Slang translation in localization

Slang is an irreplaceable part of modern language, reflecting the societal identity, beliefs, values, etc. of a specific community. For localization, slang translation is a crucial task that requires businesses to go beyond mere translation to understand local culture and social movements.?

What is slang??

According to Grammarly, slang is an informal language that can be regional or developed from communities and subcultures. It can take the form of a single word or a phrase. Slang can either be a clipped version of an existing word, or a portmanteau. However, slang doesn’t always alter the spelling of a word; it can also give an existing word a new meaning.

Slang Translation in Localization

Slang connects its users to a unique part of their culture, reflecting societal identity, beliefs, values, etc. Therefore, slang translation goes beyond converting slang from one language to another to understand local culture and social movements.??

Careful slang translation in localization is essential to ensure the original message and tone are conveyed accurately while making it relatable to the locals, helping brands foster a close relationship with them.

Mistranslated slang can lead to serious misunderstandings, costing businesses in customer satisfaction.?

Challenges of Translating Slang

Cultural specificity

According to ryteUp, slang terminology often stems from the specific experiences and challenges faced by a particular subgroup. It often reflects local customs, trends,? historical and cultural contexts, so it’s difficult to find direct equivalents in another language that carry the same connotations and cultural relevance.?

Temporal nature

Slang terms can go in and out of fashion quickly. Many of them fade away promptly like how they suddenly emerge, confusing those who encounter them later. Therefore, translators must stay up-to-date to avoid using something outdated or even offensive.

Beyond dictionaries

It’s hard to translate slang using standard linguistic approaches. Most slang involves wordplay, puns, and creative use of language, relying heavily on specific sounds, double meanings, and cultural references in the source language.

In most cases, you can’t find slang terms in standard dictionaries. Slang dictionaries exist, for example, Urban Dictionary, but translators must rely on local cultural knowledge to fully understand the true meaning.?

Important Notes

Businesses must take their target audience into account when translating slang in localization. This includes their age, preferences, background, trends, etc. Younger customers tend to be more receptive to slang. Businesses can conduct focus groups with the target audience to see how they understand and connect with the localized slang, bringing more perspectives and insights regarding slang usage and translation.

Cultural understanding enhances the accuracy of slang translation. Translators must possess great language skills and a deep understanding of cultural differences between language pairs to convey slang’s specific connotations and meanings.

Immerse yourself in the culture. It enables translators to better identify suitable expressions or idioms to convert slang in the target language. Additionally, by comprehensively considering the societal context, translators can grasp the true meaning and choose the most appropriate equivalent slang, thereby avoiding misinterpretations or inaccurate translations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, slang translation is an indispensable element in localization that goes beyond translation, converting words from one language to another. This is a challenging task. Translators must have a profound understanding of language, culture, social movements, societal contexts, etc. to ensure that slang terms are effectively conveyed along with their unique connotations and cultural relevance.

Source: Grammarly, ryteUp, POEditor?