Cross-language communication
Give a translation request enough context
A translation request works better when it names the reader, the purpose and the language variety. Add the source message, the tone you want and a list of names, dates, amounts and terms that must stay exactly as written. Anything left unsaid becomes a guess.
A text to start with
Translate the message below from [source language] into [target language, including regional variety if it matters]. The reader is [who they are and how well I know them]. The message is meant to [purpose]. Use a [tone] register. Keep these items exactly as written: [names, numbers, dates, terms]. Before translating, list anything in the original that is ambiguous. Message: [paste text].
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Translation request brief
Source language: [ ] Target language and variety: [ ] Reader and my relationship to them: [ ] Purpose of the message: [ ] Tone and level of formality: [ ] Source message: [ ] Items that must stay exact Names and spellings: [ ] Numbers and amounts: [ ] Dates and times: [ ] Terms or titles: [ ] Ambiguities in the original: [ ] How I resolved each one: [ ] Person who will check the result: [ ]
Where translation requests go wrong
Missing context shows up in predictable places. A formal form of address may come out casual, or the reverse, when your relationship to the reader is not stated. Regional vocabulary can differ between varieties of the same language, so name the variety. Fixed items such as a street address, a product name or an amount can be altered if they are not flagged. Check the output for an added commitment, a softened refusal or a dropped condition. If the original contains an idiom or a pronoun with an unclear referent, resolve it in the source before accepting the translation.
Ask another agent to check the result
Read my original message before any translation exists. Point out every phrase that could be read two ways, every pronoun without a clear referent and every condition or request that is implied instead of stated. Quote each one and suggest a clearer wording. Do not translate yet.
Confirm before you send
Compare every fixed item in the translation against your list, one by one. If the message matters, ask a fluent reader to check the tone and anything flagged as ambiguous. Fix the ambiguities in the source text, then request the translation again. Keep the source, the final version and your fixed-item list together in case the reader replies with a question.