Label Translation Toolbox Below you will find resources |
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Product Label Translation Guidelines
The following practices and rules are considered general guidelines instead of rigid rules in retail product label translation processes. They are developed and agreed mutually by the stores, the packaging agencies and the translation vendor (PLG). The guidelines have beenbeen implemented in our label translation projects since 2009. Adherent to these rules are critical to achieve high quality and consistent translations.
1. Quality Criteria
Product Label Translation Quality Criteria - Due to limited space in most product labels, quality translation carries the following characteristics
- Clear
- Concise
- Consistent
Please note the usual requirements for document or literature translations such as stylish, elegant and totally grammarly correct may not be critical in label translations
2. Use of Translation Memory
Trados' Translation Memory (TM) is used in lable translation projects, as required by Wal-Mart and Michaels. The applicatoin of this state-of-the-art tool enables consistency in translations throughout all packaging agencies within the entire store product family.
3. Language Dialect
Without explicit instruction otherwise, the following language dialects are used exclusively:
- Spanish - American (Mexican) Spanish
- French - Canadian French
If the products are destined to markets outside North America, clients are to advise translation agencies.
4. Use of Capital Letters within a sentence
The use of capital letters in Spanish and French is different than English. The following samples show the difference:
- Source English: "Antique Brass Finish"
- Conventional Spanish translation: "Acabado en bronce antiguo"
- Required prodcut label Spanish translation: "Acabado en Bronce Antiguo"
French follows the convention, that is, only the first word has initial capital letter.
- Source English: "Potpourri Apple Cinnamon"
- Standard French translation: "Pot-pourri de pommes et de cannelle"
5. Dimension Conversion
All English units must be converted to metric units. The most frequently needed dimension conversions are
- 'ft' to 'm': 1 ft = 3.28 m
- 'in' to 'cm': 1 in = 2.54 cm
- 'oz' to 'g' (for weight): 1 oz = 28.35 g
- 'oz' to 'ml' (for volume): 1 oz = 29.6 ml
Generally speaking, no rounding is to be performed when the numbers are fractions after the dimension conversion. For example, 1.oz is converted to 29.6 ml rather than 30 ml.
6. Dimensions Following Numbers
Each individual dimension should have the appropriate unit of measurement following the dimension. Please note there should be a space after each number and no period after the unit of measurement. For example:
- 0.5 cm x 1.2 cm
- 25 g
7. Use of Decimal Point in Fraction Numbers
For products for North America markets, all units of measurement in the Spanish translation should use only decimal points, unless there is label specific instruction otherwise. Commas should not be used. For example, for "one point seven five", it should read '1.75 cm' instead of '1,75 cm'.
8. Dimension Abbreviation
Abbreviate Spanish Dimensions as follows
- For length: "de largo" to "La"
- For Width: "de ancho" to "An"
- For Hight: "de alto" to "Al"
- For Depth: "Pr"
9. Line Arrangement Effect
Spanish or French layout or placement may affect the translation result. For example, depending on whether the Spanish section has two lines (identical to the English section) or one line, the translation of a two-line English product such as below will be different:
Harvest
Sprinkles
For a two-line Spanish title, the Spanish will read:
Cosecha
Granillo
When the space of the label only allows a single line Spanish title, the translation changes to:
Granillo tipo Cosecha
Which sections on the label needs to be translated?
Many factors have an impact on the contents to be translated into Spanish or French such as targeted buyers, legal requirements, consumer safety, government regulations, available space on the label, etc. Generally speaking, the packaging agencies or manufactures of Wal-Mart/Michaels will decide on the contents of the label that need to be translated. However, the following contents are routinely translated in labels:
- Product name
- Material contents
- Use instructions
- Warnings and cautions
- Disclaimers
- Warrantees
Since the labels are bi-lingual, extra space must be reserved for the translated contents. This should be considered during the initial design stage of the labels when English is the only language being taken into consideration. Due to space limitation, not always are all these contents translated.
