Lost in translation? Indiana translation professionals keep business communications clear.

• Author: Hromadka, Erik
• Position: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

THE MOST IMPORTANT part of business is being understood. But that can be a problem if both parties aren't speaking the same language ... literally.

With more than 6,000 spoken languages in existence, it can be a challenge for Indiana companies that decide to expand operations beyond their traditional markets. Fortunately, there are a number of translation firms in the state that can assist with converting business communications among the world's top languages.

While software and online translation services, such as Babelfish.com, can provide quick translation of text into various languages, they often have low accuracy rates and are better suited for understanding the general meaning of a short document rather than completing a business translation.

Professional translation services cost between 10 to 30 cents per word, depending on the language, the complexity of the document and the amount of text that needs to be translated. However, effective translation is often more than just a matter of converting text from one language to another.

Martin George, director of the Language Training Center in Indianapolis, oversees translations and language classes in various languages, but specializes in Mandarin Chinese. George spent more than five years in China in the 1980s and saw the dramatic changes that have transformed the country from a sleeping giant into a powerful economic force.

"The China I saw is nothing like the country today," George says, noting the Chinese economy used to be barely open to business with the United States and very suspicious in such dealings. Providing food and shelter for 1 billion people was the top priority of Chinese leaders at the time. However, today that huge population is transforming international business and making Chinese a very important language to understand.

"I've seen a lot of businesses do very, very well overseas and the companies that succeed are those who have done their homework," George says, explaining that means taking the time to understand the culture, build relationships and develop business models that can grow.

"Often, there are differences in the way people use products and ideas," he notes. "The lay of the land is different, and you really need some help."

What needs to be translated? When it comes to translating documents into Chinese or any other language, George suggests taking the time to decide what information needs to be conveyed rather than just translating entire documents...