Most of us have a gentle chuckle when we listen to amusing mistakes that Germans make while speaking English. Learning a language is difficult because you need to struggle through a dense new jungle of vocabulary and think twice about a sentence before speaking. Speaking errors may be funny and they can always be ignored during casual communication. However, we cannot avoid the errors that people make while translating German documents to English. In this article, we have mentioned top 3 German to English errors that translators can easily avoid while translating documents.
GmbH is Different from Ltd.
According to German law, GmbH means ‘company with limited liability,’ while translating a company name from German to English; you cannot convert GmbH into Ltd. In fact, you may face some serious legal consequences if you mistakenly translate GmbH to Ltd.
Tip: To avoid any legal action due to incorrect translation, it is recommended to consult a certified translation company.
Do not Capitalize Every Word
Keep in mind that Germans capitalize all nouns; however, in English, only proper nouns are capitalized. Therefore, it is important to know the difference and capitalize a word only when it is required, not because every noun is capitalized in the source. In English, if you need to capitalize all the words, your copy isn’t just considered grammatically incorrect, it also loses interest.
Tip: Do not translate everything as it is from German to English. Use grammar rules and common sense.
Do not Ignore a Word
Sometimes, German has very long and difficult words and translating them can be a task. However, if you do not know a word and its English meaning, it is advisable to research it. Do not leave the word in German because it will complicate the meaning and make the sentence difficult to understand.
Tip: If you are unable to find English translation of a German word, it is advisable to consult an accredited translator.
Bottom Line
Regardless of whether you are an entrepreneur planning to expand your business overseas, a medical professional or a student, the lesson learned is simple – If you do not consult experienced professionals, your documents will not just be a source of embarrassment but you may also face legal actions.
If you have any queries regarding German to English translation or vice-versa, dial 888-670-3369. Have any translation horror stories to share? Let us know in the comments’ section.