Blogs
AI vs. Human Translators
The narrative that artificial intelligence (AI) is replacing human translators is shifting
Multilingual Voiceovers
This trend is particularly visible in digital ads, video explainers, gaming, eLearning .
Subtitling and Accessibility
it’s a business imperative. As governments tighten regulations and audiences.
Language Services Are Powering
Language services that break down borders and build bridges between brands and customers
Transcreation in the Era
Transcreation — the art of adapting content so it resonates emotionally and culturally across markets.
The Business Case for Investing
Businesses that treat translation, voiceovers, and localization as afterthoughts.
The Power of Multilingual
It’s how brands build loyalty, resolve issues faster, and create seamless, personalized experiences .
Voice + Subtitles = Localization
But the secret to high-performing global video content? Combining localized voiceovers .
Language is a way to communicate with one another, build connections, and know the world better. After all, the pivotal feature residing in human existence is language, allowing people to stay connected. But India is an exception, with people sharing nationwide love for their brothers and sisters, even after holding a diversity of around 121 spoken languages and 270 mother tongues.
However, this is a turning point for a nation that is the second most populous in the world and holds a diversity of languages. Amidst this diversity, here are seven widely and prominently spoken languages that can make communication easier along the other end of Indian geography.
1. English
Although English is not the official language of India, but since the British, many Indians have inculcated it in their lives. Today, English has become the primary language of communication for the top 10% of the Indian population.
While these common languages are authorized locally within their specific region, English and Hindi become the most common ways of communicating. Nearly, 70-75% of people rely on these languages in India today, followed by one language of their mother tongue.
Due to the multilingual nature of India, companies are looking for language translators who can bridge the communication gaps and help get their content adapted in multiple languages.
If you are from one such company and need Language services, look no further. Language Layers add an extra layer of ease to people’s efforts in terms of communication. With services like translation, transcription and localization, Language Layers helps ease communication in diverse Indian and foreign languages. Fulfill your language needs by visiting our website.
2. Hindi
Adopted from Sanskrit descent, Hindi is an official and most widely spoken language in India, being a supplemental language in numerous federal exams for many educational institutions, agencies and banking exams. This language is commonly spoken in almost every northern state in India, including Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and more.
3. Bengali
Adopted from Sanskrit descent, Hindi is an official and most widely spoken language in India, being a supplemental language in numerous federal exams for many educational institutions, agencies and banking exams. This language is commonly spoken in almost every northern state in India, including Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and more.
4. Marathi
Ranking number 3, around 83 million people in India speak Marathi, which is an Indo-Aryan language, holding the official language status in Western states of India, alongside Goa and Maharashtra. This is one of the ancient languages adapted from Maharashtri Prakrit and derived from Sanskrit.
5. Telugu
Identified as one of the 6 classical languages in India, it is a Dravidian language spoken by around 81.1 million people across the nation. Some of the common dialects in the given language include Wadaga, Salavari, Domara, Beraad, Nellore, etc. Primarily, this language is spoken in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. While globally, the language is recognized in New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and more.
6. Tamil
Identified as one of the 6 classical languages in India, it is a Dravidian language spoken by around 81.1 million people across the nation. Some of the common dialects in the given language include Wadaga, Salavari, Domara, Beraad, Nellore, etc. Primarily, this language is spoken in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. While globally, the language is recognized in New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and more.
7. Gujarati
Derived from Sanskrit, Gujarati is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages, being the official language in the North-Eastern state of Gujarat. This language was adapted by the Gurjars, who resided and ruled in Gujarat, Central India, Punjab and Rajputana states and spoke the ancestral old-Gujarati. However, the current Rajasthani and Gujarati languages are taken from this ancestral gem. It holds 3 popular dialects, namely Hindu, Muslim, and Parsi. However, Gujarati language experiences abundant regional variations and poorly established dialects, which has led to its reclassification into numerous regional distinctions in vocabulary and phrases. In fact, the birth of this regional language is also celebrated as World Gujarati Language Day or Gujarati Diwas celebrated on 24th August, on the birth anniversary of the supreme Gujarati writer Veer Narmad.
8. Urdu
Known for its superior, beautiful, and highly sophisticated vocabulary, Urdu is one of the most adapted languages in India, especially in terms of literature. This language was chosen as Pakistan’s official language in 1947, as it was already adapted by the Muslims in North and North West British India. Moreover, this language is approved as the literary medium for the Indian colonial writers from Orissa, Bengal and Bombay residential provinces. What makes Urdu different is its writing style from left to right, just like an extension of the Persian script. This distinctiveness introduces the language formally as the official language of many states of India like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Telangana.
2. What is Translation? Know the Different Types Of Translations
What is Translation?
Translation is the process of reworking a handwritten document from one language to another, along with maintaining the originality and authenticity of the language and communication. This gives you the wings to talk confidently even when you are not aware of the native communication channel. However, people get perplexed about what exactly can translation mean and what is the process of conduction.
What Exactly Translation Means?
Translation is basically the transmission of words from one language to another without altering their original meaning. However, translation and interpretation go hand-in-hand, with slight meaning differences. While translation refers to the transmission of text, interpretation refers to the transmission of spoken language. However, the main objective sticks to successful transmission without hampering the tone, regional differences, or cultural contexts between the target and source languages.
How Does a Translation Process Look?
The translation process is a three phase guide, mainly- pre-translation, translation, and post-translation.
- The pre-translation phase runs the base of identifying the need for translation, followed by creating a planning roadmap for the same and hiring the right translation company for efficient performance.
- This is followed by the translation phase, where the workflow of the process is decided, followed by the execution of the final product.
- Lastly, approaches the post-translation stage, where the translation is completed. This phase is crucial to identifying the desirable quality of the translation and how appropriate the format is.
Different Types Of Translation
These companies approach stringent translation methods, with each type showing varying potential and targets.
1. Literal Translation
Literal translation is perfect for language combinations showing a high degree of similarity. This translation sheds light on a target text that closely resembles the source text in the context of word order, sentence structure, meaning, and style. It directly equalises with each word and phrase. An example is the Portuguese phrase “O gato bebe água” (the cat drinks water) that can be swiftly translated to Spanish, narrating “El gato bebe agua.”
2. Free Translation
The free translation method broadens the aspect of translation because it does not limit itself to the latter language, or target or audience. In short, it is a free hand generic translation that simply reproduces the general meaning of the original text. Without much a-do, this translation triggers consistency, showcasing the same meaning in almost every text.
3. Cultural Translation
This translation is the art of transmitting the message while respecting and showing cultural differences. Such translation is helpful in solving issues related to culture like food, architecture and dialects. The primary cause of this translation is the movement of subjects rather than the movement of texts. Here, there is no start text and no fixed target text, because the focus is on cultural processes rather than products.
4. Technical Translation
This translation is a must-know if you are intending to grow a technical market overseas. In such a situation, the technical document must be translated into the native language of the other country, making it more approachable and understandable. These generic documents include product manuals, product descriptions, data sheets, maintenance manuals, operating instructions, and a lot more. Such translation is a must in every industry.
5. Machine Translation
Being a prompt and reliable translation method, machine translation enables transmission without any human effort using computer algorithms. This translation is prominent in the marketing or technological field, where machine translation assists website localisation, allowing access to a wider clientele by localising the website language according to the language of the country.
6. Hybrid Translation
This translation process is the method of machine translation, characterised by using multiple machine translation approaches in a solo translation system. It was hard to achieve a single technique to gain satisfactory level of accuracy, while a hybrid translation system helped fight it.
7. Audiovisual Translation
Ever wondered how Money Heist is translating into English immediately, and storming the world with its incredible plot? Well, this is where audiovisual translation comes into play. This translation includes both image and sound to fully express the content from the source culture, making it understandable even when you are loving a Spanish series while being in India.
8. Transcreation
Segment the word transcreation into two, trans and creation, and the message will rise automatically. This translation is a mix of translation, creation, and copywriting. You can pick a piece of existing content and translate it further, conveying the same message but making it culturally relevant in the target market.
9. Interpretation
Interpretation is a close cousin of translation, dealing with speech and communication rather than words. While this communication is prominent in verbal language, it also plays a key role in non-verbal communication, like interpreting sign language for hard-of hearing audiences.
“Language translation is not just a process. It is power! The power to connect the world with words and speech. If you are looking for a translation agency that can bring you into the spotlight amongst a wider audience, then Language Layers is a must-try. With their expertise coverage in around 80 languages, you can make your content accessible to a wider audience. Experience the journey of a thousand miles, with one step towards Language Layers.“
