Anyone who deals with translations will repeatedly come across the terms source language and target language, at the latest when professional translators and/or interpreters are commissioned. Then you will be asked for the language combination and whether you can name the source and target languages. Here we provide you with the common definitions of the terms and explain their everyday use with practical examples.
Multilingualism
With globalization, more and more companies are becoming global players: They take a position on the international market and do business across borders and thus also across language barriers. This requires multilingualism – in-house and in external contact with business partners, suppliers and customers: Both oral and written communication must be transferred from one language to another. As soon as you use professional service providers for this work, who interpret spoken language as interpreters or translate what is written as translators, you should be familiar with the terms source language and target language and know how to use them confidently.
What is the source language? (explanation of terms, definition)
The term “source language” is a technical term in the technical language of translators and interpreters. It refers to the original – something spoken or written – and the language in which it is spoken or written. The definition of the source language is therefore always about the language that is used as the starting point for the transfer . As an alternative to the term source language, you could also use the technical term original language. Sometimes you also come across the synonym ” source language “.
What does source language mean in English?
If you use English in your company, you will of course need the term source language in English. In English, the expression “ source language ” is usually used for this, less often the expression “original language”.
What is the target language? (explanation of terms, definition)
Analogous to the term “source language”, the technical term ” target language ” refers to the language into which an interpreter or translator translates what he is interpreting or translating. The target language therefore means the language in which the result is available after the interpreter and translator have been at the language work.
Are you looking for interpreters and translators who will professionally translate your documents from the source language of your choice into the target language of your choice? Then we, as a british translation agency, look forward to hearing from you – without obligation, of course!
What does target language mean in English?
In English, the expression ” target language ” is common for the technical term target language. The English expression “object language” is used less frequently for this.
Understand and order the source language and target language correctly – practical examples
In cooperation with translators and interpreters, regardless of whether they are internal or external service providers, i.e. service providers who do not belong to the company, it is important to formulate the order as precisely as possible in order to get the best possible results in the shortest possible time and with the best price-performance ratio .
For example, you order the translation of a contract into English that you have drawn up in German, your business language. When hiring best certified translators or a professional translation agency, you state the source language of the contract (here: German) and the target language (here: English) into which it is to be translated – if necessary also several target languages. When asked about the language combination (in short: language combination), you would answer the source language-target language as German-English in the example.
The translator is selected according to these specifications: as a rule, the language professionals translate from or into their mother tongue. In our example, you need a translator who has German and/or English as their mother tongue .
Important: Note that world languages in particular, such as English, exist in several variants that differ depending on the place where they are spoken. It is therefore strongly recommended that you hire an English translator to translate your contract who speaks the English that the recipients/readers of the contract can understand.
Therefore, ask the language service provider about the English they speak, for example British English, Scottish English, American English, Australian English. Then choose the variant that speaks to your target group. In this way you avoid misunderstandings, because the local versions of English are sometimes very different from each other – in terms of vocabulary, grammar and spelling.
When communicating with language service providers, you should always ask about the localization of the translation in this context. This is what is called adapting a translation to a local variant of a target language .
The same applies to the assignment of interpreters.
It is also important that when you commission the language service provider, you note that many interpreters and translators have specialized in technical languages that have their own subject-specific vocabulary and often also specific language applications. For a job like the one in our example, it makes sense to either hire a translator who, in addition to English, is also familiar with contract law or who is linguistically well-versed in your industry.
Our top 5 tips to get the highest quality translations
Finally, we give you our top 5 tips so that you always get the highest quality translations when you hire translators and interpreters in the future.
Tip 1: Only have checked and approved documents translated!
Only give the translator documents that you have checked for accuracy and completeness in the company beforehand and that have been approved by those responsible if necessary. Because adjustments afterwards cost you unnecessary nerves, work, time and money. This applies in particular if the translation has been commissioned into several languages.
Tip 2: Plan enough time for the translation!
Plan the translation of the documents into the workflow so that the translator has enough time for his work. Please note that urgent orders usually incur higher costs.
Tip 3: Brief the translator comprehensively and give him reference material!
The more the translator knows about the job, the better he can translate your documents. At best, you tell him your requirements in a detailed briefing and provide him with reference material.
Tip 4: Definitely rely on editing!
Use the proofreading service, which is either included with the translation or offered as an extra item. Proofreading is worthwhile because it removes possible errors from the translation and is a proven quality control .
Tip 5: Check the translation before you circulate it!
Make it a principle to check every translation one last time before it is placed on the market in order to correct any errors.
Our professional translators and interpreters have perfect command of their languages . You are able to translate your templates locally. Send us your inquiry right here – and we will find the best language professional for you, we promise!
