In today’s digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, and language translation is no exception. Machine Translation (MT) tools like Google Translate and DeepL are now widely used to process content quickly. But when it comes to high-quality localis(z)ation – especially for marketing – nothing beats the expertise of a human translator.
Localis(z)ation and Adaptation vs. Translation: What is the Difference?
Simply put, translation converts text from one language to another. Localis(z)ation and Adaptation, however, go further than that. They ensure the message makes sense culturally and contextually in the target language.
That’s why at Comms Multilingual we don’t just work with any translators – we work with over 2,000 native-speaking translators who live in or are closely connected to the country they are translating for. Why? Because language is always evolving. A literal translation might be accurate, but if it misses current slang, tone, or social trends, the message can fall flat – or worse, confuse or offend.
A Real-World Example: The Evolution of “Empowerment” in Spanish
Let’s look at the term “empowerment”. In English, it’s widely understood, but in Spanish, the equivalent “empoderamiento” only gained its modern meaning relatively recently. While the verb empoderar existed historically as a synonym of apoderar (to give power), it wasn’t until 2010 that the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) officially included empoderamiento with the specific meaning aligned with the English concept of empowerment, reflecting growing cultural and social movements in Spain. Before that, translators had to find creative ways to convey the idea.
This kind of linguistic evolution isn’t something AI can track or adapt to on its own. It takes the insight of professional human linguists to understand how culture shapes language over time – and to choose the right words that carry both the right tone and intent.
Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE): The Human Touch in AI Translation
Our translator network is growing rapidly, especially with the rise of MTPE (Machine Translation Post-Editing). This means our professional translators are not only fluent in their language pairs but are also trained to refine and correct AI-generated content. Why is this important?
AI often struggles with:
- Cultural references
- Idioms and plays on words
- Brand tone and voice
- Context-sensitive phrases
Clever wordplay, such as that often used in adverts, wouldn’t translate effectively without a human translator with creative marketing experience. It is not just about understanding the language – it is about capturing the meaning and intent behind it. This is exactly what transcreation involves: being creative with language and understanding how to play with words to preserve the original impact.
Creative Translation Needs Creative People
Marketing campaigns thrive on emotional connection, humour, and creativity. These elements often don’t survive a direct translation – especially without localis(z)ation and cultural adaptation – and they certainly don’t survive machine translation alone.
Our marketing translation experts ensure that brand messages are transcreated – not just translated. That means adapting the message, so that it works just as effectively in a new language, preserving its impact and nuance.
Imagine launching an international campaign only to find your witty slogan falls flat overseas. A missed pun or poorly translated idiom could make your brand look out of touch. That’s where our creative human translators step in.
