Information technology is rightfully considered to be one of the most rapidly developing activities. IT industry penetrates into all spheres of human life – from daily routine to business, from production to agriculture, from science to education, from government administration to medical services. IT professionals communicate in their own language, which is full of specific terms. This imposes special requirements on translators of IT content. Translation of texts related to this field requires that a linguist has a deep understanding of the IT sphere as a whole and is constantly studying it. Therefore, over the years, IT translation has become a separate, young area of linguistic activity.
IT documentation contains special concepts and terms that may not be easily understood by an ordinary user. First of all, this relates to close connection between the IT industry and the English language, in which most, if not one hundred percent, of new concepts, terms and slang expressions appear. There are no established equivalents for them in the Russian language. And we have to invent them.
The distinction between terms and slang in Russian-language IT texts is rather blurred. While it is quite appropriate to use slang on professional forums, it is most often unacceptable in official documentation for users. Therefore, we have to constantly look for a balance and choose the right terms: neither clerical, nor slang, but more “literary” and at the same time accurately conveying the meaning. Professional translators of IT content try to read as many IT texts as possible to accumulate the necessary vocabulary and terminology.
The IT-related materials translated by Lingwella’s specialists will comply with all stylistic norms and technical standards, while the terminology will be clear to the professionals in this sphere.
Working with IT content is made even more complicated by the special requirements often imposed by software developers. For example, when translating user interface (UI) elements of websites and mobile applications, it is often necessary to respect a given character limit in certain lines of source code. Besides, in documents for developers there are some fragments that should be recognized and left untranslated: parts of source code, HTML tags, names of functions, methods, variables, etc. in the text, names of commands and their arguments. When translating IT content, it is also important to regularly consult the product manager’s glossary, which contains the key terms: there must be no confusion or discrepancies in the names of product functions or sections.
A translator of IT content must pay special attention to the choice of computer vocabulary and make sure that software developers or users do not receive distorted information. Our translators know how to choose the right words. When working with IT content, we consult with experts and refer to reputable style guides, such as Microsoft Russian Localization Style Guide.
There are other nuances as well. For example, word-for-word translation from English into Russian may result in some phrases in the interface being overly emotional or commanding. The translation should have a natural feel, it is very important to be able to convey the right idea and intonation in your language with your own words, sincerely and convincingly, but at the same time respecting the required style. Excessive literariness is unacceptable in this craft, but the use of professional slang is sometimes essential.
Lingwella Translation Agency offers the following types of services in the field of information technology:
- localization of mobile applications and other software,
- website localization,
- translation of user interface (UI) elements,
- translation of documentation for developers and users,
- translation of instructions for hardware and software,
- translation of articles in specialized media,
- translation of reviews in thematic blogs, social networks, YouTube.
Our rates for professional translation of IT documentation start from $0.10 per source word.
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