Translation skills for international projects
After I started working in the workplace, I have been exposed to the field of translation because of my excellent language skills (ha). However, I have never had the opportunity to encounter some aspects of the interpreting business. Recently, because I recently encountered an acquisition case of a Japanese company, I would like to share my experience in doing this work. Please refer to colleagues in the industry; it can also be used as a guide for new entrants. The following article takes this acquisition case as an example, so the Taiwanese side I refer to refers to our own people (in this case, Sponsor), which is the acquirer in this case; the Japanese side refers to the translation target, which in this case refers to the acquired party. In the article, I refer to interpretation as impromptu speech translation in meetings; translation as text translation. This article is written for PM colleagues, so it is interspersed with some PM terms. So please forgive me if there are any proper nouns.
Preparation
own preparations
Before the interpretation work begins, the Taiwanese side should prepare the direction, purpose, and even negotiation tactics of the discussion. From the PM's point of view, there will be preparations for Charter, WBS, and various Actions exhibited from WBS (Work Breakdown structure). In this case, it should be the matters to be expressed and the questions to be asked. As an interpreter, it is best to have a clear understanding of the background, purpose, and WBS of the entire case before going into battle. It is best to read the questions to be asked in advance, so that you can look up the words in the dictionary beforehand and prepare for them if you are not sure about them. The content of some cases will be relatively sensitive, and you may not want the interpreter to know in advance. Or some members of the task force simply did not prepare the information to discuss before setting off. The interpreters cannot be idle either. Still need to prepare. How to prepare? Every translation project has its own industry or field. You must first preview the proper nouns of these industries or fields. In terms of industry, for example, the commonly used terms in the panel industry such as liquid crystal process; etching; and the materials used such as targets, etc., need to be known first. Parts of the field, such as accounting terminology, entries, inventory, gross profit and other special terms must be known first. In my case this time, the special terms in the electronics and optoelectronics industry are generally Japanese loanwords converted from English, so they are easy to look up and remember. PS: In a case like an acquisition, try to avoid using the word negotiation, both internally and externally. Because after the acquisition, everyone is a family, and there is no negotiation but cooperation between families.
Preparation before the meeting
After talking about my own preparations, let’s talk about some preparations for the meeting. Sometimes some big cases will be assigned a secretary to coordinate the meeting. However, because of the cost, it is only high-ranking officials who discuss things across the sea. People think that preparations for such meetings often fall on the heads of interpreters. PMPs all know that the key to the success or failure of a meeting lies in the preparation for the meeting. Therefore, I will also describe the actions that the interpreter must confirm before the meeting.
window
Generally, there will be a window for meetings. If it is a big case, it will usually be one of the members of the other party; if the case is small, it may just be a secretary. But no matter what, you must have a window with the other party before the meeting. You can make a phone call or write a letter to communicate with the window beforehand. Nowadays, due to the advanced technology, I recommend using communication software such as Line or Skype. The advantage of this software is that it is not synchronized, so you can wait until the other party is more free before replying. Another advantage is that you can send pictures. Some things can be expressed with graphics than a thousand words. It is mentioned in PMP's communication management that the use of communication tools requires consensus and tacit understanding in advance. This is the reason.
ConferenceAgenda
Agenda should ask the boss or decision-making person to read and approve it before the meeting. Before the meeting starts, it is best for both parties to know the agenda of today's meeting. From a PM's perspective, it is about Scope Management. My experience is to first raise the meeting's Agenda and window confirmation. This window makes it easier to ask the attendees of this meeting.
It is best to prepare the questions to be asked before the meeting. The other party can prepare relevant information first, which can save everyone a lot of time during the meeting.
If the content of the meeting is not communicated in advance, there will be the following consequences.
1. You will find the wrong person in charge (I have already mentioned this).
2. Many issues need to be clarified on the spot.
3. Because there is no psychological preparation, both parties will spend a lot of time in internal discussions. Even if one of your own people quarreled at the meeting (that would be embarrassing).
List of personnel from both parties
PMPs all know that stack holders are important. Before the meeting, you should first ask the other party for the list of people attending the meeting. At least the names and professional titles are required. For the name part, if Japanese has Chinese characters, both Chinese characters and pinyin are required. At the meeting, both parties are expected to be able to name someone from the other party. The interpreter himself must remember everyone's name (these are Stack holders). One of the purposes of professional titles is to know in advance who is in charge. The other is to know the other person's work content, and then you will know which questions to ask which person. Sometimes it may not be obvious from the job title, so you should do the memo when introducing yourself at the beginning of the meeting.
meeting environment
In fact, environment is also a part of communication management. Don’t expect that every house we go to will have a projector, whiteboard, and computer. You should ask if these are available beforehand. Only in this way can we make corresponding preparations. For example, if the other party does not even have a projector, we may need to print the slides and bring them there first.
A small failure experience I have is that Japan attaches great importance to cleanliness and environmental protection. So don't prepare a water glass. If you need water, you have to bring it yourself. I didn't ask this before the meeting started. This is a mistake I didn't expect before.
meeting time
Time management is very important, and it is no exception in meetings. When defining Agenda, you must also know how much time there is to talk about. The interpreters can work no matter how late it is, but the officials on both sides of the negotiation usually have their own work to be busy with. Time resources determine how detailed the discussion can be. And you need to grasp the buffer well. My experience is that if the same topic needs to be interpreted through interpretation, it must be at least 2.5 times the original time.
PS: MSOL has specialized conference management courses. If you are interested, please write to us.
Before starting
I mentioned earlier that we need to first understand the purpose and process of this meeting. If you don't have time or don't want the interpreter to know some of the meeting content in advance, before the meeting is a good opportunity to ask about the meeting content. Interpreters need to know at least the main topics to be mentally prepared.
Generally speaking, when we go to the other party's company, we will be greeted by the window, and then he will take us to the conference room. After entering the conference room, the interpreter should first confirm the operating environment, such as the switch of the projector; whether the whiteboard pen has water; or the documents to be distributed, etc.
If the boss allows it, it is best to write down this Agenda on the whiteboard first. This can prevent the meeting content from diverging and keep it within a certain scope. My experience is that in addition to writing Agenda on the whiteboard, if you write the content of the meeting on a one page flow chart or Grid during pre-meeting preparation, you can also achieve the effect of controlling the scope of the meeting. I have heard cases one after another (of course not me, I am such a professional) that the entire topic of the meeting was completely off-topic, and unimportant points were asked more and more detailedly. In the end, there was not enough time and it was ended hastily, and the same meeting had to be held again. This is of course related to the ability to control the meeting as the boss, but preparation in advance can play a big role.
Next, I would like to remind everyone to take out their business cards and describe the name of the person on the other side (mainly the pronunciation). If there are too many people, at least let everyone remember the name of the person in charge.
The interpreter should try to sit next to our boss (person in charge). Of course, you still have to take the initiative to ask the boss where to sit. Our boss usually wants the interpreter to sit next to him.
start meeting
起
My suggestion is to exchange business cards before the meeting starts. If there are too many people on both sides, the interpreter can just follow the boss. When exchanging business cards, you usually use simple English or just say your name. Little need for translation.
Unlike ordinary meetings, in meetings through interpretation, the interpreter is the first to speak. After confirming with our boss that we can start. First introduce yourself and say that you are an interpreter. If there are any rules for translation, you can also mention them at this time. I will describe these rules later.
At the beginning of the meeting, our boss usually explains the purpose of his visit, and then makes some high-sounding remarks as described in the Charter, and then exchanges greetings.
Don't think these polite things are unimportant, in fact, for two groups that have never met, warm up is a very important link. Especially the Charter part is more important. The most important thing in a negotiation or discussion is consensus, and everyone's consensus on Charter is the most critical and the first consensus. This must be followed by the inertia of other consensuses.
Next, introduce yourself. Everyone must describe their responsibilities and combine them with the purpose of this time. This is where Stack holder management comes into play. Once you know how to take charge, you should use Grid on paper to write down the person corresponding to each issue and the corresponding person's understanding and tendency of the issue. Only later can we conduct an analysis of the benefits and harms of stack holders for different objects.
程
I mentioned several rules for translation before, which need to be adjusted according to the interpreter's ability and habits. I provide my rules for your reference.
Don’t make a sentence too long, otherwise the interpreter will have no time to remember it.
The reason for this is very simple, because the memory of interpreters is limited, and they may translate the first part and forget the second part. This rule varies from person to person. If the interpreter is very clear about the industry and functions, I would recommend listening to it all at once to better understand the causes and consequences, and to be less likely to make mistakes in translation. But if you are not familiar with the industry and functions, it will be safer to translate it sentence by sentence, and you will know immediately if you use the wrong words.
Even very professional interpreters take note. Although turning the opponent correctly is more important than anything else. If the other party's narrative is too long, it will make people on both sides impatient. So even if you have the desire to understand things, you still have to satisfy the needs of the Stack holder, and the translated paragraphs should be limited.
Draw a picture
Our team's habit is that drawing is also applicable to meetings that do not require interpretation. A great advantage of drawing is that the methods or rules are the same in many industries and professions. Therefore, in many cases, as long as the pictures are shown, even if the interpreter himself cannot understand it, as long as he translates it literally, the professionals on both sides of the meeting will understand. Sometimes there is no need to even translate the information. Professionals from both sides can just point at the picture and speak simple English to communicate.
Repeat your own understanding
The most important thing in interpreting is to translate the meaning correctly. For this purpose, time urgency is relatively unimportant. So unless you are a super professional interpreter, no matter which side is speaking, before you translate to the other side, please speak to the person on this side in the language of this side. Make sure you are saying what the other person wants to say. I know this will take a lot of time. If the entire meeting were to be done this way, it would probably take twice as long. This takes time, but again I stress that getting it right is very important.
If everyone has an understanding of the entire category and is proficient in interpreting. If you are confident about a simple sentence or word, you don’t need to confirm it repeatedly. But if you are not familiar with interpreting, please be sure to double check. It is the bounden duty of an interpreter to translate the meaning correctly.
Not every word must be translated
Sometimes we will have internal discussions with other parties. Sometimes I even have to explain what I understand to other members. There may be something to the explanation process that the other party should not know. Interpreters must be politically sensitive enough to know what should be translated and what should not be translated. If some people will remind you in advance that this paragraph does not need to be translated; but if you intuitively feel that it should not be expressed, you can ask them if it is necessary to translate. Or sometimes you need to make some changes in the way of expression (for example, make it more polite).
Pay attention to the wording
The precise use of words is a demonstration of the interpreter's skill. Many interpreters do not use honorifics when translating Japanese or Korean. This will give people a bad impression. At the very least, it will make them think that your language skills are low; at worst, it will make people feel that the Taiwanese group does not value them.
Some people may feel that they don’t need to use honorifics when their position is more advantageous. That's because it is associated with the word "respect". In fact, you should use honorifics whenever you talk to people you are not close to. If our team wants to show off a high profile, we should use honorifics to talk to the other person. Only then will people be convinced.
Sometimes the Taiwanese use crude words and rude words when expressing their opinions, which is rude. Some interpreters will soften or adjust. My experience is that in order to express the meaning accurately, you still have to use honorifics and directly curse. No need to be tactful.
notes
Interpreters generally don't have time to take notes, so while listening to the other party, you can quickly write down key words and shout out a few important points in a notebook in a columnar manner.
When writing notes, please write directly in the speaker's language, because if you convert it into your native language, your mind will have to spend more mental energy to do the conversion. Interpreting does not allow this conversion time.
Just let them say it
In fact, if the preparation is done well, many of the same things will be repeated several times during the meeting. This way you know what to say without waiting for the speaker to finish speaking. Even if the questions you want to ask have been written in advance, please be patient and listen to what they have to say, and don’t rush to flip through it. This is also part of Stack holder Management. Please remember that you are just an interpreter, and the other person has the control.
轉
In this part of the transfer, I will express some of the difficulties encountered in translation. This kind of difficulty will make people think that the translator has made a mistake in the translation. These difficulties cannot be dealt with by the interpreting profession. The only way to communicate is through the interpreter being aware of this phenomenon.
anchoring theory
As I mentioned before, the two parties being translated have a common industry or occupation. Therefore, a lot of content does not require translation and both sides will naturally understand it. But also because both parties will rely heavily on this tacit understanding. And there will be blind spots in understanding.
The blind spot is that the translator will take some practices for granted. As soon as he hears something different from what he takes for granted, he will intuitively think that the translation is wrong. Just like the order that should be understood is divided into ABCD, the ABCs are the same as what the translator thinks. As long as D is different, they will be suspicious.
The case I encountered is that Japanese companies will not include an invoice with the amount of the goods written on it, but use the Delivery note as the basis for document matching. This custom is different from that in the United States, Taiwan and China. So when the Taiwanese side heard that the Japanese side would not send an invoice with the goods, their first reaction would be "impossible."
Another example is that many raw materials in Taiwan are imported from abroad, so I was very interested in asking a lot about the import procedures and regulations. But the Japanese side said that they have almost no foreign imports, which feels like being poured cold water on. In fact, the national conditions of Japanese industries are different. They are not a processing industry and do not need to import raw materials from abroad. They assemble and then export to earn a meager processing fee. They produce raw materials domestically, so there is naturally little demand for imported raw materials from abroad. In this case, the first reaction of the Taiwanese people when they heard the translation of "almost no imports and exports" was, of course, "how is it possible" after being poured cold water on it.
What can an interpreter do when faced with this situation? Here is my experience:
1. Make sure that other translations are correct. Interpreters often make mistakes due to unfamiliarity with the field. If you often make mistakes in translation, it is understandable that others will misunderstand this.
2. Don’t insist that your translation is correct, please remember that you are just an interpreter. If the Taiwanese or Japanese side asks the same question again and again, you will have to translate the same question again and again (don’t answer it yourself no matter how stupid the question is). When the other party gets tired of being asked, they will start to consider whether the other party has cognitive blind spots and explain it from other angles.
position issue
Sometimes the translator will lie or express vaguely because of his own position or face. At this time, the interpreter will also be questioned if the words are not translated clearly.
The case I encountered is that both parties are the central departments of a large group, but neither party actually has enough control over the BU (sub-group or subsidiary) within their own group. But neither party can say that they have exposed their shortcomings. If we continue talking at this time, logical contradictions will arise. For example, since it is a central unit, it should know the cost figures of materials or finished products at each site, but when asked to submit a list, the other party seems to have a hard time telling them. At this time, the Taiwanese side will wonder whether the interpreter made a mistake before, otherwise why would they not even have these basic numbers?
When encountering this kind of situation, what can the interpreter do? My experience is that I interpret things truthfully, and it doesn’t matter if they are misunderstood. If the Taiwan side is sensitive enough, it can know the problem from the other party's answers and expressions. (If Taiwan’s sensitivity is low, it shouldn’t be a senior official)
Expression habits
Another thing that needs to be paid attention to in interpretation is the problem of expression habits caused by nationality. Mainland compatriots are accustomed to exaggeration; Japanese are accustomed to conservatism. It can be dangerous to use Yes or No questions.
In my case this time, for example, the question is: Does Kansai Airport always transport TV panels? The Japanese answer is NO. The reason for saying No is that less than 1% of shipments are experimental products. Generally in Taiwan or Mainland China, this answer usually requires YES.
Another question is: Do all production processes have SOPs? The answer is also NO, because the visual part of the last stop of the inspection station changes too much, so the SOP cannot cover all situations. In fact, the completeness of Japan's SOP far exceeds that of Taiwan and mainland China. In Taiwan and mainland China, this kind of problem is undoubtedly YES
The solution to this problem is to first know the other party's nationality and be careful when asking questions. Try to ask questions in a quantitative way. For example, "What is the ratio of TV panels transported by Kansai Airport?"
合
The Chinese character "合" means "convergence"; "integration". But in this article I want to put forward the concept of "harmony".
和
It is also Stack holder Management, where peace is the most important thing in everything. Just like having a good atmosphere at the beginning of a meeting. Regardless of any misunderstandings or differing opinions during the meeting, always say something good at the end. For example, thank the other party for taking the time to attend the meeting; work together in the future; benefit a lot, etc.
Generally speaking, the boss (who has a high EQ) will have the habit of setting up the atmosphere before the meeting ends. Even if not, the interpreter can also include a thank you at the end.
Most meetings (at least most of the meetings I attend) end on a good note. The bosses from both sides exchanged greetings and chatted about daily matters. This can lead to closer cooperation in the future.
合
What I want to express here is the meaning of integration. At the end, give a summary of what was discussed today. It is best to ask one of the parties to list several consensuses discussed today and write the consensus list on the whiteboard in the other party's language. And express it again in spoken language in our own language. Finally, confirm whether the consensus reached by both parties today is consistent.
If there are some Action Items, use the PMP issue management method and write the action content, Dead line, and Owner on the whiteboard. If necessary, take photos as evidence.
The above information must be written in the meeting minutes.
After the meeting
For actions like PMP Closing, Documentation is very important. In particular, meeting minutes must be written. The meeting minutes will remind both parties of the consensus and action items in text. If the English level of both parties is still barely acceptable (if it was really possible, interpretation would not be needed a long time ago)
If there is an Action Item, the interpreter must ensure that someone is following the follow-up process of this Action Item. If there is no one to do this, the interpreter will have to do the work himself.
PMP requires Lesson Learn. In fact, for interpreters, this kind of meeting can learn a lot of new knowledge. After the meeting, you should combine the simple notes you wrote with the meeting minutes to complete the record. Lesson learn has two main points. One is the rules and practices of the industry or profession discussed at the meeting. Taking the semiconductor industry as an example, if the yellow light manufacturing process is discussed in the agenda, you need to understand how it is done afterwards; if accounting entries are discussed in the agenda, you need to know how to create accounting entries. Google experts can be great teachers. These lesson learns must be done, because the next translation will definitely talk about these concepts again.
There may be some documents that require interpreters to translate after the meeting. I suggest you write a small translation dictionary yourself and make a small mapping table of the words used in this field. On the one hand, you can read it by yourself, and on the other hand, if there are documents, you can use word processing software (Word, Excel), etc. to perform batch word changing actions. This can save a lot of time.
Conclusion
Interpreting, like project management, is an art. We will make corresponding adjustments according to the situation of everyone and things. If interpreters position themselves as just a translator, they will waste a lot of unnecessary time and even be unable to avoid misunderstandings. If interpreters can have the concept and knowledge of project management, the quality of the entire meeting and their own value can be greatly improved.
