Do I translate into Australian?

For many people (particularly native English speakers), when they hear my Australian accent when I speak, they are surprised when I tell them that I am a translator.

That's despite me coming from a multicultural and diverse country where more than 300 languages are spoken.

And what is the follow-up question that these same people most often ask me?

😁 What? Do you translate into Aussie?

And the answer to that is....

✅ 𝒀𝒆𝒔

In addition to translating from Balkan Slavic languages into English, I also adapt texts from various variants of English into Australian English.

Now, many would think that that would be a pointless exercise, but no, it is very important that text be localised if you wish to properly communicate with your customers, and that includes versions of English.

This type of adaptation is not merely changing the spelling of words; it also involves applying cultural nuances. For instance, I have adapted many surveys for an Australian audience, and some of the quirks that my clients have been surprised about include:

🛠️ When asking Aussies about their work, they are either employed full-time, part-time or casual. Unlike in many other English-dominant countries, in Australia 'part-time' and 'casual' are considered to be distinct categories.

🍋 For Aussies, a 'lemonade' is a soft drink such as Sprite, Seven Up, etc. and not the juice, which is 'lemon squash'. 'Lemon juice' is freshly squeezed raw juice from a lemon.

🐑 Most importantly, Ugg boots in Australia are slippers, so they are NEVER worn outdoors (you'd be considered a 'bogan' if you do), so don't even think about putting Ugg boots as an option for outdoor footwear (I'll be writing A LOT about Ugg boots and Australia's attitude to them, so stay tuned!)

🛒 There are no hypermarkets such as Wal-Mart or Asda in Australia. Now this is important to know when adapting consumer surveys for Australia. There's no need to have 'hypermarket' as a retail option as there are none in Australia. Trust me, they've tried bringing in this retail concept many times over the decades in Australia, but every time Aussies reject it – they must have their supermarkets and department stores separate.

💡 If you'd like to find out more about how to make your text and content just right for Australia, drop me a line at info@nicknasev.com.