What Is Back Translation, and Why Do You Need It?
You may have heard of back translation before, but if not, you probably think the name is a dead giveaway. Of course, things are never quite that simple!
‘Back translation’ is also known as ‘reverse translation’, and it’s the process of translating a text back to its original language. In short, it’s used when a client wishes to check the final translated copy for accuracy, or to compare the end result to the source material.
Back translation isn’t always necessary — in fact, it’s usually only requested in certain circumstances, so it’s something of a specialist area in the linguistic world. But just what is back translation actually good for? When exactly will you need it? What is back translation going to do that other processes can’t, and why?
Keep reading to find out more about this lesser-known element of the translating process, and when it should be called into play!
What does a back translator do?
As well as translating content back to the source language, a back translator compares the two versions. They’ll look to ensure that the message conveyed is accurate, and will note down any issues that are detrimental to the overall translation quality. The translator will then liaise with the client to advise them of these issues and suggest further revisions needed to any part of the text.
In most cases, the back translator won’t actually see the source text. This is so they can focus on assessing the context and technical accuracy rather than the structure, word choice, and style. Their job isn’t to make changes, but to re-translate the text directly and precisely so the client can assess the result.
When do I need a back translator — isn’t one translation enough?
Well, in the majority of cases, you don’t! A single, high-quality translation process is indeed enough to cover all bases — of course, the key phrase here is ‘high-quality’. One of the best ways to ensure you don’t need back translation is to ensure that the original translation process is thorough enough, and has plenty of checks built-in.
But this is ‘what is back translation’ not ‘what isn’t’ it, so let’s go over the circumstances where back translation is the best tool for the job.
There are plenty of occasions where back translation is necessary if you want to achieve a certain level of accuracy, and sometimes it’s even mandatory in terms of regulatory compliance. Here’s when you might want (or need) to deploy this particular brand of linguistic wizardry.
When you need to objectively assess the quality of the translation
If a piece of content has gone through multiple translations, or there have been several versions of the text, back translation is the best way to check accuracy and integrity against the source document.
This is the bread and butter of back translation, and it feeds into basically every other, more specific, use of the skill. After all, what is back translation if not an extra layer of security for your translations?
On top of literal accuracy, the process will allow you to see how well elements such as wordplay, puns, and humour have crossed the language divide. This is vital if you want to avoid confusion for the intended audience — or worse, an embarrassing or culturally insensitive misstep.
If a client wants to quickly and easily compare and contrast
Do you want to see, at a glance, any differences between the source copy and your translated material? This could be another situation in which you need back translation; you’ll be able to identify errors quickly because they’ll (sometimes literally) be right next to the ‘correct’ version.
It’s also useful if you want a quality check on content provided by a third-party translation service, so you can make sure that you’ve gotten value for money. It never hurts to get another pair of eyes, especially one that’s coming in totally fresh.
For when you need an extra check on high-risk content
If you’ve had a translation completed on what’s considered high-risk content — such as contracts or documents produced for the pharmaceutical, legal, healthcare, or financial fields — then an extra layer of accuracy checking is absolutely vital.
Hey, wait a moment, what is back translation again? That’s right, it’s an extra layer of accuracy checking. How convenient!
In some cases, back translation is actually required to meet regulatory standards. For example, if a translation of instructions for a medical device has been made, a regulatory agency is likely to ask for proof of accuracy. Basically, if even a minor error could have serious consequences, you should deploy a back translator.
To assess brand new content
Finally, if you’ve asked for a piece of content to be written initially in the target language rather than your source language, then using a back translator could be a good idea.
The back translation process will allow you to see exactly what the translated content says (and the way it says it!), so you can actually see what the final content will be in the target language.
It may seem like an option to rely on a bilingual colleague or translation app for this, but you have to resist the temptation. If you need back translation, it’s so you can double– no, triple-check that the translated copy is accurate. It should go without saying that, for that to happen, you need a professional linguist.
Back translation is a crucial step to ensure quality
Now that we’ve covered everything, what is back translation in summary? For those wanting (or needing) extra peace of mind that translated material is 100% accurate, back translation is the way to go.
But for back translation to be most effective, the initial translation needs to be as high-quality as possible. This is because, among other things, the back translation process isn’t typically concerned with conveying tone or word choice; it’s purely about the client assessing accuracy against the original, spotting necessary revisions before everything goes to the presses.
Back translation isn’t always required, but when it is, it’s a vital extra check that serves an important purpose.
We hope we’ve answered the question of ‘what is back translation?’, and clarified the times when it could be needed. But now you might be realising you need some for yourself.
We can help — whether you need a back translation service as part of a translation package, or just to check the quality of a translation that’s already been completed. Our team of linguistic experts would love to chat, so give us a digital high-five at ZippyLingo and we’ll discuss how we can help.
