Reading Translations Without Losing the Qualifications
Meaning often changes through small words: may, only, as of, and up to. Check whether a translation has quietly made a limited statement absolute.
Keep uncertainty in the translation
‘May change’ is not ‘has changed,’ and ‘depending on circumstances’ is not ‘always.’ Do not add a promise the original never made. When meaning is unresolved, retain the original term and identify the uncertainty.
Read the number with its scope
Suppose a fictional community event says ‘up to 20 people, Saturdays only.’ Translating this as ‘20 participants’ loses both the limit and the day. Keep the quantity, unit, exceptions, date, and intended audience together.
Check the dates of both versions
Language versions can be updated separately. The original language is not necessarily the newest version. Compare their update notices and keep unexplained differences visible rather than deciding for the publisher.
The limits of this site’s translations
Our multilingual explanations help readers understand information; they do not replace the publisher’s original wording or show that the publisher supports those languages. Report a mismatch with the page URL and public original. No identity document is needed.
Spotted an error?
Send the page URL, disputed text, proposed correction, and a public source. Please leave out identity documents and anyone’s private information.
- The full page URL on this site
- The field or wording at issue
- Your proposed correction
- A public source URL and its stated date, if available