Challenges to be overcome during the translation of the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard into Brazilian Portuguese

The task of translating technical documents plays a crucial role in promoting international standardization and effective communication between professionals from different countries. Technical documents, including standards, must be translated accurately to ensure uniformity of language and facilitate comprehension of technical concepts among professionals worldwide.

However, translating technical documents is not a simple task, particularly when dealing with languages and cultures that differ significantly from the source language. In the case of the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard, which requires translation into Brazilian Portuguese, several challenges and difficulties must be overcome to ensure accurate and effective translation.

Let's try to understand and discusses the into the intricacies of translating the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard into Brazilian Portuguese, examining the challenges encountered and possible solutions to mitigate these issues.

IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 - Preparation of information for use (instructions for use) of products – Part 1: Principles and general requirements

The IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard is an internationally recognized benchmark for creating clear and user-friendly user instructions. This standard defines the fundamental principles and requirements for developing instructions that are effective, easy to use, and compliant with international standards.

Manufacturers, designers, and writers of user instructions worldwide rely on this standard as a critical reference point. It provides comprehensive guidelines for creating user instructions that are compliant, safe, and easily understandable for users with diverse levels of expertise and knowledge.

In short, the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard serves as a crucial guide for manufacturers, designers, and writers to produce user instructions that are effective, safe, and user-friendly, meeting the expectations of users and international standards.

Challenges to be overcome during this translation process

Translating the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard into Brazilian Portuguese proved to be a demanding task due to challenges and difficulties that can be grouped into three primary categories: linguistic, cultural, and technical.

Linguistic Challenges: The primary linguistic challenge when translating this standard was the technical terminology that lacks corresponding translations in Brazilian Portuguese. For example, technical terms such as "safety instructions" needed appropriate translation to convey their meaning in the target language.

Another linguistic challenge encountered was the use of passive voice constructions in English, which are not commonly used in Portuguese. This can result in ambiguity and confusion, as the subject of the sentence is not explicitly stated. To tackle this challenge, active voice constructions that are more widely used in Portuguese were utilized to ensure the translated text's coherence and clarity.

For instance, the term "safety instructions" can be translated as "instru??es de seguran?a" in Portuguese. However, this translation does not encapsulate the broader concept conveyed by the original term, which includes instructions relating to products' safe use, installation, and maintenance.

Cultural Challenges: Cultural differences between European standards and practices, upon which the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard is based, and Brazilian readers posed another challenge during the translation process. For example, while the standard recommends the use of symbols and pictograms to convey safety information, some of these symbols may not be easily recognizable to Brazilian users, given their different cultural background.

Technical Challenges: Technical challenges also surfaced in the translation of the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard, given the complex technical terminology and concepts within it that require specialized knowledge and expertise. Thus, ensuring accurate and consistent translation of these terms and concepts was necessary to ensure Brazilian Portuguese-speaking users could implement the standard appropriately.

Lessons learned

To overcome the challenges and difficulties encountered during the translation of the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard into Brazilian Portuguese, I adopted several solutions, including:

1. Creating a glossary of technical terms and concepts to ensure consistency and accuracy in the translation of technical terms and concepts.
2. Consulting with subject matter experts to clarify technical concepts and ensure the accuracy of the translation.
3. Using translation tools, such as translation memory software, to ensure consistency in the translation of terminology and phrases throughout the document.
4. Conducting a review and revision process to ensure the clarity, coherence, and accuracy of the translated text.

In conclusion, translating technical documents such as the IEC/ISO/IEEE 82079-1 standard into Brazilian Portuguese is essential for ensuring international standardization and clear communication between professionals and having this standard translated into Brazilian Portuguese will be very useful so that the production of technical documentation for products produced for the Brazilian market can achieve its main objective, which is to prepare instructions for use that are effective, safe, and easily understood by users with varying levels of experience and knowledge.