The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/1379045
@Linguist_CIOL JUNE/JULY The Linguist 15 FEATURES der Landwirtschaft" ('Bayer supports the transition in the food system through agricultural innovations'). In the German, Bayer is (only) supporting a transition (that is going on regardless), and doing so through (just) innovations, while 'industry-leading' was left out altogether. It's all in the headline Exciting news to share, but your headline sounds somewhat dull? Too bad, because your press release probably won't be read by many. The headline is the most important element of a press release and should be treated as such by translators too. In order to write an engaging headline that motivates action (in this case, to read further), we often have to depart from the source text and write something new in our target language that is specifically aimed at grabbing the attention of readers in the target industry and culture. The English headline "Nuance unveils new lightning engine", for example, became "Project Lightning – die blitzschnelle KI-Innovation von Nuance" ('Project Lightning – the lightning-fast AI innovation from Nuance') in German, adding context and using the trigger term 'artificial intelligence'. So how do we do this? As Nina Sattler- Hovdar explains, the only way to know what will pique our readers' interest is to know our audience, the topic and the industry very well. 2 When translating a press release in our area of specialisation, the background information we have accumulated will help us to craft a compelling headline. If there are gaps in our knowledge of the subject area, we need to tap into the vast general knowledge we have garnered over the course of our professional lives, and research the topic thoroughly. The natural curiosity many translators have is a valuable asset that should not be underestimated. Only with broad general knowledge will we be able to grasp more specialist information quickly when researching a topic. A digital world While press releases used to be geared exclusively towards selected journalists and editors, many companies and organisations now publish their press releases directly on their websites for everyone to see. This means that search engine optimisation (SEO) and the use of keywords are important. It also means that publishing high-quality translations is more important than ever, as the internet never forgets. With the right keywords, the translated press release may be found by journalists, prospective customers, partners and employees for several years, and could therefore continue to impact on the client's reputation. Translators need to be able to do some basic keyword research. Tools like Google Trends and Ubersuggest are free and intuitive keyword research tools that can provide valuable insights. When translating a release for a cargobike manufacturer, for example, it's important to know what the most commonly used term for such bikes is in our target language. Is it Cargobike, Lastenfahrrad or Lastenrad in Germany, and is it the same in Switzerland? A quick Google Trends search gives us a clue (see graphs above), with Lastenrad appearing to be used more widely in Germany, and the picture being less clear for Switzerland. Depending on where the press release will be published, and after some more detailed research, we may opt to use Lastenrad in the headline but try to place the alternative terms elsewhere in the text, provided the overall readability remains high. Translating press releases is an interesting and multi-faceted field. Except for crisis communication, where press releases need to be published within 24-48 hours, a typical turnaround for translations may be 1-5 working days. I try to combine PR translation work with high-volume projects that stretch over several weeks or months so that urgent jobs can be accommodated. With the right skills and experience, translators familiar with the demands of the industry can provide clients with a valuable service that no translation machine will be able to offer any time soon. Notes 1 carmineroca.it/come-si-scrive-comunicato -stampa-struttura-modello-esempi 2 Sattler-Hovdar, N (2019) Get Fit for the Future of Transcreation, Independently published BASIC KEYWORD RESEARCH: Use of terms for 'cargobike' in Germany (top) and Switzerland (bottom) IMAGES © SHUTTERSTOCK