We tend to think that the job of a translation agency is to shift a text from one language to another; in reality there is much more. When it comes to translations, desktop publishing services are often complementary and highly useful, as everything related to presentation and graphic design can really make the difference. Let us explain.
What is involved in the desktop publishing process of a translation?
If you take a look at any text, you’ll notice there is a visual structure as well as a narrative structure, including the way the paragraphs are laid out, the graphic characteristics, etc. Often times, translations are limited to simply changing the language of the selected text fragment. But you can also hire a desktop publishing and editing service so that the final text is, indeed, definitive, and no further retouching or changes are necessary.
This is a service offered by any good translation agency, which employ larger teams of professionals who can take care of each and every one of these aspects with expertise. If, for example, you hire one company to do the translation and another to do the desktop publishing, you will end up dealing with two different companies. This entails a longer wait and, generally, higher costs. On the other hand, when you have this service integrated within the standard translation job, the company can retouch and structure the text as it is being translated, saving you time.
The importance of graphic design in translations
Why is it so important to procure a good visual representation and layout in your translations?
- It enhances the image of the completed work. In terms of translations, graphic design is the most visual and aesthetic part of the final result. There is no comparison between receiving a plain text document and being able to see the result in its final form, whether it is a book, flyer, infographic, or even an app.
- It is especially important for web content and new formats. Subtitles, bold letters, italics, smart paragraph separation, graphics, etc. This process helps you not only for positioning, but it also makes the text much easier and more practical to read. It saves you time, as you do not need to add any subsequent touches to make everything fit together.
- It gives a complete vision of the content. Imagine you get a translation submitted on a plain text document; the translation might be impeccable, but until you embed it in the preset space, you won’t know if it works or not. Maybe the text is too long, not distributed properly, etc. When you employ graphic design and editing, you can work on all important aspects of the project as you go.
To summarize, desktop publishing in translations is another service that can be coupled with the translation itself. It allows you to visualize the final result and enjoy a more convenient, cost-effective process.
