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‘Are you aware of homonyms?’
The close similarity between transcription and translation has often confused even the greatest minds. When they read these two terms together, they often mistake one for the other. However, they are not interchangeable terms; rather, they are leagues apart, each having its own importance and specific use. The common ground where they align well is their ability to ease communication between individuals and organizations. Moreover, they are also the driving force behind the success of content creators who yearn to expand their reach beyond geographical boundaries.
Yet, there’s a vast scope of transcription vs translation in this digital world. Let’s break it down one after the other.
It’s difficult to imagine a modern world of information without the presence of transcriptions. To put it in simple words, language transcription is the process of converting spoken language into written text. It involves capturing everything spoken, including words, sounds, and non-verbal cues.
Depending on the type of field, transcriptions are further categorized to serve an individual effectively. These different types focus more on either the readability and the conciseness of the discussion or on its accuracy.
It is the simplest and most common type of transcription that solely focuses on the document's readability. Here, a professional transcriptionist would prioritize a smooth flow of words in your document while correcting grammatical errors and breaking down complex sentences or filler words.
Unlike most transcriptions, verbatim transcription would also pull in all the pauses, filler words, and non-verbal cues, such as sighs and laughter. While these details may sound futile to some, they are of paramount importance in legal proceedings and research interviews.
Are you looking for a middle ground between Edited transcriptions and Verbatim transcriptions? This type of transcription is ideal for highlighting the conciseness of the text and the true intent of the participant’s voice.
Depending on the field, the type of transcriptions begins to carry more weightage. Below are a few of the fields where transcriptions are used widely.
The legal field requires the utmost accuracy in terms of transcripts of court proceedings. Many professionals use Verbatim transcription to capture every detail in depositions and proceedings.
Transcriptions are the ally of every researcher who is prone to qualitative research data, interviews, and a lot of information.
Education has seen a huge boost as transcriptions are introduced for notes and group discussions while making things easier for students.
It’s time we dive deeper into the subject of transcription vs translation while looking at the other side of the story.
Unlike transcription, translation is all about the process of converting written text from one language to another with the effort of preserving the original meaning, context, and tone. This process can be divided into three different stages.
The first stage of translation is to meticulously understand the content and the context in which it is used.
Once the foundations are established, the second stage involves converting the text into the preferred language.
Translation requires an accuracy and fluency that goes beyond the word perfect.
There are several types of translations that are categorized based on the field.
Translating literature, including novels, books, poems, etc.
Translating technical documents, manuals, and guides.
Translating legal documents, contracts, agreements, and so on.
Unlike the above-mentioned industries, translation is widely used in businesses for multilingual meetings, marketing materials, and even in the healthcare and educational industries.
It’s time we zoom into the core aspect of this subject.
The idea of transcription vs translation has an inverse relationship that collides at several points. Here are a few of the key differences.
As we’ve discovered before, transcription is all about converting spoken language to written text, while translation is about converting the written text from one language to another.
If we’re talking about a manual approach, transcription involves proficiency in listening, fast typing, and attention to detail. On the other hand, translation requires excellence in source and target languages, cultural knowledge, and writing skills.
When it comes to transcriptions, professionals often look in the direction of AI-powered tools, such as Konch AI for accurate & high-quality transcripts. Meanwhile, in translations, professionals look for translation memory software, CAT tools, dictionaries, etc.
Transcriptions are used in meetings, interviews, and lectures to record the spoken content in writing. Translation is required when communication extends beyond a single language, such as in marketing.
With these key differences, it’s now imperative to shift our perspectives toward similarities.
While there might be more content for transcription vs translation, the scarce number of similarities is more integral than the differences for users.
Both aspects involve converting language from one form to another, i.e., spoken to written in transcription and a written language to another language in translation.
The primary aim of transcription and translation is to make the content accessible to a wide audience and overcome all language barriers.
With a written record of spoken languages or text translations, these services enhance the accessibility for people who speak in different languages or prefer written content.
Conclusion
On the surface, it’s all about transcription vs translation; however, the reality is that these services are vital in today’s digital world, each having its unique purpose. In the near future, there will be high speculation about automated tools offering both these services under the same platform. As long as there’s a need for transcription, there’s always going to be a demand for translating the transcripts into different languages.
FAQs
1. Can translation and transcription be combined?
Yes, you would often find professionals combining them, especially in multilingual meetings, where the spoken content has to be transcribed and translated simultaneously.
2. Can transcription be used for non-verbal sounds?
Yes, out of the different types of transcriptions, verbatim transcription includes non-verbal sounds like laughter, pauses, etc.
3. Can automated tools fully replace human transcription and translation?
The birth of automated tools has led to a significant increase in speed and accuracy. However, irrespective of their wide use, there’s always going to be a need for human oversight to ensure a nuanced accuracy.
4. How long does it typically take to transcribe an hour of audio?If you take the manual approach, it typically takes four to six hours. However, if you use automated and reliable tools, such as Konch AI, you can expect the results within minutes.
Embark on a journey with our transcription platform and experience its capabilities firsthand. Decide between our fully AI-generated transcripts or entrust your files to Precision, our dedicated team of experts committed to handling your work with the utmost care