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Not sure how to go about this................................ ??

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Just had a customer ask me about making some signs. I think there will be 20 signs all saying the same thing, but then 20 signs in spanish and 20 signs in french. They are going to supply me with the spanish translation, but can't do it for the french.

First, is there just one french translation, unlike spanish which has many translations ??
Next, is there anyone here who could translate it for me, once I have how it will read ??


:thankyou: Gino



 

RandyDe

New Member
Most French is similar mind you there are differences in some wording which is usually Geographically determined. (ie, Parisian French vs Montreal French).
 

Zoogee World

Domed Promotional Product Supplier
As mentioned above, for French the wording is mainly the same, however it can differ slightly depending where it's going, if it's only for the North American market, you should be fine sticking to one version, the hurdle will be if going to Europe.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
I just talked with the customer. They are for canadian truck drivers coming down with deliveries here in southeast PA.
 

Zoogee World

Domed Promotional Product Supplier
Then the one version will be fine, as even those from Quebec can understand standard Canadian French. Just don't use google translate by itself if you go that route, have a French speaker / reader proof read for you. It frustrates me some times when I read something in French that I know was just quickly translated and done poorly and I wonder why the "H" they used those words.
 

netsol

Active Member
i took 4 years of high school german
i know how to ask for directions to the library, and when watching "stalag 17" i had no problem following the pithy banter between the guards

seriously, though, you can generally understand when you overhear someone else's conversation, but you will never reach the point where you ""think in" that language unless you live in the country for a while
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
So, is there anyone on this forum, that if I give you the english version, you can write it in french ??
 

JBurton

Signtologist
I took French in high school. I can only help you if they want to the sign to say "I play tennis" or "pants". I remember nothing else. Hope that helps! LOL
Mootard! Omelet du fromage!
But really, I'd punch this into google translate, send it to the customer for approval, and be upfront that google did this for you. They'll likely tell you "it looks good from my house," or perhaps they'll do the right thing and send it to a french canadian trucker for verification...
 

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
Google translate is terrible at giving road instructions. It's readable but it'd be like you rolling up to a stop sign that says DONT GO, or a Speed limit sign saying maximum velocity
 

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Not your problem. Don't ever, as in ever, write copy. Including doing translations. Tell the client that this isn't a service you can provide, that you do signs, the client writes the copy. Creating copy is almost guaranteed to bite you in the a$$.
 

White Haus

Not a Newbie
I just talked with the customer. They are for canadian truck drivers coming down with deliveries here in southeast PA.

I'll tell you right now, probably only 1% of our truck drivers speak French, or English for that matter.......:rolleyes:

Sounds like you've gotten some offers already. I'd offer to translate for you, but proper French isn't my forté, despite half my family being French and having attended French school my whole life.
 
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