translator@frenchmarketing.co.uk | +44 (0) 7870 470939
French Localisation Specialist
More than simply translating, localising is the art of adapting a text from one culture into another through the use of local sayings, references and terminology. Only a native French translator with a good knowledge of the both source and target cultures can achieve a quality localisation of your copy.
I know how to take into account market trends, SEO, conventions and regulations, demographics and tone of voice to ensure your french localisation is in line with your objectives. I know how to research terminological equivalences. How to handle dynamic content, CMS and localisation software. How to tidy up syntax or gender issues. How to utilise technological tools to automate what can be automated and preserve what shouldn't.
To put it simply: I've done it before.
Read on to find out more or email me for a french localisation quote.
Local conventions
Anything remotely cultural in your copy - from the structure of public services and local law to app design habits, business trends, fashion, traditions or sustainability requirements - is highly likely to be slightly of even very different in another country. As a native French speaker, I'll spot those issues as soon as I read them and I'll suggest solutions ranging from paraphrasing or using an equivalent to completely removing irrelevant or potentially offensive phrases.
Market knowledge
Did you know that rather than a frog in their throat, the french have a cat? That many french consumers don't trust ApplePay? That multiple adjectives tend to scream content-translated-from-american? That all french businesses over 10 employees must have a union (the dreaded CSE)?
I did...
Strings, gender and syntax
Not all languages work in the same way when it comes to ordering words in a sentence. Gender can also be problematic. This is one of the greatest challenges of localising dynamic content. Leaving it to a Squarespace or Wix multilingual machine translation comes with many risks (the first one being: wasting yoru money on gibberish).
Website or app localisation
I can collaborate with your teams on the localisation of the copy and the infrastructure, but also on the testing and the SEO research and keyword integration to make sure your app or website works as well in French as it does in English.
Here is an exemple of how to work with a french translator to localise a Wix website using Wix multilingual.
Technical terminology
I once spent 4 hours trying to translate "apron" in the context of a maritime engineering project. I talked to the engineering team designing the breakwater, found similar technical reports and drawings to see what word described that specific element, and even phoned up a french consultancy firm to have a chat about it.
Anyone less experienced would have simply translated it with "tablier" - the smock-like item you wear in the kitchen...
Thankfully, it doesn't always take me that long. I can now rely on years of experience and many technical glossaries to support my french technical translations.