TRANSLATIONS 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.)
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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
□ I do not wish to follow this recommendation. Instead, please:
□ translate into Target Language
e.g. Universidad de Georgetown
□ translated into Target Language including English name between
parentheses
e.g. Universidad de Georgetown (Georgetown University)
□ Other, specify what terms you want left in English
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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:
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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 which 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
□ 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.
Translation Review (please refer to Language Reviewer Guidelines)
Will you or someone at your school review the translation?
□ Yes
□ No
Reviewer name:
Reviewer title:
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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: _____________________________________________________
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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.