By now you already know that there are different translations. The translation process can be classified into four major categories. We have translation techniques, translation methods, translation types based on the end product, and finally translation types based on technical fields. In this article, we will look at the different translations that we have based on the different technical fields.
1. General Translation
General translations are exactly what their name suggests, they are general translations. These are the translations that don’t belong to a particular professional field where specialist knowledge is needed. What this means is that any form of text is translated and these texts rarely have jargons that are not widely known. Anyone who understands and speaks your language pairs fluently is able to do general translations because they don’t really need a specialized translator to do it. Translators who constantly work on general translations are usually referred to as general-purpose translators.
2. Technical Translation
Apart from general translations, all the other translations that will be mentioned in this article can be referred to as technical translations. This is because for this translation to be done, it needs a specialist’s knowledge. They are translations that can be found in technical professional fields. Fields like engineering, IT, or industry-related fields. Simply put, for technical translations to be a success, a specialist translator is needed, and depending on what field they are in, they can deliver translations that specific to a particular specialty. It is important to note that legal, financial, and medical translations are not part of technical translations.
3. Scientific Translation
Scientific translations are greatly related and affected by the scientific field. Any scientific document that has to be translated will be referred to as a scientific translation. Simply put this is the translation of scientific research or documents that are related to science and whatnot. Most of the texts translated in the scientific field are usually texts that invariably contain domain-specific terminology and often involve cutting edge research. Anyone who takes up scientific translations must be an individual who has a wide knowledge of science and fully grasps the terminologies and jargon used in the field. It is not a translation type that can be carried out by just anyone.
4. Medical Translation
Just like the name suggests, these are the translations that are carried out in medical fields. Anything medical-related being translated will be referred to as a medical translation. These kinds of translations revolve around healthcare, medical products, pharmaceutical, Medical reports, product instructions, labeling, clinical trial documentation, and biotechnology. You would wonder so what kinds of documents are there to translate in medical and I will tell you there are very many and different documents that are translated in medical translations. From patient information to regulatory, marketing, and technical documents, as long as they contain information related to medicine, they will be classified under medical translation.
5. Financial Translation
These are the translations found in the finance sector. Any documents in banking, stock exchange, forex, financing, and financial reporting all fall under financial translation. If you do not have knowledge of finance and everything that surrounds it, you cannot carry out any form of financial translations. It is only done by translators who have specialized in finance and even understand the terminologies used and whatnot. Any competent translator could translate a bank statement, for example, so that wouldn’t typically be considered a financial translation. This means that for these translations to be a success, translators with domain expertise are needed.
6. Economic Translations
As we all know, or for anyone who doesn’t know economics also falls under finance but not exclusively. What you should know is that finances are involved in economy and that Is why economic translation can also be referred to as financial translation. This is because economics is a combination of business/ commercial and financial entities. It involves the translation of documents relating specifically to the economy and the field of economics. A specialized translator is needed to handle such translations because there are specific terminologies used that a normal translator wouldn’t be able to understand.
7. Legal Translation
When you hear the word legal, your head automatically registers law. Legal translations are the type of translations that are related to law and the legal process. Anyone who would love to work in legal translation must have prior knowledge of law everything else that it entails. It would be extremely hard for someone who has no knowledge of the law to take on any form of legal translation. A translator taking on legal translations without legal knowledge cannot fully grasp the legal concepts and won’t know how to write in a legal style or understand the differences between legal systems, and how best to translate concepts that don’t correspond.
8. Juridical Translation
These kinds of translations can also be referred to as legal translations. This is because the translations involve translations of legal verifications, certification, or notarization that is common in many jurisdictions. There is not much to say about these kinds of translations apart from they also need a specialized professional to carry them out.
9. Judicial Translation
This another form of translation that falls under the legal translation body. Just like juridical translations, judicial translations usually happen around courts and we all know that anything that involves the courts, has to be legal. Be sure not to confuse the two because it is very easy to do so. The kinds of translations found in judicial translations are court proceeding documentation like judgments, minutes, testimonies, etc.
10. Patent Translation
Patenting refers to a process that involves officially taking ownership of something. This means that these are the kinds of translation that involve translation of intellectual property and patent-related documents. These translations also need a specialized professional translator to work on them. This is because Patents have a specific structure, established terminology and a requirement for complete consistency throughout. Also, the language used in patent documents is quite vast and normal translators would not be aware of it. Patent translations need translators who have been trained in the specific requirements for translating patent documents.
11. Literary Translation
This is the translation of any form of literary forms of writing. In this case that is writings like novels, short stories, plays, essays, poems. Translators have come out to state how this is one of the hardest forms of translations known to them. Where in other types of translations, the most important thing is conveying meanings, in literary translation a lot more is needed. In literary translations the translator’s challenge is to also reproduce the character, subtlety and impact of the original and the essence of what makes that work unique. In order to work as a literary translator, you must be an individual wo is extremely good with words and exceptional writing skills.
12. Commercial Translation
Anything commercial means that it belongs in the world of business. Since business is really vast and goes beyond a simple explanation, it won’t be wrong to say that other specialized forms of translation are also included here. These other specialized types of translations that fall under commercial translation are legal, financial, and technical. All these fields are business-related or business so to say. Depending on which field is in question, different knowledge and jargon will be used. This only means that different translators will be required for different document types and specialists should handle materials involving technical and specialist fields, whereas generalist translators can translate non-specialist materials.
13. Business Translations
This can also be referred to as commercial translations. As we mentioned earlier, these are the kinds of translations that revolve around businesses. Depending on what business is in question, it is important to get specialized in that field and specifically those who understand the business jargon. It is impossible for just any kind of translator to work on business translations, they must be business-specific.
14. Administrative Translations
These are translations that involve the translation of business management and administration documents. It is somehow related to business and commercial translations. This is the case because the administrative documents would have business jargon here and there and it requires a translator that is well versed in that. It is important to note that these kinds of translations are not only dependent on business and commercial translations; they are just a subset.
15. Marketing Translations
Anything marketing related is referred to as marketing translation. You will find the translation of advertisements, promotional materials, and marketing materials too. Marketing copy is designed to have a specific impact on the audience which is to help to appeal and persuade an audience. It is important to note that this kind of translation will be done in a way that incorporates the technical, linguistic, and cultural aspects of a target language. A lot of adaptions are needed because a direct word-for-word translation never really works. Marketing translations require translators who are skilled writers with a flair for producing persuasive, impactful copy.
