From Words to Design: Exploring the Significance of Online Desktop Publishing in the Translation Industry
If you are planning to send a translation or localization project to a reputable language service provider, you should be prepared to pay extra charges for online desktop publishing services. The translation process is not just about converting words from one language to another, and quality is what distinguishes a language service provider from another. The text may be professionally translated while the final layout is full of typos and inconsistencies.
Therefore, the translation process goes beyond merely translating text. It entails quality procedures that guarantee that the final translations are error-free regarding both text and design. Among these procedures comes the desktop publishing process.
Online desktop publishing (DTP) is a process that involves creating and arranging visual and textual content for printed or digital media. It plays a crucial role in the translation industry, as it allows for the efficient and accurate layout of translated documents, ensuring that the final product is visually appealing and linguistically accurate.
In this blog post, we will explain what desktop publishing is, what it entails, and highlight its importance. Scroll down to find out!
What Is Online Desktop Publishing?
As explained by the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, desktop publishing refers to the creation of different types of documents using computer applications and software tools. In the past, the use of DTP was limited only to print publications. But, now, it is also heavily used in many industries to create several forms of online content.
In the field of translation, desktop publishing is the process by which translation agencies make sure that the translated files resemble the layout of the original text without any errors. DTP professionals perform different adaptations to produce a translated file that is visually appealing. This is particularly important for large translation projects that include different file formats and graphics such as marketing materials.
What Does Online Desktop Publishing Include?
Based on the type of the file format, desktop publishing may involve the following:
- Checking the layout of translated documents to make sure that they match the style, font, and format of the source file
- Checking if there is any untranslated text hidden behind images or in the body
- Making sure that hyperlinks are clickable and direct the readers to the right URLs
- Performing adjustments to text length, bulleting, numbering, graphics, and more
- Extracting content from files with non-editable formats to enable translators to start their translation process
Navigating the Power of Online Desktop Publishing in Multilingual Content
Desktop publishing is an integral part of the translation process that helps us stay certain that everything in the final translated file falls into place. The following are some of the key benefits of using DTP in translation:
Maintaining the Visual Integrity of Translated Materials
When translating documents, it is essential to preserve the visual integrity of the original content. That is exactly what desktop publishing professionals do. By using their layout skills, they adjust fonts, styles, and spacing to match the original design, creating a seamless and visually appealing translated document.
Handling Multilingual Documents
In today’s globalized world, businesses often require translations in multiple languages. Languages differ in many aspects including text length, the use of special characters, and writing style. For example, the German language is known for its long words compared to English. Moreover, many languages such as Arabic and Hebrew have a right-to-left writing system that needs adjustment of the layout to accept this writing style.
So, how can translators handle multilingual documents efficiently? Here, desktop publishing comes in the form of a rescuer to enable translators and designers to work with different character sets, special characters, and right-to-left languages.
With the right desktop publishing software, the layout and formatting can be adjusted seamlessly to accommodate various languages, ensuring that the translated materials are accurate and visually consistent across different language versions.
Adapting Content to Different Cultural Norms
Translations often involve adapting content to suit the cultural norms and preferences of the target audience. Desktop publishing allows for the localization of graphics, images, colours, and other visual elements to align with the cultural context of the translated materials. This ensures that the final product resonates with the target audience and effectively communicates the intended message.
Saving Time and Money
The experience of DTP professionals who work in the translation industry differs from those working in other fields. DTPers in the translation industry know well how to deal with multilingual content and are fully aware of all the types of desktop publishing tools that help them adapt the translated file to match the format of the original.
If you send your translation project to one of the desktop publishing companies that do not specialize in translation, you may need to go back to your translation team to review the file after design to check if linguistic and cultural subtleties are addressed appropriately.
Therefore, hiring a translation agency that provides DTP publishing services is the best solution to avoid wasting your time and money with someone outside the field who is not well-versed in the nuances of the target language.
In a Nutshell
Desktop publishing is a crucial stage in any translation process that assures that delivered translated files are of the highest possible quality. DTP professionals are the people working behind the scenes to facilitate the work of translators and maintain visual consistency and linguistic accuracy in translations.
If you are looking for a language service provider that offers top-notch DTP services, look no further than Afrolingo! At Afrolingo, we employ cutting-edge technologies to provide tailor-made DTP solutions that meet your business needs and requirements and help you penetrate new global markets. Request a quote today!
