Why does the translation you have provided me with look so different from the original?

In most cases, wherever possible, the translation is structured just like the original: division into paragraphs, titles, organisation of the sentences and concepts.

However, it often occurs that the translated text presents some differences, which may be substantial, with respect to the original, and which may leave the customer feeling perplexed: why has the text become so long? … or why is it so short? Why are the sentences so short? Why is it different from the text I had written so beautifully? Why have they removed the commas, why is there an exclamation mark in the place of the comma? …I might just change it…

Better not!

Every language has its conventions, its “customs”, its rules in terms of style and structure, which may be very, very different from those of the source language. The spelling rules, the use of punctuation and sentence construction may vary from one language to another. And that’s not all: ways of presenting concepts, emphasising content and addressing people changes. Some languages require more words to express a concept, others require fewer. Professional translators who translate into their native language are familiar with all these differences and know how to create a text that is correct and truly effective for the public it is intended for.