By Sarah-Claire Jordan
Newspapers are a staple in every country, whether they are still printed on newsprint and distributed or published online for everyone to read. They are excellent things to read in order to get an idea of what the culture of a foreign country is like, and to see what kinds of problems they face. Those who have trouble reading in a foreign language, however, don’t have the privilege of finding out this information without the help of a translator.
Translating newspapers presents its own unique challenges. Much of it has to do with the fact that newspapers are made up of different sections and types of articles, each with their own style and language. What works for one section or article may not work for all of them. Here are the most challenging things about translating newspapers:
1. Style
As mentioned earlier, every newspaper, no matter what country it comes from or what language it is published in, is made up of different sections. The bulk of the articles will be related to current events and news in different areas of interest, like business, arts and culture, international, and so on. These articles will have a certain style, as they are there to inform and possibly provide a bit of an interpretation of the events. Then you have political commentary, sometimes written by politicians, that will have whatever style and tone they decide to use. Editorials are just like essays, and can follow any number of rules. To translate everything in a newspaper effectively, each of these different styles needs to be considered and used.
2. Terminology
Each country has its own slang and different types of jargon that is used only in certain contexts. When used out of context, these words might not even make sense. A good example of this is political terminology from the U.S. The term “affirmative action” makes sense to anyone in the U.S. who keeps up with current events, but outside of the context of politics, it doesn’t have much clout. Translating this phrase could prove difficult, as there may not be an equivalent in the target language. The target culture may not include this political concept, either, so an explanation or footnote might be needed.
3. Cultural context
The very nature of newspapers, published everyday to keep everyone informed about ongoing events, new happenings, and much more, makes them extremely dependent on context. The context of each newspaper is the country where it is published and circulated. The information presented may not be complete or very clear to someone who hasn’t been keeping up with the news in the area, and that is exactly the point. This presents a huge challenge for a translator, however, as they have to make sure they are educated and informed on the topic and provide any necessary clarification and explanation without bulking up the article too much or straying from the subject.
Alpha Omega Translations is a company that has years of experience working with all kinds of media, from newspapers to radio and videos. Only the best and most experienced translators and interpreters are hired, and each one has their own specialties, so you are guaranteed a superb final product.
For an overview of our translation expertise, visit our website translation and localization page.