4 Ways To Prepare Your Document's Layout For Multiple Translations
Posted on: 19 December 2014
When you are preparing a document for translation into several different languages, its format matters. It is not just the words on the page that will be utilized during a translation; the layout of your document will be a factor as well. Not all of the languages of the world are read and processed like English from a page. Therefore, the page layout will play a critical role in the legibility of the translated text. Using the following preparation tips will do two things. They will save you time on reformatting layout after translation. Moreover, they will improve the legibility of your translated text.
Check the Alignment of Your Text
Not all languages read like English from left to right. Languages such as Hebrew and Arabic read from right to left. Additionally, Japanese reads from top to bottom. If you are translating your document into these languages, ensure that the text in the document is properly aligned. For example, if you will have a document translated into Hebrew and Arabic, make sure that the text is right-aligned.
Do Not Use Very Narrow Tables and Sidebars
Even if they look good in English, very narrow tables and sidebars may not be big enough to accommodate translated text. If you try to reformat the document after translation, you may lose important information. Therefore, before you send your document away for translation, make sure that you have tables and sidebars that a wide enough to accommodate the translated text.
Add Breathing Room to the Page
Sometimes, translated documents could increase text density. To plan for this, be sure that you have enough whitespace in your document before it is translated. When you do not have enough white space before translation, you will end up with text that does not have enough breathing room in the translated text.
Prepare Your Images for Translation.
Separate images and tables from their captions and other corresponding text before translation. Make sure that the text does not overlap the image or table. This will allow you to reformat easier after you receive it back from translation. Additionally, ensure that your tables and images will accommodate different reading directions.
Some people think that all they need to do before a document translation is just hand it to the translation company. However, prepping your document in advance of translation could save reformatting time down the road after you get it back from the translation company. Consult the translation company, such as Liaison Multilingual Services, Inc, to find out other ways that you can prepare your document's layout before translation.
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