Translating acronyms & abbreviations
Acronyms are the initial letters of a group of words used as one word. Examples of acronyms in US English are:
- POTUS (President of the Unites States),
- POW (Prisoner of War),
- SNAFU (Situation Normal All F-ed Up)
- OMG (oh my god).
Abbreviations are shortened series of letters that represent a longer word. For example:
- Dr. (doctor),
- Prof. (professor),
- apt. (apartment),
- assoc. (association).
The difference between acronyms and abbreviations is that many acronyms are commonly used as one word, e.g.
- Radar – Radio Detection and Ranging or
- Scuba – Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
Here are three things that translators do in order to accurately translate Acronyms & Abbreviations
Researching & Asking Questions:
Use of acronyms and abbreviations in writing is informal. However today’s content on different online channels is fraught with informal language. Acronyms & abbreviations are also used in internal communications of many organizations as part of their internal jargon.
While some English acronyms are easy to understand in context, there are many that might require research for clear definition. A great source for finding the meaning of acronyms in English & other languages is:
Also, a reliable source of explanation for meaning is the content originator. Asking client for clarification is a good way to assure accurate translations.
Looking for equivalent in Target Language
Some acronyms and abbreviations may have their equivalent in different languages. There are sites that provide the equivalent in target languages. For example, here is a site for definition of Spanish acronyms:
Translating exact meaning
If the equivalent of acronym/abbreviation is not found in target language, then the meaning is translated in full, generally before or after the acronym in source language. Accuracy of meaning is the most important objective of any translation. For accurate translations contact BrandedTranslations.com.
