World Heritage Day celebrates the diversity and richness of culture and heritage around the world. As language specialists, we believe it is important to reflect at this time on the role of language in shaping and preserving a nation’s culture. In this blog, we look at language not just as a means of communication, but as a symbol of identity and a gateway to understanding and appreciating different cultures.
Language helps to build trust
As translation specialists, we understand the importance of language in bridging cultural divides and fostering cross-cultural communication. The ability to communicate in the language of a foreign country is essential for building trust and establishing relationships. This is particularly important when it comes to setting up a business in a new country.
Fluency in a country’s national language (and the resulting credibility) makes it easier for its citizens to accept and trust your brand/brand offering. Language is a powerful tool for developing relationships and breaking down barriers. It allows you to connect with people at a deeper level, understand their perspectives, and build mutual trust and respect.
Trust is the foundation of success
Trust forms a crucial element of any successful business relationship. When you establish trust with your business partners and clients, you create the foundations for long-term success. Trust is built through effective communication, honesty, and a genuine interest in understanding and meeting the needs of your partners and clients.
Language plays a crucial role in establishing trust in a new business environment. When you are able to communicate effectively in the language of your business partners and clients, you demonstrate a willingness to learn about and understand their culture. This goes a long way in building trust and credibility, which are essential for establishing a successful business in a foreign country.
The preservation of culture
Language also has an important role in the preservation of culture and heritage. Every language is unique and reflects the history, values, and beliefs of the people who speak it. As translation specialists, we understand the need to understand, preserve and promote the cultural heritage of all countries.
Why language specialists are so important
As language specialists, we do more than just “convert” words from one language to another. Our job is to convey the essence of a message in a way that is faithful to the original source. This requires a deep understanding of the nuances of language, as well as an appreciation of the cultural context in which the message is being conveyed. We do this in a number of ways.
- Localisation
We are adept at language localisation, which is the process of adapting a product’s translation to a specific country or region. This process allows for cultural adaptation and lets us personalise content to account for distinct differences in the business landscape due to heritage and culture. This could be currency, units of measure, date format or colours and images used. - Transcreation
Transcreation is a joining of the words creative and translation and is the process of adapting a message from one language to another while preserving the meaning, tone, and style of the original content.
A plethora of documents require transcreation for use in new regions, including marketing materials, product names, video content, packaging, labels, slogans and taglines. Slogans and taglines form a crucial part of a brand’s identity and often require transcreation when expanding into new markets.
As an example, the Nike slogan “Just Do It” was transcreated as “Hazlo” in Spanish-speaking markets, which translates to “Do It.” This transcreation maintains the spirit of the original message while using a phrase that resonates effectively with Spanish speakers.
Trust Albion this World Heritage Day
In conclusion, language is a vital aspect of a nation’s culture and heritage. As translation specialists, we play a critical role in bridging cultural divides and promoting cross-cultural communication. Our expertise can support you in building trust and establishing successful business relationships in new regions.
Our work also helps to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of different countries, which is essential for maintaining a sense of identity and belonging in an increasingly globalised world. So, we’re glad to celebrate the diversity and richness of language and culture on World Heritage Day!