In this modern era, we are becoming more and more dependent on technology, not only for our everyday tasks but also for the many conveniences it has added to our lives. Did my doorbell just ring? Yes, I know that because the app on my phone connected to the camera at my front door just notified me. Am I or is my brother wrong about the grooming habits of the ancient Inca civilization? Luckily, I can access the handheld computer that I take everywhere with me to solve this debate. It was me, by the way, I was wrong. While the benefits of technology are limitless, there are still some areas in our lives that cannot yet be replaced by machinery…one of them being the realm of translations.
All across the internet, there are tons of hilarious examples of translations gone wrong and while they are great to laugh at, what are the real-life implications for the people involved? Not only for the business but for the consumer as well. It’s hilarious to see the mistranslated food signs, the business signs, and those hilarious t-shirts, but what if that were a medical document? Or a legal contract? Between 2001 and 2006, French radiologists overdosed and killed at least 12 people in one hospital due to a misunderstanding in English instructions. We are talking about 12 people who no longer have their lives due to a language barrier. Can we say “easily preventable mistake” altogether now? Or what about the pharmacies that use automated translation machines that have instructed patients to take ELEVEN TIMES the recommended dosage all because “once” means 11 in Spanish? A human translator would never make a mistake like this, because, unlike machines, they take into account the context of what they are translating.
I think that everybody reading this right now would not want to lose a loved one due to such an erroneous assumption that a machine could replace human translation for these sensitive subjects. How devastating for a family to learn that their sister/brother/father/mother/cousin/etc is no longer a phone call away because a company decided to take a shortcut and use an automated translation.
So while we can laugh at the restaurant for selling “Siki Roasted Husband” or a shirt that says “Become Door”, when lives are at risk we simply cannot afford to make those mistakes. Responsible organizations need to take the proper precautions to ensure that their services are benefiting the society to which they are catering. At MP Language Solutions, all translators are personally vetted by me, President & CEO, to ensure that the context in both languages is fully understood before a translation is completed. Let’s discuss how we can work together to ensure that your multilingual audience is getting the best communication from your organization. We take pride in breaking barriers!
Rachel Hoskins
President & CEO