What is editorial translation?
Editorial translation is all about bringing publishable content, from books and essays to blogs and brochures, into new languages while keeping the original voice, purpose, and emotion intact. If it’s meant for an audience and you can read it in print or online, there are some high chances it will fit within the overarching term because it exists within an evergreen framework that captures everything involved in written content that could be published.
Unlike technical translation, which has a clear and concise focus on precision and clarity, editorial translation leans heavily into the tone, rhythm and cultural nuances of a text. You’re not simply converting words. Sure, one could argue at its core this is what you would do, but what you are really after is translating the intent. This means understanding how the original author meant readers to feel and then recreating that into a new language. More often than not, this is done for an entirely different culture.
This kind of translation is everywhere in the modern age and you would be amazed just how often it is utilized. More than ever we are interacting with a global audience and market, which means every angle must be explored. From novels, poetry, manuscripts, or exhibition catalogs in print to website content in the form of eBooks, academic journals, social media and more, the broad scope must preserve the original message. It must also stay true to the voice, and resonate with the reader.
What skills are needed for editorial translation?
To pull off a great editorial translation, you need a combination of sharp language instincts and a good grasp of storytelling. Certainly one strong enough to change your written voice to mimic that of the original author to carry on the message they wished to convey. So, here is what really matters to the space:
- Mastery of both the source and target language. A translator must be fluent in a second language and well versed in the grammar, syntax and lexicon of their native tongue.
- Fluency in two languages minimum (and mastery in one): A translator needs to do more than speak both languages as they must write flawlessly in the target language and have an intuitive writing sense to capture the feel for tone, nuance and flow.
- Industry experience: Speaking two languages doesn’t make you a translator, though tends to be a very nice skill to possess. Real expertise comes from years of practice. It takes a lengthy amount of time to build the skill set necessary to maintain both fidelity and style.
- Strong writing: Editorial translators aren’t just linguistic in their written endeavors, they are simply powerful writers. You need to have the capability of crafting clean, compelling, culturally aware content that sounds like it was originally written in the target language. A very pressing feat indeed. Imagine reading a text of some kind without having a clue where its origin came from. That is how good we are talking.
- An eye for specifics: Every word counts. But, so too does every phrase, cultural cue, idiom and more. It’s not just about getting it right, but about making it feel right as well.
- Publishing sector insight: Understanding how the publishing process works helps translators meet industry standards, formatting expectations, and timelines without breaking a beat.
- Cultural fluency: This should be a “no-brainer,” but it begs to be said that knowing the target culture’s humor, slang, customs, and context is essential. A word-for-word translation, much like technical translation, will fall flat on it’s face, or worse, offend the culture it is meant to target. Nothing is worse than translating a document that directly offends the culture you are trying to support and help.
- Subject matter expertise: Whether it is an academic journal, a cookbook, or a literary essay, knowing the field helps you avoid clumsy translations and keep everything accurate and natural. Crucial accuracy of the information being translated also matters a lot in regard to ensuring the terminology behind the complexity of the language stays consistent.
- Solid research habits: You won’t always know every reference or term off the top of your head. Great translators aren’t afraid to dig and bumble about in documentation to verify facts, and make sure everything is on point.
- Tech skills: Editorial translators in almost every translation service utilizes tools like translation memory software and glossaries to keep things consistent and efficient. As alluded to, it is very common practice and highly accessible within the translation industry. Efficiency is key to manage high levels of attention to detail to accurately pump out rigorous quality at maximum consistency.
- Clarity: Clear communication is essential whether you are in freelancing or working with an agency to be able to manage expectations, ask the right questions, and keep clients informed. You must have the ability to collaborate and adapt content as needed for the client and match their needs. If they suddenly need a prose change for a genre fiction eBook, then you must be a able to grasp their literal intent behind the need and act on it for them.
What types of texts need editorial translation?
Editorial translation spans a wide variety of formats, which fall mostly into two camps: print and digital within the publishing world.
Print is where it all began in editorial translation services, long before the internet where humans were translating texts to spread knowledge and culture across borders. Today, the most typically translated versions of print include:
- Mags (Magazines) and Dailies (Newspapers)
- Books (genre fiction, literary fiction, contemporary fiction, non-fiction, novellas, novels, short stories, anthologies, poetry, children’s literature, comics, etc.)
- Essays
- Plays
- Promotional Advertisements
- Academic Journals
- Brochures
Of course, this isn’t a full list, but it paints a very obvious picture. Editorial translators working in print tend to touch many creative and professional genres, often requiring flexibility and deep appreciation for foreign language.
Digital
The need for translation in the digital age that we are currently in is exploding. Our ancestors would not believe that we are currently oversaturated with written content and that content is on a global scale with readers everywhere. Common digital formats that require finely tuned editorial finesse to reach the masses include:
- eBooks
- Audiobooks
- Podcast content
- Mobile applications
- Web applications
- Content subtitles
Naturally, each of these formats comes with its own quirks in regard to tone, pacing, visuals and accessibility, but that is what makes editorial translation not only varied, but creatively rewarding in the publishing world.
What is an editorial translator?
An editorial translator is a foreign language expert with the soul of a writer to effectively be someone who specializes in translating content. This content translation involves work meant to be read, enjoyed, and published. Some work as solo freelancers (or in a team), while others are part of a larger network or agency like Espresso Translations.
Freelancers tend to juggle both sides of the business-coin, in that, they translate but they also market themselves, manage projects, and build relationships with clients. This angle takes more than just linguistic talent as it calls for a “hustler mentality,” confidence, and adaptability.
Agency translators, by contrast, are backed by a support team. They don’t need to chase clients, which frees them up to focus on the actual translation work. At agencies like Espresso Translations, translators are part of a vetted global network, meaning clients get pros with years of experience under their belts who have also been tried and tested over many projects.
All translators need to be fluent in a second language and confident in their knowledge of their native tongue, including grammar rules, syntax and more. At Espresso Translations, using translators within their native regional tongue with more than five years of experience within the translation industry is our minimum. This means you will find no place more credible.
As far as processes go, a typical project starts when the translator receives the source material. From there, they will read through it carefully and research anything they are unfamiliar with and continue to read through it carefully and make decisions about tone and phrasing based on the target audience. Editorial translators always keep cultural references in mind to further consider the kind of impact the original piece is supposed to have. Dedication at this level is what is you can expect to find from a professional translator within Espresso Translations.
This is the point where localization comes into play and meets translation. It’s not just about accuracy, it’s about relevance, readability, and resonance.
When the first draft is done, proofreading kicks in. At Espresso Translations, every piece is reviewed by the original translator and a second qualified linguist. After that, an account manager checks for final polish before delivering the finished piece to the client.
What are the differences between editorial and literary translation?
While the terms may be interchangeable depending who you associate with, editorial and literary translation aren’t quite the same.
Editorial translation is a broader category. It includes any kind of publishable content, whether it’s a company brochure or an academic paper. The goal is clarity. Readability and accuracy within the material’s delivery of the original intent followed by cultural appropriation to reach the intended audience organically as it would resonate with them.
Literary translation, on the other hand, tends to demand more creative latitude. It stretches into the art-novels, poems, screenplays and the like. The translator steps into the shoes of the author in an attempt to recreate emotion, subtext, rhythm, and voice, so that the readers in the new language feel the same things as the original audience.
Ultimately, editorial translation differs in what it prioritizes. That being – clarity and tone. Literary translation gives more room toward artistic breath and emotional depth. While both take an immense amount of skill to consider the nuances behind every translation process and thorough understanding for the translation projects, the intent and technique greatly differ.
Conclusions
Editorial translation should be considered a bridge that connects voices, ideas, and cultures. Whether it’s a short story, a marketing flyer, or a piece of academic research – translating it with care opens up new doors for authors, publishers, and audiences alike.
Behind every successful translation is a professional who’s part linguist, and part storyteller, whom revels in the details of the project. From understanding cultural subtext to maintaining the original’s heartbeat, editorial translators do more than just change words. They do their best to shape the experience the reader has on the work. In world that increases its diversity and reach through connection with other cultures, editorial translators have become more important than ever before.
