Cultural Considerations in French Translation for Marketing

Almost ninety-eight million people speak French globally, and it is the lingua franca of several countries often associated with the higher echelons of society. But like English, French has variations, dialects, and cultures that you must consider when conducting a French marketing translation. But why would you want a French marketing translation? Why is it important to understand who you are speaking to and the type of French they practice?

Why do you need French translation services?

French is spoken worldwide and is often considered the native tongue of large groups within countries, such as the province of Quebec in Canada. Across Africa, French is the language of administration. Europe also has a sizeable French-speaking population outside of France, making any attempt to start translating your marketing materials and documents beneficial to reaching a larger audience globally.

Even in countries where they only speak French in specific provinces or communities, providing a professional translation into French will help a business expand to reach a new demographic. If you are, for example, a realtor in another country and want to incentivise foreign investors or buyers, having a professional translation of your marketing materials allows you to send those advertisements and incentives to prospective buyers and entrepreneurs abroad.

What is cultural consideration?

When you start performing French translation services, it is prudent to use the most common dialect of French and pass it off as a professional translation. But not every French speaker speaks the same French, let alone in France, which has several unique dialects based around different parts of the country. Individuals speak Breton-French in Brittany, Occitan in southern France, and more areas that vary depending on the culture that dominates.

Outside of France, there is Quebec French, Congolese French, and other variations based on who, what, and where you are talking. Each of these dialects has its own culture attached to them, with different words having different meanings even though they are the same across all French dialects.

What could be used as a greeting in France might mean something more ominous in the Congo, while something relaxed in the Congo might be insulting in Quebec. These little dialect variations make French translation services so important, especially with a company that specialises in connecting you with speakers of that dialect.

Dangers of "one-size-fits-all" translations

When you search for French translation services, you should avoid "one-size-fits-all." It is a belief that French is French no matter where individuals might speak it. As a result, it can lead to French marketing translations being insulting, unprofessional, misinformed, or out of touch with many speakers and readers. If your goal is to market and attract new clients, then these are the dangers you will face if you choose a one-size-fits-all approach.

Insensitive to the culture

The French language has a storied history, with many idioms and vernacular acceptable in particular dialects but insulting in others. Jokes, references, sentence structures, and double-meanings differ across dialects.

For example, if you have a joke or double-meaning in your advertising material, the humour may be lost or insulting to the reader if the translation needs to be corrected. In many cases, the mistranslation can come off as insulting or hurtful, especially when it is abrasive humour.

Stereotyping

A French marketing translation should not assume the person reading it is French, nor should it think that the person reading it has French values. Similarly to insensitivity, many countries and provinces that speak French do not consider themselves to be from France linguistically. They may speak a dialect of French, but they believe themselves to be speaking the language of their culture.