Business card translation can throw up peculiar problems, which if you are not experienced in the field can create a lot of hassles for you and your clients. However you can use the following tips as sign posts to manage such problems effectively-
- Names are a delicate area in translation. Always make it a point to discuss with your client how he/she wants the name to be translated. A frequently used technique is transliteration where names are translated following the pronunciation. But then some clients might not be ready to go for this approach, so a discussion is always advisable.
- Somewhat similar concerns go into the translation of company names. Sometimes companies have already established names for their foreign subsidiaries that may or may not be the same as their original names. If you are doing say, English to Japanese, or Chinese business card translation, consult with the company about the characters it wants to use. Tag lines should also be translated following a similar approach.
- Number formatting is yet another area which can differ according to client preferences, as well as target language requirements.
- Finally you should also clarify with your translation client about the format of the translated card.
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