CULTURAL AUDITING
The ultimate level of translation moves beyond words and dialects to focus on content. This is “cultural adaptation”. A cultural auditor verifies that:
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all references in the document will make sense to the ultimate reader, |
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all concepts are adjusted such that they represent the target culture, not American culture, and |
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the end result is [nearly] indiscernible from a document prepared in your target culture. |
A good translator translates meaning, not
words. What can be said in 10 words in English
may take 15 in German and only 5 in Russian.
They do not, however, change the actual content
of your document.
In the case of documents which are creative
in nature or which rely on case studies and/or
examples, a cultural auditor can suggest areas
where you may need to adjust or change the content to make the document more culturally appropriate. For the full impact of your document, a concept that may be referenced without explanation in
the US may need to be explained or altered for other countries.
EXAMPLE: The concept of “direct deposit” cannot simply be translated for many audiences. While there may be an actual term used for translation, it may be better explained as merely “the safe and automatic delivery of your salary, from your company to your bank”. This may apply, for example, to places where employees wait in line each month to be paid in cash. Using “direct deposit,” for example, as a desirable company benefit may have no meaning in the target culture. A cultural auditor would identify this inconsistency, and suggest a change to a concept that is more local, such as the benefit of “free lunches” or “discounted travel”.
For this very reason, culturally auditing requires a greater level of attention and scrutiny, resulting in changes and adaptations to the actual content of your document. You can be sure, however, that the document will ring true for all its readers, wherever they may be. For cultural auditing rates, please consult
your project manager.
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