Need an accurate Chinese translation for a document or web page? This complete guide features essential tips and techniques to quickly learn Chinese translation like a professional.
Translating from one language to another is no small feat, especially if you are translating from English to Chinese. Fortunately, with the right steps and information, it can be done efficiently and accurately. This complete guide will provide you with essential tips and techniques for quickly learning Chinese translation like a professional.
Understand the Basics of Chinese Grammar.
It’s essential to have a solid understanding of basic Chinese grammar when you begin translating documents or web pages. Much of the English grammar rules that you are familiar with also applies to Chinese, including verb tenses and word order. Take some time to familiarize yourself with these concepts, as they will be invaluable when it comes time to translate your document or page.
Become Familiar with the Writing System.
Before you start translating from English to Chinese, you must become familiar with the language’s writing system. Traditional Chinese is written using characters, called hanzi in Chinese. Unlike in English, where each letter or combination of letters represents a separate sound or syllable, each character in Chinese has an entire word or meaning associated with it. To begin your professional translation journey, it is important to familiarize yourself with as many characters as possible.
Learn Easy Chinese Expressions and Conversational Words.
Once you learn the basics of Chinese writing, you can begin to focus your attention on conversational expressions. By learning simple phrases, you’ll be able to build up your Chinese vocabularly with relative ease. Basic Chinese conversation should include words and expressions that are commonly used in everyday life, like “hello” (ni hao), “thank you” (xie xie) and “goodbye” (zai jian). With these words under your belt, you can branch out and learn more advanced levels of communication for professional translations.
Master Source and Target Language Pronunciation to Improve Fluency.
Pronunciation is an important part of making sure your Chinese translations are accurate and fluid. When studying the source language (the language you are translating from), it is important to pay careful attention to how the words should be pronounced. Additionally, you need to understand how that word will sound in the target language (the language you are translating into). Paying special attention to tone and rhyme can help ensure that your translations convey the right meaning as intended.
Practice Different Kinds of Chinese Translations to Build Your Skillset.
No matter what kind of Chinese translations you plan on doing, it’s always important to practice different types of translation and use a variety of methods. Many professional translators prefer to use a translation memory system, which can help speed up the process, but manual translation is also incredibly important. Additionally, by reading, researching and studying different forms of Chinese literature, texts and documents, you can quickly refine your skillset and build an understanding of the language that will serve you well when it comes time to do your job.
