In any translation of a brochure or magazine, preserving the original layout is of utmost concern. I worked closely with the designer of the original German brochure to ensure that the new English content fitted the on-page space requirements and matched the graphics and imagery.

Another area of focus was consistent terminology, especially since skiing and other winter sports have a lot of specific vocabulary. A common mistake when translating a large project is using different words in different places for the same concept, which will cause confusion for the reader. For instance, the words ‘toboggan’, ‘sled’ and ‘sledge’ are often used interchangeably for the German word ‘Rodel’ in the marketing materials of many ski resorts, giving the impression these are three different activities.

Understanding local markets is vital when translating marketing content. The client’s previous marketing content had retained the word ‘Advent’ in English, however aside from the term ‘Advent calendar’, ‘Advent’ is generally only used in a religious context in English. Terms such as ‘Advent markets’ or ‘Advent mood’ sound clumsy to the reader and are instantly recognisable as poor translations. With this in mind, I opted for ‘Christmas in Carinthia’ for the German term ‘Advent in Kärnten’, the alliteration being an added bonus!