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Translation Checklist
To help you better understand what to expect from your translated piece, we have outlined the ways in
which particular terms are typically be treated in translations.* We realize, however, that your university
has its own specific needs. If you wish to deviate from the recommendations of the translator, please
indicate your preferences in the following questionnaire.
Audience
How will the translation be distributed?
□ Domestically (U.S.)
□ Internationally
□ Both
Please list all countries and/or regions you are targeting. (e.g. Spain, U.S., France, India, Latin America,
etc.)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Formality
Typically, marketing materials address the reader in formal voice since the pieces are quite formal and
general in nature. Most languages use formal (polite) address towards people of college or pre-college
age (for example, in Spanish: “usted” [translation of “you”/formal] instead of “tú” [you/informal] etc).
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please use
□ Informal voice
□ Formal voice
Proper Nouns
Proper nouns, in particular the name of your university, will not be translated.
e.g. Georgetown University
© 2012 Hobsons, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
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□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Translate into target language
e.g. Universidad de Georgetown
□ Translate into target language including English name between parentheses
e.g. Universidad de Georgetown (Georgetown University)
□ Other. Specify which terms you would like to be left in English:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Job Titles and Company Departments
There's not always a one-to-one correspondence between titles in different languages and they can vary
from company to company.
Job titles, majors/programs, and company departments/associations will generally not be translated.
Job titles:
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Provide the standard translation for that job title.
□ Translate the title and include the English title in parentheses.
□ Leave the title in English and include the translation in parentheses.
Programs or majors*:
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Provide the standard translation for that job title.
□ Translate the title and include the English title in parentheses.
□ Leave the title in English and include the translation in parentheses.
Company departments or associations
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Provide the standard translation for that job title.
□ Translate the title and include the English title in parentheses.
□ Leave the title in English and include the translation in parentheses.
If the people in question already have titles in the target language please provide them here:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
© 2012 Hobsons, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Addresses
All US addresses (including contact information) will be left in English for mailing purposes.
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Translate addresses.
Capitalization
The standard used in the translated language will be followed for capitalization. e.g. In Spanish only the
first letter of the first word is capitalized: Consejo estadounidense de medicina interna; Cien años de
soledad
In the case of proper names and titles consisting of more than one noun (e.g. American Board of Internal
Medicine, One Hundred Years of Solitude):
□ Use the standard for the target language.
e.g. In Spanish only the first letter of the first word is capitalized: Consejo estadounidense de
medicina interna; Cien años de soledad
□ Capitalize the initial letter of every content word (following the English format).
e.g. Consejo Estadounidense de Medicina Interna; Cien Años de Soledad
Taglines
Marketing phrases that sound cute or clever in English probably won’t translate well into another
language, especially if a play on words or alliteration is used. As such, taglines will generally be left in
English.
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Translate literally for content only (not recommended) because you, your advertising agency,
or your client will handle this separately.
Time References
The time reference format used in the target country will be used in the translation.
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Use US format.
e.g. open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (English)
e.g. abierto de 9:30 a.m. a 5:30 p.m. (translation)
References and Publications
Names of publications will not be translated.
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ Translate titles.
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□ Include titles in English followed by translation in parentheses.
Web Page Translations
[not to be completed for print products]
Please indicate whether the following portions of your Web site should be translated or left in
English.
Recommendation: Typically only the main content of translated pages of a Web site are
translated and not the framing content/navigation (if only certain pages of your Web site are
being translated).
Primary navigation tool bars (typically found at the top or side of the page)
□ Yes, please translate.
□ No, please retain the English.
Sidebar navigation
□ Yes, please translate.
□ No, please retain the English.
Drop-down menus
□ Yes, please translate.
□ No, please retain the English.
Footer hyperlinks* (typically contact address, privacy policy, copyright information, site
map, etc.)
□ Yes, please translate these links.
□ No, please retain the English.
Note: this refers to the links only. If the content pages for these links need to be translated,
please indicate such.
Button or banner advertisements appearing on the page.
□ Yes, please translate.
□ No, please retain the English.
© 2012 Hobsons, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Translation Review
Will you or someone at your school review the translation?
□ Yes
□ No
Reviewer name:
Reviewer title:
______________________
We strongly request that your reviewer of the translation be a native speaker in the target
language and dialect (if appropriate).
Please confirm that your reviewer is a native speaker.
□ Yes
□ No
If no, please explain background and credentials: _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
May we contact the reviewer with questions regarding his/her feedback?
□ Yes
□ No
Contact information:
Phone: ________________________
E-mail: ________________________
*Please note that the recommendations provided are the most common treatments across languages, but
some can vary language-to-language. Unless otherwise requested by you, the translator assigned to your
piece will apply cultural norms and standards to the treatment of your translation based on his/her
expertise and experience in the target language, which may or may not be the same as the general
recommendations listed here. All translators are native speakers of the target languages in which they
translate.
© 2012 Hobsons, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.