How can I quickly turn a translation into a transcreation?
What can you do when you ask for a marketing text to be translated and then realize, upon seeing the translation, that the target text is not at all what you expected?
Transcreation is not just about creativity
I bet that you have read somewhere that transcreation is a kind of “creative translation.” In fact, judging by Google results, “creative translation” appears to be the most commonly used term to describe transcreation.
Yet “creative translation” is a misnomer. Misleading at best.
Transcreation defined
What exactly do I mean when I refer to transcreation? What makes it so different from translation? I define transcreation as a unique type of service in the field of multilingual communication.
Transcreation or translation?
If you want corporate communication, public relations, or advertising material to make a (positive!) impact in other languages, a translation is most likely not the best solution. Better get a transcreation instead.
Why? What’s the difference?
Limits of transcreation
It is important to stress that there may be situations in which transcreations are necessary, but won’t be possible. That is the case when: