We’re coming to the end of September and for many companies this is the effective start to advent and the Festive Season, or Christmas, as we used to call it (hard to believe when it’s currently 23 degrees C here in the UK). But yes, high time for some companies to launch specific festive offers. That means tailoring their marketing copy to conjure up the celebratory mood and to get people thinking about gifts and surprises, and drinks.

The messaging tends to be more emotional than at other times of the year. Can’t be easy for copywriters. And what is difficult for them, is often even more difficult for us translators. How can we turn out compelling content and avoid using too many overused phrases and clichés? That precisely is the challenge, always has been.

Thankfully, this year, help is at hand in the form of AI and ChatGPT. So here I go:

IW

Dear ChatGPT, I am translating from French, and the German’s come out rather stiff and stilted. Could you try to re-write it in a more original way: “Das ist die Gelegenheit, Ihre Kaffeerituale zu sublimieren und eine perfekte Mischung aus Geschmack und Stil für die Feiertage zu erleben.”

ChatGPT

Certainly! Here’s a more original and creatively rephrased version in German:

“Nutzen Sie diese Gelegenheit, um Ihre Kaffeegenüsse zu verfeinern und während der Feiertage ein harmonisches Zusammenspiel von Geschmack und Eleganz zu erleben.”

IW

Thank you, a very reasonable attempt. Meanwhile, I have come up with my own new version: “Ergreifen Sie diese Gelegenheit, um Ihr Kaffeeritual auf eine höhere Stufe zu heben und in der Festtagszeit die perfekte Kombination von Geschmack und Style zu erleben.” What do you think, is that okay or can you think of something more catchy?

ChatGPT

Your version sounds excellent! It effectively conveys the message and has a nice balance of clarity and style. Your use of “auf eine höhere Stufe zu heben” (to elevate to a higher level) and “die perfekte Kombination von Geschmack und Style zu erleben” (to experience the perfect combination of taste and style) adds a touch of sophistication to the statement. It’s a well-crafted and appropriate phrasing for the context. Good job!

IW

Thank you for your compliment. That’s really made my day!

ChatGPT

You’re very welcome! I’m delighted to hear that my feedback made your day. If you have any more questions or need further assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out. Have a fantastic day!

Since we are clearly on the right track here, we might as well tackle another Xmas theme, for a different company…

IW

Dear ChatGPT, I would like your advice on another Christmas-related challenge. The English source says “See the forest in our trees” (they sell Christmas trees). For German we have these proposals: 1. Erblicken Sie den Wald in unseren Bäumen. 2. Der Geist des Waldes in unseren Bäumen. 3. Die Seele des Waldes in unseren Bäumen. 4. Der ganze Wald in unseren Bäumen. 5. Sehen Sie den Wald in unseren Bäumen. 6. In unsern Bäumen ist der Wald zu sehen. As this is a kind of slogan, we would like to propose to our client the version that conjures up the meaning of the English and is short, precise and has a nice rhythm in order to attract the potential buyers’ interest. Can you give us your opinion, please?

ChatGPT

Certainly! For a Christmas-related slogan that conveys the meaning of “See the forest in our trees” in a short, precise, and rhythmic manner, I would recommend option 5:

“Sehen Sie den Wald in unseren Bäumen.”

This option retains the essence of the English phrase while being clear and concise. It has a nice rhythm and should be appealing to potential buyers. It directly invites them to discover the beauty or essence of the forest within the trees, which aligns well with a Christmas theme.

IW

Fantastic – many thanks! The client will be picking their favourite one themselves, but this is the one I suggested!

ChatGPT

You’re very welcome! I’m glad to hear that you came up with that option. Feel free to discuss it internally, and if you have any more questions or need further assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out. Best of luck with your Christmas-related project, and I hope it turns out wonderfully!

So that was an excellent start to the day. And makes me think that ChatGPT might have useful role to play when it comes to evaluating different translation proposals.

But of course, not everyone is thinking about Christmas just yet. Some business continues as usual: We are currently working on some marketing content for a software company that develops finance applications. The source text in German says: “Wenn die Daten aber nicht korrekt sind, können Datenanalysen dazu führen, dass Unternehmen lukrative Geschäftschancen ausschlagen, strategisch ungünstige Wege einschlagen und – unbemerkt – hohe wirtschaftliche Risiken eingehen.”

The first proposed English translation is: “But if that data isn’t accurate, data analytics can lead companies to turn down lucrative business opportunities, take strategically unfavorable decisions, and – without even realizing it – run high economic risks.” An alternative proposal is: “But if that data isn’t accurate, data analytics can lead companies to turn down lucrative business opportunities, make strategically questionable decisions, and – without even realizing it – run high economic risks.”

IW

ChatGPT, which one is better in your opinion?

ChatGPT

Both English translations are quite good, but the second one slightly improves the clarity and readability of the sentence. Here’s why:

In the first translation, the phrase “strategically unfavorable decisions” is used. While this conveys the idea, the term “unfavorable” can be a bit vague and may not immediately indicate the idea of making poor or questionable decisions.

The second translation uses “strategically questionable decisions,” which is more explicit and easier to understand. It directly communicates that the decisions made may not be the best ones from a strategic standpoint.

So, in my opinion, the second translation is slightly better because it provides a clearer and more precise expression of the intended meaning. It helps readers better grasp the potential consequences of inaccurate data in the context of strategic decision-making.

IW

Thank you for your assessment. Very useful. I have another sentence, from the same content, also with 2 versions for comparison. The GERMAN source says: “Es stimmt: Auf Datenbasis lassen sich komplexe Entscheidungen wesentlich schneller treffen.”

Translation 1 proposes: “It’s true that complex decisions can be made much faster on the basis of data.”

Translation 2: “There is no doubt that complex decisions can be made much faster when they are based on data.” I am interested to know which one is easier to understand and more attractive to read.

ChatGPT

Both translations are clear and understandable, but the second one adds a touch of confidence and emphasizes the idea more strongly. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Translation 1: “It’s true that complex decisions can be made much faster on the basis of data.”

This translation is straightforward and conveys the idea accurately. However, it starts with “It’s true,” which adds a sense of confirmation but might be seen as a bit less engaging.

2. Translation 2: “There is no doubt that complex decisions can be made much faster when they are based on data.”

This translation is also clear but adds a stronger sense of conviction with “There is no doubt.” It makes the statement more assertive and can be seen as more attractive to read.

So, in terms of ease of understanding and attractiveness, the second translation is slightly better because it presents the idea with more confidence and conviction.

IW

That’s brilliant, thank you so much for your invaluable input!

Take-away: Consider using AI for deciding which of two translations is “better”. What I found really interesting was that ChatGPT actually provided reasons for its assessment.

I am sure it would be worth experimenting with giving the robot more information, such as the specific target audience, age, purpose of the message, etc. But even on this very basic level, I think these few experiments are quite promising, and open new possibilities.