What questions should be asked to the client before starting translation?

The translator's work is very diverse, and orders come from completely different industries. This is an idea that lies on the surface. Each of the orders has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. There are several universal methods that simplify the work, but the main and simplest of them is to ask questions.

Even if you are just starting to master the profession of a translator, do not hesitate to ask questions. Additional questions do not make you less experienced in the eyes of customers. On the contrary, many customers are very fond of questions from the performer, and are happy to answer them. It is by the presence of additional questions that the client often evaluates the professionalism of the performer, and understands that the translator is interested in high-quality performance of the work. In addition, some projects themselves imply the need to ask questions, since such questions help cover the details and perform a translation. It is also very likely that during the survey the client will remember something that he forgot to mention when composing the task.

Of course, you should not bombard customers with hundreds of unnecessary questions to which you already know the answer, or to which it is easy to find answers. In this case, there is a risk of losing the client. We recommend using a small list of questions to yourself:

• Have I faced a similar or the same problem before?
• Is it possible to quickly find the answer to the question in the public domain?
• Are there any additional materials provided by the client?
• Is there a strict action plan to follow?
• What features of the target audience will affect the problem solution?

The last question is extremely important when choosing an approach to work. For example, if you are translating a marketing brochure presenting a new company product, it is very important to keep the ease of material presentation, and to present all the features of the product in a clear language. Another thing is documentation for specialists, for example, for engineers. There is no point in wasting time and effort on popular explanations of concepts that are already obvious to representatives of the target audience.

The target audience can be judged simply by the style in which the original text is written. It is worth paying attention to the manner of document presentation, its content and structure. But if there are doubts that you will be able to determine the portrait of the target audience of the text yourself, you should still ask additional questions to the customer.

What document format should be used?

The answer to this question is obvious. Just look at the format of the source text. But sometimes there may be a situation in which the customer plans to distribute the finished material in a different format. If you are familiar with the methods of document conversion, you can increase the cost of your services and take over this function. But it is worth clarifying in advance the need for conversion, otherwise you risk doing extra work without extra payment.

What kind of language should be used?

There is no universal type of language in nature – this applies to English, Chinese, and any other language. You should make sure that you have understood the task correctly and specify what kind of language is required. If it is English, then most often a British or American English is required. If it is German, then an Austrian or Swiss German may be required.

Immediately it is worth asking another question – to find out about the style that should be used. You can apply a conversational style, a local dialect or a dry formal business. Most often, this question is related to the characteristics of the target audience, but the customer may have his own vision, so it should be asked before you start writing.

How to localize the text?

It may seem that this question repeats the previous one, but there is a difference. The difference is in the fact that localization is not so much related to spelling and the words used, as to cultural aspects. If you are translating a text for residents of a certain area, you should take into account their mentality and clarify with the customer his vision of the text stylistics. Native speakers most often perform such tasks, but other translators also perform such orders.

If a customer is launching a product to a specific market for the first time, it makes sense to discuss with him the adaptation of the existing marketing strategy. Perhaps it is worth adjusting to the target audience, and showing potential customers that the company is "not strange", or you can use the "import" of the product as an advantage. Think, for example, about how American software manufacturers present themselves. They demonstrate the informal nature of communication used in Silicon Valley. German automakers, on the contrary, prefer a calm and restrained presentation of material that inspires respect for the product. In any case, it is worth discussing this issue with the client.

Even if the client has sent a detailed task with style requirements and a glossary containing local terms (which is rare), smaller localization problems may arise – the conversion of prices from one currency to another, or time with an unspecified time zone. In both cases, it is better to contact the customer and clarify these points.

Of course, during the work execution, you may encounter other problems that cannot be anticipated. But if a normal working relationship has been established with the customer, he will be happy to answer you, and you will be able to do the work faster and better. And this is beneficial to both you and the customer.