Why Desktop Publishing (DTP) Matters in Translation
Let’s say your translation provider has perfectly translated an original English document into French. However, you haven’t maintained consistency in design and layout, so your translated document doesn’t look like the source document.
This may not seem like a significant issue, but it is. No matter how good the translation quality, layout, or truncation, inconsistencies can harm your brand’s image and visibility.
To overcome this issue, your Account Manager may suggest adding a Desktop Publishing service. Now you’re wondering – what is DTP, and why is it important? Read to find out.
What is Desktop Publishing?
Desktop Publishing, or DTP, is the creation of translated documents using page layout skills. The process usually occurs after translation and certification, editing, and proofreading. It helps format the localised text to match the source.
Here’s how desktop publishing (DTP) works
• It starts with a graphic designer checking the localised document for its style, font, and overall layout. The team compares the document against the source language file for the following characteristics.
• Professionals also check hyperlink functionality and any hidden content behind images.
• Once these elements are properly checked, the team adjusts the file’s layout to accommodate any expansion. This is followed by the formation of boxes, graphics, and bullets.
• If your team is designing a localised user guide, they will include captured graphics to make the document look authentic.
• Finally, the team will regenerate the table of contents so that it looks the same as in the source document.
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6 Reasons Why DTP Matters in Translation Services
Expert translation services for global businesses are a time-consuming and complex process, so why add the burden of DTP to your chosen agency? Well, there are some solid reasons.
1: DTP Ensures Correct Content Representation
Your content will not create the desired impact until it is accurately represented in the language of your target audience. Simple punctuation, captions, and illustrations can change the essence of the content, so DTP is necessary to ensure that the source and translated versions are identical. This helps generate content similar to that of various target markets despite differences in their languages.
2: This Service Helps Create Tailored Content
With the help of DTP professionals, you can convey one message in different languages without losing the meaning. The service takes different characteristics of a language into consideration. The team carefully considers the number of words or characters needed to convey a message across various markets.
3: DTP Services are Important to Maintain Consistency
One of the biggest challenges in translation is maintaining consistency between translated documents and the source. Regardless of the content, the format, layout, and overall feel of the source and translated documents should be uniform.
This helps give the impression that the brand is committed to providing a similar level of content quality across all markets, despite differences in size, culture, or language.
4: DTP Helps Make Translated Documents Look Professional
With DTP services, you can ensure that all your translated documents look professional. The team ensures that your documents are formatted and presented in accordance with local market norms. Plus, they make efforts to create documents that can be easily presented to various clients who may be interested in your business.
5: This Service Performed by a Professional Team Can Save Your Resources
By working with a translation company with graphic designers on board to complete your DTP work, you save time, money, and resources. These experts know the art of working on multilingual projects, so risking your translated document with an in-house design team should be a no-no.
6: DTP Services Can Get You the Exposure You Want
Your translated content may not have the power to grab your audience’s attention. Therefore, it is imperative to give it a layout that resonates with your audience as soon as they lay eyes on it. So whether you have a brochure, flyer, or presentation, having the translation formatted will ensure it is communicated to your audience in the best possible way.
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Who Performs DTP and Why?
DTP services are often performed in-house by a graphic designer of the translation agency you have partnered with. Even if you have an in-house team, it is best to let your translation provider handle the job.
That’s because the translation service provider is an expert in handling multilingual formatting content. They know how to use multilingual platforms, handle file formats in different languages, and work with systems like InDesign.
In fact, these graphic designers are experienced enough to handle different languages, including European, double-byte Asian, and right-to-left languages, such as Arabic.
Regardless of how professional your designers are, they may face the following challenges when handling DTP services.
• Differences in the text length can be a huge problem. The final design should complement the overall length of the text, but not every designer can achieve this.
• Swapping graphics or images to create a uniform layout can also be very time-consuming, especially for someone who has never done it before.
• Finding the right style for your content can be challenging at times. That’s because not all fonts work best in every language. A designer unfamiliar with different languages may find it challenging to choose a font that matches a specific language.
Your in-house designers might suggest taking on this task, which shows their enthusiasm and dedication. However, designing for multilingual projects often requires a good understanding of the rules and nuances of different languages. They may also have little or no experience with specialised DTP work.
It’s often better to let professional translation experts handle this task to achieve the best results. This way, your in-house team can focus on what they do best while ensuring the final product meets the highest standards.
About TS24
Translation Services 24 (TS24) is a professional translation agency offering expert services in over 200 languages. We work with clients in all corporate and public industries and specialise in sector-specific linguistic solutions. With over a decade of industry experience, 15+ million words translated every year, and 100,000+ projects completed, TS24 is a leading provider of expert translation and interpretation services and an officially certified member of the ATC. Contact TS24 here. You can also read all of our recent articles here.
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