GENGLISH.US

German Translations for American Audiences.

Lost in Translation.

Do words matter?

They totally do. I hope you agree.

Yet, it is rare to find a website from a German/Austrian/Swiss-based company in English and go, “Wow, that looks and sounds great!”

The same goes for newsletters, correspondence, advertising, and, well, pretty much the entire written portfolio.

A lot of companies do not pay attention to language, culture, branding, consistency, and messaging when they hire a translator. And translators can become overwhelmed with technical content, language-specific phrases, industry-specific vocabulary, and the overall workload in a given time frame.

For the company, the focus is on time and money.

For the translator, the focus is on time and money.

After all, time and money have instant value and purpose.

The general consensus may be that a word-for-word translation will ‘be good enough.’

Good enough comes at a high price.

It will take more than time and money later in order to repair the damage of a ‘good enough’ translation.

‘Good enough’ isn’t good enough for me.

Do you feel the same?

If you do, then we agree that…

Interpretation Matters.

It’s not just a translation, it’s also an interpretation.

What you say, how you say it, and why – it matters. Your followers will ‘interpret’ you accordingly.

That’s right. Your audience will form an opinion about your company based on how you communicate.

My focus is on communicating the right message for your English-speaking audience when it comes to German-to-English translations.

Here’s the how:

No-nonsense approach and simplicity in translations tailored to American audiences. Because Americans like direct, no nonsense, short sentences.
Adaptation of the German text for clarity and to prevent ambuiguities (eindeutig zweideutig). Because Americans like to know what you mean for real.
Liberty in adjusting phrases and sayings to relate cultural expressions. Because Americans wouldn’t know the meaning behind: “You don’t have all cups in the cupboard.”
Retaining brand consistency. Otherwise, Americans may misinterpret your brand, since they form their opinions based on your online presence and the words involved. What do you want to say about your brand?
Grammatically correct sentences that make sense. Because Americans will think you are stupid if your English sounds less than English. Or worse yet, they will think that you think that they are stupid because you think that they would not notice or care (they do).
Research on your company, culture, messaging, vision, products, services, industry, etc. to relay the most accurate interpretation in your field of expertise. Because Americans truly want to understand who you are and what you can offer them.

If this sounds right up your alley, then please hop over to the CONTACT page where you can request a quote.

Or simply email me, and we can talk, errr, email? We can talk after we email. I do have a phone, I swear.

And if you want to know what makes me qualified, then check out my ABOUT page.