Translation is not a bunch of grapes, then?

Translation is not a bunch of grapes, then?

Yesterday, I was speaking with a representative from an old translation agency. It was quite evident from the conversation that they were losing clients — mainly because poor machine translation was ruining everything. After that conversation, I realized this isn’t something new; it has been happening for years. Back then, however, people weren’t as aware of the pitfalls of machine translation.

Thanks to the AI revolution, People are now waking up to the realities of translation & localization quality. Some companies have even started responding. In fact, a few websites have already removed tool-generated translations simply because they had become a laughingstock.

That’s when it struck me—this topic deserves a blog post. Especially for those translators or translation companies who still treat translation as nothing more than a basic typing service. There’s a lot here for them to reflect on and reconsider.

Translation is not a bunch of grapes, then?

I could have written ‘cup of tea’ instead of ‘grapes’, but for what I wanted to express, this felt like the best fit. Let’s get straight to the point. Translation may seem simple, like a bunch of grapes, but it’s much more complex—like a pineapple. It requires peeling through layers of meaning, culture, and context to ensure accuracy and relevance.

At Verbshine, we understand that translation isn’t just about swapping words. It’s about capturing the essence of a message, preserving its integrity, and delivering a culturally nuanced, impactful result.

That’s why the people at Verbshine say: Translation is not a bunch of grapes; it is a pineapple.

Words and Context Require Attention in Translation Because…

When translating, simply using a dictionary isn’t enough. To improve the quality of a translation, you need to consider the context. Often, translators translate word by word, which can lead to awkward or unclear results.

Let’s look at a few examples to understand how context changes meaning:

In terms like General Election, General Good, and General Manager, the word “General” may appear common, but its meaning shifts based on context. We cannot simply use the same translation for all of them.

For instance, General Election cannot be translated as Sadharan Chunav (ordinary election); it should be Aam Chunav (public election).

General Good isn’t Aam Vastu (ordinary good), but Sarvajanik Hit (Public interest).

Likewise, General Manager isn’t Aam Prabandhak (ordinary manager); the appropriate term is Mahaprabandhak, which denotes a higher-level executive role.

The same applies to the word President. We cannot use it as a one-size-fits-all term.

For example, the translation of President of India cannot be Bharat ka Adhyaksh because India does not follow the same governance structure as some other countries; here, the Prime Minister holds the most prominent role. Instead, we use Rashtrapati for the President of the nation.

However, in President of the Translator Association, translating President as Rashtrapati would be incorrect. In this context, President simply means Adhyaksh, the common title for the head of an organization.

These examples show just how essential context is in choosing the correct translation. Even seemingly ordinary words can take on very different meanings depending on where and how they’re used.

Eyes Off the Road, Trouble Ahead!

The same principle applies when translating idioms, proverbs, and phrases. Over the past few years, there have been many instances where translators rendered idioms word for word—with hilarious or confusing results.

For example, the phrase once in a blue moon was initially translated by machines as ek baar nile chandrma ke niche. Google Translate-based translators assumed this was correct and went with the flow. But when these errors turned into blunders and became memes, even machine translation developers had to become more cautious.

Another example is “a storm in a teacup.” Translating it literally as chay ki pyali mein toofan doesn’t make much sense in the Indian context, as the phrase originates from British usage. In other words, it would be like literally translating Ab aaya oont pahad ke niche in a country where there are neither camels nor mountains. In contrast, in India, using baat ka batangad banana would be much more appropriate.

Similarly, a piece of cake is often translated as cake ka ek tukda. But for Indian audiences, it’s better expressed as bayen hath ka khel. For example, the sentence “For Mr. Shankar, winning the election is a piece of cake” would be better written in Indian context as: Shri Shankar ke liye chunav jeetna bayen hath ka khel.

If a person embodies truthfulness and generosity, they are often referred to as King Harishchandra in India. However, this may not apply to people in other countries, as they may not know who King Harishchandra was. Just as not every Indian would be familiar with the character of Socrates, each culture needs its own relatable reference.

We can’t call this direct translation. It’s localization—adapting language so it truly resonates with a local audience. The goal is not just for the reader to understand the message, but to feel it in their heart.

A stitch in time saves nine — and a well-localized translation saves your message. Don’t wait for mistranslations to turn into misunderstandings.
Let Verbshine help you get it right, the first time.