Author: IMD Translation
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“Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave”: Lessons from a Legendary Mistranslation
In international marketing, a single mistranslated phrase can spell disaster for a brand. One of the most infamous examples is Pepsi’s 1960s Chinese slogan “Come alive with Pepsi,” which, in local dialects, was interpreted as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave”. This mistranslation, while humorous in hindsight, highlights profound challenges firms face when…
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Local Authority Translation in the UK: Connecting Communities and International Stakeholders
Translation supports governments in delivering public services, enforcing law, managing crises, and shaping diplomacy. It also ensures that people can access information in their own language. This article looks at how translation affects public life, using government-led case studies to explain its role in law, health, diplomacy, corporate regulation, and digital transformation.
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Improving Patient Safety Through Medical Translation
Incorrect communication in healthcare can result in clinical errors, delays in treatment, and long-term injury. One notable example occurred in Florida, when an 18-year-old named Willie Ramirez was admitted to hospital in a comatose state. His Spanish-speaking family used the word “intoxicado”, which hospital staff interpreted as “intoxicated”. In fact, the family meant “poisoned” -…
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Same Will, Different Rules? Dealing with Probate in the UK and Abroad
Probate documentation—which includes wills, grant applications, death certificates, and inheritance forms—often originates from diverse legal systems. In England and Wales, for example, applications under HM Courts & Tribunals Service require an official copy of any foreign will, accompanied by a precise English translation. Similarly, where a death certificate is issued abroad, applicants must provide translations…
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Translation (Linguistics)
Definition and Scope Translation is all about converting text or speech from one language to another, while trying to keep the meaning and context as close as possible. This includes written and spoken forms, and more recently, machine-assisted translations as well. In linguistics, translation is part of applied linguistics, and it overlaps with areas like…
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Introducing LegalTranslation.ai – Free, Confidential Translations Designed for Solicitors
Most free translation tools store user input, sometimes indefinitely, to improve their services. That may be fine for the average user, but as regulated professionals we must ensure we do not compromise our clients’ personal or commercially sensitive data. Using those tools for legal documents — even as a “first draft” — can put your…
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When a Word Costs Millions: Financial Translation Failures
Private equity and asset management firms operate across jurisdictions where legal, regulatory, and investor communications must be clearly understood in multiple languages. According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), financial promotions must be “fair, clear and not misleading”—a standard that extends to translated material as well.
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Bilingual Contracts and Legal Risk: Why Accurate Translation Is Critical
You don’t consider multilingual communication a frontline legal, medical, and financial priority yet? Nowhere is this more evident than in the drafting and execution of bilingual contracts. From cross-border inheritance disputes to international investment agreements, the clarity of legal documents across languages is critical. Yet, poor or imprecise translation remains a widespread risk—with potentially severe…
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Diplomatic Missteps: When Leaders Are Lost in Translation
In the context of international diplomacy, accurate communication can cause trouble. Errors in translation may result in the misrepresentation of official statements, the misinterpretation of intent, and the escalation of political tensions. This article reviews two instances in which translation inaccuracies produced measurable diplomatic consequences: the 1956 statement by Nikita Khrushchev and the 1977 visit…
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How Legal Translation Supports Fair Divorce Settlements Across International Borders
Divorce proceedings involving international elements present intricate challenges, particularly concerning assets and legal documents situated abroad. In the United Kingdom, the equitable division of such assets necessitates precise legal procedures and accurate translations.