And Who Gets to Decide?
As a freelance translator, I often find myself navigating an interesting space between two worlds: the client’s expectations and the professional standards I’ve learned and continue to refine. And somewhere in that space lies the elusive concept of a “good” translation. But what exactly makes a translation good—and more importantly, who gets to decide that?
This question has no one-size-fits-all answer. In fact, it often depends on who you ask. For clients, a good translation might be one that “sounds natural,” or one that perfectly mirrors the original structure. For fellow translators or editors, it might be one that follows style guides, maintains register, and avoids “translationese.” For me, it’s a blend of all those things, adjusted depending on context, purpose, and audience.
Take marketing translations, for example. Clients may want the message to resonate emotionally with a target market. That might mean creative liberties need to be taken—something that purist linguistic standards might frown upon. On the flip side, in legal or technical fields, accuracy and terminology consistency reign supreme, and creativity takes a back seat. Each type of translation calls for different approaches, and each has its own definition of “good.”
Then there’s the matter of feedback. One client might praise a translation for being clear and elegant, while another might request revisions to “make it more literal,” despite that not being the best strategy linguistically. That’s when subjectivity really comes into play—and when communication becomes key. Setting expectations early on and explaining the reasoning behind certain choices often helps bridge that gap.
Ultimately, I think the quality of a translation should be assessed not just by linguistic correctness, but by how well it serves its intended purpose. Does it inform? Persuade? Inspire trust? If it does, then it’s doing its job. That’s not to say we shouldn’t hold ourselves to high standards—we absolutely should. But it also means being flexible and responsive to different needs.
So, what makes a good translation? It’s a delicate balance. And while translators are trained to uphold professional norms, clients are the ones who know their audience best. Somewhere in the middle, with mutual respect and dialogue, is where the best work happens.
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Until next time, take care and stay safe!
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Translation Expert 