Cross-Media Publishing

Cross-media publishing is certainly one of the hottest catch phrases in the graphic communications industry. Although most people will admit that print is not exactly dead, there is little doubt that digital media at the very least have become legitimate communicating channels for companies to broadcast their message.

Regardless of which media are being used, the message must still be presented clearly and attractively, in other words: design still needs to support the message. The internet is a very different medium than print from a design perspective.

Web design has its own set of rules, which are sometimes very different than the ones followed for print design. Here are some examples:

• Color management: this is non-existent because you simply can’t calibrate the monitor of every web user.
• Font management: fonts can be controlled to some extent, but without converting all type to graphics — potentially making your site inaccessible to anyone with a slow connection — your pages might be displayed in whatever font the user defines instead of the one you so carefully selected.
• Print limitations: Some print formatting options are not supported in HTML (kerning, tracking, and locking to the baseline are just a few examples).
The hours you spend adjusting and fine-tuning a layout for print are all but wasted when you convert the layout for web distribution.
• End-user variability: If you follow the rules when designing for print, every printed piece will look exactly the same when they come off the press (WYSIWYG). Designing for the web is not so static. The variables involved in web distribution — including different platforms, monitors, and browsers used by the end consumer — mean that what you see and what they see might be entirely different.

With the inherent differences between print and digital media, there is no instant solution to converting print design to web design. Using the tools built into DTP programs, however, smoothes many of the bumps along the road.

Behind the scenes – Proofreading

The proofreading stage of a translation project involves much more than checking for typographical errors. Excel Translations projects, for example, go through several rounds of proofreading after formatting (typesetting) is completed.

Mechanical proofreading compares the source to the target, checking for completion, proper font display, graphics, and general layout. This task is done by an experienced person with a great eye for detail. Often the proofreader finds things worth questioning for a linguist. For example, he/she might find two different translations for the same source word, such as “Warning”. The linguist will be asked to clarify or correct it.

Linguistic proofreading is done by a native speaker of the language, who checks not only for spelling, grammar, etc. but also for readability and style. The proofreader will also detect any inconsistencies in terminology.

After the typesetter has implemented all the corrections found during proofreading, then another review of the translation is done. This is done by the same mechanical proofreader. First, he/she checks that all the corrections are implemented properly and that any linguistic questions are handled. Often a mechanical proofreader is checking several languages for one project, and may detect patterns among the translations and may request further corrections for consistency….which are also verified on the next round.

This specific focus on different types of proofreading yields extremely high quality translations.

The United States officially becoming a bilingual nation?

Immigration has been a hot topic in the United States for decades. In fact, it’s probably safe to say it has been a point of discussion, as well as contention, for all of the nation’s history. This day in age, when people mention immigration, it’s usually safe to bet they’re referring to the Mexican population. Hispanics and Latinos, meaning anyone with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or Spain, comprise the largest minority group in the country, at around 16% of the total U.S. population. Over the past 20 years, as this population has continued to steadily rise, economists and statisticians have predicted an ever increasing Hispanic influence on American culture; most notably, there is a belief that Spanish will one day become the nation’s second official language after English, much like Canada, who observes both English and French as official languages.

As will generally accompany change of any sort, there has been a great deal of controversy on whether the United States should or could become a technically bilingual nation. It is a headline that comes and goes, never really offering a concrete assertion as to when this abstract idea might eventually manifest.

But on July 6, 2011, the New York Times published an article by author Damien Cave describing reasons that Mexican emigration to the U.S. is decreasing. This informative piece caught many a critical eye due to its appearance in both English as well as Spanish. Ameena Schelling of The Daily Caller, a political news website based out of Washington D.C., commented “The decision to provide an article on such a contentious issue as immigration in a language so closely tied to the conflict raises questions about the intent of the coverage, as well as about the future possibilities of bilingual coverage in foreign bureaus.”

The fact of the matter is Cave set out to reach the vast audience he imagined would find his article relevant. Indeed, there is a broad enough population of Spanish speakers in the U.S. to make a bilingual publication worth his while. The implication is: though an argument on immigration laws may be becoming less and less relevant, the United States’ existing Hispanic and Latino population is evidently becoming more so.

Do Translations Become Outdated?

Does a translation need to be updated every few years? Perhaps your product has a user manual that was translated over ten years ago... does that mean that the translation is "old?" A translation for a user manual can generally last as long as the device does. If no user interface has changed or the workings of the device haven't changed at all, why should the instructions to use that device change? Indeed, as long as the original written instructions for use remain the same, the translations of the instructions won't need any revision.

Nonetheless, review and revision of translations is always important. Whenever a new document is released, it is the translator's duty to review the unchanged text alongside the new text to ensure that all text is appropriate for current use. With new emerging technology new terminology can emerge and languages may have established new ways of translating these words. It cannot be assumed a phrase will always be translated in the same way. Translators will check source text against the previous translations to look for consistency but they sometimes find the old text should be changed. Often when they report that a previous translation should be changed, it is because modern conventions have changed. Perhaps old terminology has fallen out of favor and newer terms are preferred. It would be convenient if language were static and could consistently relied upon but adhering to modern usage is always important.

So, in general, your translation will have "staying power" but should always be reviewed to ensure that it is still relevant. As long as your device is not "ancient," your translation shouldn't be either.