Why precision in translation is about being appropriate, not just accurate
If you’ve ever wondered why translation takes longer than expected, this is a good place to start.
Take the English word “nearby.” Simple, neutral, widely understood. In Italian, you could translate it as “vicino” – something physically close to something else. Or “nelle vicinanze” – a broader geographical indication, slightly more formal. Or “nei paraggi” -similar in meaning to the previous, but more colloquial, less polished. Three options, all technically correct, all meaningfully different.
Which one is right? It depends entirely on context: where the word appears, who the audience is, what tone the brand is trying to strike, and sometimes even what comes before and after it in the same sentence.
This kind of decision happens constantly in localisation work, and it’s why experienced linguists don’t just translate; they provide options, explain the differences, and flag what additional context would help narrow the choice. In one platform localisation project, this meant adding a notes column alongside every translation: not just what the translation was, but why, and what would change if the context were different.
It takes longer than delivering a single word. But it gives the client something far more useful: the ability to make an informed decision, rather than simply trusting that the first option was the right one.
Precision in translation isn’t about being literal. It’s about being appropriate. And appropriateness always depends on knowing more than just the word.