Global corporate learning is improving but it is not yet meeting the needs of learners around the world. A description of the current state of global learning and some of its causes can be found in the first article here. This article is part of a series meant to equip the learning leaders of global organizations on the best practices for creating engaging and impactful learning experiences for every team member, no matter the region or culture. CLICK HERE to see a list of the topics covered in this series and access the articles.
Who Needs Translation?
The first response to this question might be, “translation is for large companies with a multinational footprint.” And that, of course, would almost certainly be accurate. Early on in globalization in the second half of the twentieth century, many American companies assumed that they could expand into global markets without having to think much about translation. They would hire local people who would be fluent in English. That assumption was wrong as they quickly learned, especially in training and development. They realized that communicating important information to their entire company would require accurate translation.
But there is a second answer to the question, “Who needs translation?” Many US companies are realizing that even in-country learning experiences need to be put into the language of their employees. English-only, for many companies, is an approach that will not be effective.
Consider the statistics. There are more than 430 languages spoken in the United States alone. In some large cities, English is more commonly a second language, not the first. One of the best ways to think about language is to look at what language is spoken at home. Right now, 78% of the US population speaks English with their families, which means that 22% do not. About 13% of the population speaks Spanish followed by 4% speaking Indo-European languages and 3.5% speaking Asian/Pacific.
For US companies with a large workforce located in urban regions, the percentage of homes that speak English at home is even lower.
Companies in the European Union have even greater language diversity. The first language statistics are:
- 16% – German
- 13% – English
- 13% – Italian
- 12% – French
- 8% – Polish
- 8% Spanish
- 5% Dutch
- 3% Hungarian
One more set of statistics–Globally, the five most spoken languages are:
- 16% – German
- 13% – English
- 13% – Italian
- 12% – French
- 8% – Polish
- 8% Spanish
- 5% Dutch
- 3% Hungarian
So who needs translation of their learning content? Certainly large multinational organizations with learners in a variety of cultures. But more and more, the answer includes companies whose footprint does not extend beyond their own borders.
Learning leaders pay attention to their learner’s needs. It is the only way to connect with your companies’ employees which, in turn, will enable them to add to their knowledge and skills while also helping your company achieve its objectives.
Where Does Translation Belong in the Process of Building Learning?
If you determine that you need to offer your learning experiences in a variety of languages, this question is only logical. Unfortunately, the common answer is at the end of the process. Many learning teams begin building a learning experience in the primary language of their headquarters. For instance, it is typical for US based companies to go through their process of analysis, curriculum mapping, design, and development focused exclusively on English. Translation, in these scenarios, is something that is done just prior to implementation.
Several years ago, a manufacturing company with a global footprint asked me to help with training people in their plant in Mexico. Their team in the US and the team in Mexico worked on the same machines but with vastly different results. In the US, the machines ran at an efficiency rate of more than 90%. In Mexico, the team averaged about 65% efficiency.
The company leaders decided it had to be a training issue so I was sent to spend time in the plant in Mexico. I spent several days observing and talking to line workers through a translator. At night, I had dinner with some of the people in management who were fully aware of why I was there. On the third night, one of the managers said, “Can we be honest with you?’
The question caught my attention because no one ever asks that question intending to deliver good news. The manager said, “Of course this is a training issue. We get our training in Spanish but it is clear the people in management in the US don’t really care about us. The translation is terrible. Much of the Spanish doesn’t make sense or it contradicts itself. They use expressions that are unfamiliar to us. My team doesn’t take it seriously at all. It is like we are an afterthought. Like we are looking through a dirty window at what we are supposed to be doing. And so my team just does what it wants.”
Translation as an afterthought. I’ve never forgotten those words. Learners in other languages can quickly tell the priority is not placed on translation.
Move translation considerations earlier into the process and continue those conversations throughout whatever process you follow as you create. For adherents of the ADDIE model, translation should be on your radar in analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. It needs to be part of the whole story, not just at the end.
Practical Considerations
Making it clear at the beginning that the learning experience you are creating will be translated into multiple, specific languages will alter every step of the process. A curriculum map should call out which languages and when they will be delivered. Learning experience designers need to know from the start how many and which languages will be included. They will need to make decisions about what appears on screen and what does not. Text boxes will need to be sized appropriately because phrases in English may expand or contract depending on the language. Voice over choices for translations will matter because, as in English, there are many different sounds, styles, and accents.
Developers who know that a module will be multilingual will likely make different choices about colors, images, animations and video segments than if the content was English only.
Translation is sometimes assigned to people who work for the company, are bilingual, and have time to do some translation work on the side. This most often works out exactly as you think it might–poorly.
Translation is a skill involving a series of tools, insight, and experience. It is both a science and an art. Good translators are adept in both languages, of course, but they also use tools like termbases for storying commonly used words and expressions to ensure there is consistency.
They know to look for highly technical words to ensure the meaning is properly conveyed each time. They are experienced at using computer-aided translation tools (CAT) that can serve as an assistant and bring a variety of source files into single editing environments. They know when to use artificial intelligence based translation tools and when not to. They know the difference between a context match, a 100% match, a fuzzy match, and a fragment match.
Good translators store translations for future use and reference when a new course needs to be created or an older one needs to be edited.
One final thought. Good translators also know the importance of a solid quality assurance program utilizing in-country experts to make sure the content is accurate and applicable to learners. Having such a network is invaluable. A subsequent article will lay out the foundations for solid quality assurance.
Ingenuit is a unique learning agency that combines expertise in learning, localization, and staff augmentation. We are ISO-certified in three different areas to ensure projects are on time, on budget, and on target. To view our solutions, please visit our learning solutions page CLICK HERE. If you need another set of eyes on your global learning solutions, the learning experts at Ingenuiti are ready to help. We offer a Global Learning Needs Analysis which is a session with our learning experts to review your learning challenges and consider solutions. Please click CLICK HERE to set up a time to talk.
