. According to Collins, inclusive language is: ‘language that avoids the use of certain expressions or words that might be considered to exclude particular groups of people, especially gender-specific words, such as “man”, ” mankind”, and masculine pronouns, the use of which might be considered to exclude women.’

In addition, it also includes other practices such as people-first language, which is a writing style that emphasises the person before their disability – i.e. ‘person who is blind’ instead of ‘blind person’, and the avoidance of terms which may reflect inherent biases or inaccuracies, such as ‘sexual preference’ instead of ‘sexual orientation’. Some proponents of inclusive language also advocate avoiding niche idioms and expressions that may exclude people without specific knowledge, and taking a history-conscious approach which eschews terms rooted in oppressive practices such as colonialism, the slave trade or segregation.

There is no one single agreed-upon set of practices for writing inclusively, and conventions are changing all the time. However, the general idea is to try and make all readers feel included and reflected, and to avoid promoting one societal group over others.

Inclusive Writing in Different Languages

In English, perhaps the most prominent change has been the shift away from using he/him pronouns by default when the gender is not known towards using they/them instead, or deploying other strategies to avoid mentioning gender.

For example, instead of writing ‘when an employee attends a meeting, he should prepare a detailed report,’ the Council of Europe recommends either using the plural pronoun in the singular (‘they should prepare a detailed report’), or putting the entire sentence into the plural (‘when employees attend a meeting, they should prepare a detailed report’). Omitting the pronoun entirely can also be an option in certain cases.

In other languages, different strategies have evolved. The challenge of gender inclusivity is greater in romance languages, as gender markers are much more common. In Spanish, one solution has been to replace the gender-identifying noun-endings O and A with X or E instead. For example, ‘nosotros somos muy altos’ would become ‘nosotres somos muy altes’. This is a rather contentious practice, however, given that it advocates breaking established grammar rules. Instead, many writers prefer to use both the masculine and feminine forms (‘nosotros y nosotras’). This solution is not perfect either, as it does not include people who identify as non-binary, for example.

In Swedish, the gender-neutral pronoun hen, instead of han (he) or hon (she), has gained broad acceptance over time. It was first coined in the 1960s by feminist groups and sparked broad debate at the time. The Swedish Language Council initially ruled against its use but later changed its mind, and in 2015 the pronoun was added to the Swedish Academy’s dictionary. The term has also made its way into the other Scandinavian languages, but may be considered less acceptable. In Norway, for example, it is recommended only when referring to those people who prefer to be identified with this pronoun, but not to refer to people whose gender is not known.

Policies vary greatly from country to country and language to language. The French government, for example, has banned the use of certain inclusive-language practices in public documents. In Germany, on the other hand, the city of Hanover mandates the use of gender-neutral terms in official communications. These disparities mean that practices and expectations are unequal from context to context.

Translating Inclusive Language

There are many cases when translators need to reflect carefully on how to translate inclusive or non-inclusive language, and there is no single approach that will be right in every case. Consider the following examples:

• Eliminating gender-markers in English is much easier than it is in Spanish. Imagine, then, that a linguist is translating a document from English into Spanish. The text is very careful in its use of gender-inclusive language, and so the translator faces a set of decisions in how to respond. If the translator uses -e endings, they might alienate certain aspects of their readership, but if they do not, they may risk failing to accurately convey the intention of the source. They also need to ensure consistency in whatever approach they choose.
• Studies have shown that racial colour blindness is a prevalent phenomenon in the Nordics, meaning race is typically not mentioned unless it is absolutely relevant. In the US and the UK, however, it is more common to mention race, and conventions are changing all the time. For example, in the UK, the term BAME was once widespread to refer to people from minority ethnic backgrounds, but it is now increasingly seen as unacceptable. How should a translator working into Danish, then, deal with such a loaded term, in a way that conveys its meaning both comprehensively and respectfully?
• Imagine a translator comes across a document that uses non-inclusive language, perhaps in a way that is out of step with conventions in its source context. Is it the translator’s job to ‘correct’ this use of language, or are they duty-bound to reflect the lack of inclusive terminology in their translation? If a text might be considered offensive or alienating to some in its home context, is the translator obliged to retain these qualities in their translation, or can they ‘improve’ the text on their own accord?

Take An Expert Approach!

As you can see, translating inclusive language is not always straight-forward, and making the wrong choice could inadvertently alienate or even offend the target readership. It is therefore important to always work with language-service providers who understand the subtleties and nuances involved, and who will always make sure to take a considered approach to the language they encounter.

At Comunica, we work with qualified and experienced linguists who are highly familiar with the latest conventions and practices in both their source and target languages. Rather than deploy a quick, one-size-fits-all approach, they carefully consider the target context and make sure to pick the solution that is most appropriate in each case. So, for translations you can trust, get in touch with us today or visit our website. We will be very happy to talk through any concerns you might have about inclusivity in translation and provide you with a no-obligation quote.

The post Inclusive Language & Translation appeared first on Comunica.

There are many good reasons to entrust your translation projects to a professional translation agency. For one thing, you can save on expensive internal resources by not having to ask your marketing employees or engineers to spend time on translating texts – a task they by no means possess expertise within, and whose complexity they may well fail to grasp.

After all, your employees are not necessarily natural wordsmiths, and seemingly small grammatical mishaps can lead to serious misinterpretations that you’ll want to avoid – especially in your sales terms or product manuals. In the worst case, mistakes could have negative legal or financial consequences for your company, and even smaller errors can cause a breakdown in trust.

Even though your content may seem simple on the surface, the importance of clear and captivating text is not to be underestimated.

And that is precisely what translators specialise in doing.

What Makes a Good Translation?

A professional translation is one completed by a qualified translator who masters their working languages and their mother tongue to a very high level in terms of convention, style and flair. Professional translators always translate exclusively into their native language in order to guarantee a flawless and natural-sounding text. This means that a native Dane who has studied English would still only translate from English into Danish and never the other way round.

Moreover, most professional translators will also have one or more areas of expertise such as medicine, law, marketing or finance, for example.

To put it simply, the mark of a good translation is that the reader forgets or does not realise they are reading a translated text.

Checklist When Choosing a Translation Agency

We have compiled a list of factors that you might want to consider checking before entering into a cooperation agreement.

• Specialisation: What language combinations and specialist areas can the agency cover (medicine, IT, legal, marketing, etc)?
• Delivery times: What kind of timescales does the agency offer? Can they provide urgent translations when necessary?
• Communication: Is the agency going to assign you a designated contact person? Will you be able to communicate with the project manager in your own native language?
• Services: Will the agency be able to offer other services such as the SEO optimisation of website texts, the graphic adaptation of texts, copywriting or website testing?
• Production: Does the agency have its own in-house translators and a steady working relationship with its own freelancers, or do they outsource translation tasks to other agencies? Can the agency offer a specially selected team of translators for each client?
• Quality assurance: Are translators regularly evaluated on the quality of their translations? Is the proofreading step internal or external? Are the translation and proofreading steps done by the same person? Or is there a separate proofreader?
• Use of CAT tools: Does the agency use professional translation tools to guarantee uniform translations and an effective workflow? Who owns the rights to the translation memory (TM): the customer (you) or the supplier (the translation agency)?
• Use of terminology databases: Is it possible to create term bases so that translators will always be able to access correct or preferred industry terms?
• Prices/quotes: What does the price include? Are you paying for a translation from one translator or a translation and proofreading process that uses two different linguists? Are discounts offered on large-volume projects? Do you get discounts for repeated text in your files? Can you choose machine translation for certain text types where quality requirements might not be quite so high? Is project management included in the price? Are quality checks performed before delivery?

Quality Safeguards Take You Beyond

The translation process doesn’t end once all the words have been translated.

It is essential to involve rigorous quality assurance processes to get the best result.

Professional translation tools have special features for quality assurance which review the text for spelling mistakes, syntax and grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Today, they use cutting-edge AI technologies to comb through every aspect of the text and flag a whole range of errors that could easily slip past the net – only to then be discovered by clients or stakeholders after their publication.

Besides using these tools, it is also a good idea to have the text is subjected to a thorough proofreading process by a second linguist. When selecting an agency, it is therefore a good idea to ask whether proofreading is performed by the same linguist who translates the text or by a separate proofreader. Nowadays, agencies tend to offer a range of different options, so it is worth asking. At Comunica, our gold standard sees the text reviewed by a second linguist and then sent back to the original translator for final validation.

Also be aware that some agencies do not include proofreading in the price for translation, so make sure you know exactly what steps and services are included in your quote, especially when comparing with other agencies. The cheapest price on first glance may actually turn out to be the most expensive if it fails to safeguard quality.

Best of luck, no matter what agency you choose! You are always welcome to contact us if you need help with a translation project.

The post Choosing a Translation Agency appeared first on Comunica.

Yes, we provide translations – but we do so much more than that. Our real value lies in how we help businesses to connect with customers in foreign markets, so that they can drive page visits, build trust and, ultimately, sell more of what they do best to people all around the world with a need for just that.

In this article, you can find out more about some of the different ways in which Comunica can not only help you to translate texts, but to go beyond and boost your mono or multi-lingual marketing strategy. From video production to content creation and good old-fashioned website localisation – get the full low-down below.

Copywriting and Content Creation

At Comunica, we can help you with a range of different copywriting and content creation services. This could be blog posts, website content, brochure texts, social media posts or press releases, but really there is no set definition of what this can and cannot include. We have a central team of content creators at Comunica who produces our own marketing content (like this blog post, and our many others, for example 😉) and we also work with a network of freelancers and copywriters to cover a range of needs.

What’s more, because we are also a translation agency, we are able to offer content creation services not only in English, but in a range of different languages. We can also have the content translated into several different multilingual versions once it has been produced and approved by your marketing team, and we will make sure that each version is expertly localised for its intended market.

Usually, the best way to start a copywriting or content creation project is to get in touch with a general outline of your needs. We will then be able to propose a number of concepts and ideas for you to choose between. Once we have a clear idea of the objectives and scope of the project, our content creators can then get to work producing sparkling and engaging content for your website, publication or social media output in as many different languages you need.

Marketing Localisation

Localisation is the term used for the full adaptation process of a text when it is being translated. When a text is localised, the meaning of the original is not just translated word for word. Units of measurement are converted, cultural references are amended and other changes are made to make sure the text lands perfectly with its intended audience.

Marketing localisation takes this process one step further and ensures that the translated text will function perfectly as a marketing text in its new context. This means taking account of the habits and preferences of consumers not just within a particular language community, but a particular market – such as the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, for example.

By opting for marketing localisation rather than straight translation, you can ensure that your original content is optimised for its intended audience and just as likely to convert visits into purchases or actions as your original text. At COMUNICA, we have been honing our skills within localisation for over fifteen years, and we can offer conscientiously crafted marketing translations in a broad plethora of different languages.

Search Engine Optimisation

When it comes to marketing online, search engine optimisation is crucial. This is the practice of adapting texts and furnishing them with strategically placed keywords so that they are prioritised by search engines like Google or Bing. Content that is not search-engine optimised often ends up far back in the results pages, and research has consistently shown that most consumers click on the first two to three results, and very few venture beyond the first page of results.

At Comunica, we have our own in-house SEO expert on the team who can assist with keyword identification and advice on how to ensure your content appears high up in search-engine results. Our copywriters will then seamlessly execute your chosen keywords into the texts in a way that reads naturally and will not be castigated by the ranking systems used by common search-engine providers.

This way, you can make sure that all your painstaking efforts are not in vain. Your incredible copy and marketing texts will actually reach their intended audience and be able to start working their magic, convincing consumers with their powerful calls to action, engaging language and convincingly structured arguments.

Get in Touch!

So as you can see, COMUNICA is much more than just a translation agency – we are a veritable marketing powerhouse. If you would like our help with any of the above services, or if you would like any other kind of assistance within the world of multi-lingual marketing, please feel free to get in touch.

You can contact us via our contact page or fill out our web form for a free, no-obligation quote.

The post How Comunica Can Boost Your Marketing Strategy! appeared first on Comunica.

Today, the misconception is not so much that anyone can translate but that nobody actually needs to. Many people have seen the magic that AI can work when asked to translate a menu or help ask for directions, and they’ve assumed that the future is here – and with it, the death of the translation industry.

For those of us who work with translation and localisation, it can be frustrating to have to justify our existence over and over again. But this is also a necessary task, because we also know that seamless machine translation – without the need for any human input – is very, very far from being a reality. In fact, it’s more than that – this is actually a dangerous belief that, if acted upon, could result in disastrous legal, financial and medical consequences for companies, patients and society at large.

Continue reading for our take on some of the reasons why translation agencies and language-service providers still exist – and why they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

UNSUPERVISED MACHINE TRANSLATION IS HIGH RISK

Perhaps one reason why this misconception has taken hold is that most people experience machine translation in relatively low-stakes contexts. If you’re simply trying to communicate with a taxi driver in a foreign country or order pad thai in a restaurant, the worst that can happen is you get the wrong meal or your journey home takes ten minutes longer than it ought to. It’s frustrating if this happens, but it won’t be the end of the world.

But language service providers don’t exist to help with these sorts of interactions. Usually, the work we get involved with is much more high stakes. Consider the translation of a legal contract or the instruction pamphlet for a prescription drug. Mistakes here could mean lawsuits or fatalities. So, while it is entirely possible that an automated programme might produce an accurate result – and many agencies do use machine translation to assist with these kinds of jobs – it would be reckless to deploy them without any kind of human-expert review step.

The same also applies within marketing or customer communication contexts. While lives may not be at risk here, your company’s reputation will be, and any damage caused will directly hit your bottom line. Most businesses invest a lot of time and money into carefully crafting their messages and getting their tone of voice just right, taking care to appeal and to avoid causing offence. Consequently, it is only logical that they would also want to take the same level of care when localising for other markets. And by the same token, it stands to reason that language service providers exist to provide expert assistance with this.

MACHINES DON’T UNDERSTAND CULTURE

Today, ‘translation agencies’ do more than just translate. For a long time now, we have largely referred to ourselves as language service providers or localisation partners, and our service offering now also encompasses elements of cultural adaptation and consultancy. It’s about more than just swapping out one word for another, but recrafting a message in a new cultural context and thereby enabling it to actually generate value and achieve tangible, measurable results.

Automated tools can help translators to do this work more quickly, but they can’t go all the way. Word-sense disambiguation has long since been one of the major stumbling blocks with this technology – meaning that automated and AI systems struggle to grasp the full context of a word. They are quite simply unable to consider all of the many factors that a human linguist will be able to see clearly and subconsciously, and this limits their usefulness considerably.

For this reason, it is usually necessary to combine automated workflows with cultural expertise in the form of a human specialist. This makes it possible to localise texts for the target readership and ensure that each translation is tailored to the needs of the client. Language service providers exist to understand these needs and put together a workflow that is guaranteed to achieve them.

LSPS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL ANCILLARY SERVICES

This brings us back to one of our original misconceptions – that translation is just swapping one word for another. Once you try translating like that, you’ll see that it produces far from adequate results – and there are good reasons why translation agencies not only exist, but that they provide a broad suite of different language services. These include proofreading, editing, search-engine optimisation, desk-top publishing and formatting services, transcreation, copywriting and more.

These services are not just little extras that are nice to have – they are tools that we use to ensure your text can create value. For example, when it comes to legal contracts, the most important criterion is that they are accurate and legally watertight. Having an expert legal translator proofread the text can help to ensure this, allowing the translation to actually fulfil its intended purpose.

The objective of a website translation, on the other hand, may be to attract customers from a new market. To achieve this, it is not enough to simply have the words floating out there on the web – they need to be optimised for the most popular search engines to ensure they can actually be found.

Translation agencies not only provide these services, but they also offer advice and guidance on what steps will be necessary. They take the time to understand your unique needs and they provide you with the expertise to achieve your goals. Without all of this, it may well be possible to produce a translation – but it will be an ineffective one at best and a risky one at worst.

It is for these reasons, alongside many more, that translation agencies are still standing firm after the onset of AI – and why they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Have you got any translation needs that you are unwilling to leave entirely in the hands of machine translation? Contact us today and we will be more than happy to work our magic on your texts, providing you with comprehensive advice on the best workflow for you and your needs.

Check out our services page or get in touch with us to learn more.

The post Translation Agencies? Those Still Exist? appeared first on Comunica.

This can make it difficult to know which option is right, especially if you are unsure how these different processes work in practice and what the differences are between them. To help make things easier, we’ve produced the following guide to the different options, placing them on a sliding scale from full automation on one end to super creative human transcreation on the other. This should help you understand what is involved in each step, making it easier to know which option is right for you and your text. Read on below to learn more:

FULL AUTOMATION

This is the cheapest and fastest option involving no human input at all. The text is fed into a machine-translationtool or an AI chatbot and the output is used as-is, with maybe a few tweaks being made to correct glaring errors that jump out from the page.

Obviously, the risk level is high with this option. There could be mistranslations and hallucinations in the text, and the tone of voice is almost definitely going to sound unusual and unnatural. Certain parts may also be ambiguous, unclear or difficult to understand. Even so, it’s still a useful option in certain low-stakes contexts, especially when time is short. For example, you might use it to translate an internal email or quickly get the gist of a document in another language. Translations produced using this method will not be suitable for wider circulation, however.

MACHINE-TRANSLATION POST-EDITING ($)

This is the next level up. Instead of using the machine-translation output as-is, the text is then reviewed and edited by a human linguist with expertise in the relevant field. The human reviewer will check for accuracy and correct any mistakes or hallucinations, and they may also change certain words to improve the tone or readability of the text. This allows them to work at a much faster pace and produce a translation both quicker and cheaper compared to the traditional method.

However, the important thing to keep in mind here is that the machine-translation creates a template based on the source text, and this cannot be changed. This means that the syntax and sentence structure created by the machine will be what you get in your final translation, and this may not always be the most natural or engaging option in the target language.

So, what does this mean in practice? Well, essentially, it means that MTPE is more suitable for texts that have a predictable structure or a more functional purpose such as legal agreements, terms and conditions and informational texts. It is less suitable for texts that need to convince readers and really appeal to them, especially texts used in marketing or sales. It is especially unsuitable for prestige texts that will be published and circulated widely, like brochures or websites, however these are all things that can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Ultimately, the decision will usually come down to the client’s priorities. If speed and budget are paramount, then MTPE may be a good option, especially for predictable texts. But if it’s a flawless text you’re after and both budget and deadline are flexible, then human localisation may be the way to go.

HUMAN LOCALISATION ($$)

This is the next step up. When you choose this service, your text will be translated from scratch by a human linguist, and usually it will also be localised to your target market. This simply means that the language will be adapted so that it is culturally in line with the expectations of the target audience. Other details will also be adjusted, such as units of measurement and currencies, so that the text feels familiar and accessible to its readers. The degree of localisation can always be customised in line with client preferences, and this is something that will be discussed at the outset.

An important thing to consider here is that this option is not the low-tech approach – translators will still make use of AI and other translation tools to help them deliver faster and to produce the best possible level of quality. The difference is that they create their translations more freely rather than working from a predefined template. This means they can use more natural expressions and find more creative solutions to tricky turns of phrase, elevating the overall level of quality and producing something that sounds as if it was originally written in the target language.

TRANSCREATION ($$$)

This is the most tailored and elaborate option, and naturally this is also reflected in the price. The difference between translation and transcreation is that when translating, the linguist has to remain faithful to the original text. When transcreating, however, they have more freedom to take liberties so long as they stick within the confines of a client brief. In this sense, it is more like a combination of translation and copywriting.

This is a great option when you have a text that needs to be more extensively adapted for its new market. Imagine, for example, you are a Scandinavian design company about to launch in a new country. Your Scandinavian heritage is going to be a big selling-point in your new market, where the craftsmanship and values of this region enjoy a prestigious reputation and represent something exotic. However, this is something that your existing texts don’t highlight because they were written with a Scandinavian audience in mind. A transcreated text can therefore take the existing foundation and alter it to really emphasise these advantages, explaining certain concepts and anchoring them in a different way to give the text a new identity in its new market.

Transcreation therefore offers the greatest possible degree of flexibility, and it makes full use of our creative skills in order to produce something truly unique and engaging.

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

As you can see from the suite of options above, it is not necessary to choose between human or machine translation. Rather, we can combine these two elements in different ways to produce different results, all depending on the text we have and the outcome we want to achieve.

A helpful way to think of it is like the difference between fast fashion and haute couture. Most of us have a bit of both in our wardrobe – we’ve got a few basic tees that we wear around the house, and then we have that expensive, designer piece we put on when we really want to make an impression. Your options here are the same. Sometimes we just need something quick and simple that will do the job, and other times we want something that really looks the part as well.

But remember – each text is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer that we can apply in every single case. To make sure you always get the best results on all parameters –budget, quality and time – make sure to choose a localisation partner you can dialogue with. That way, you can analyse each text together at the beginning of the process and be sure to always pick the right workflow.

And if you have any questions or doubts, you can always pick up the phone or fire us an email to discuss. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s take a look at your text and begin producing the perfect human-machine-hybrid solution today!

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