Expressing yourself in a foreign language with an accent may lend a certain charm to everyday discourse, translating a document using this same language may on the other hand have disastrous consequences depending on the intended purpose. The ability to speak a language does not in fact guarantee that a text translated into a language that is not your own will be clear, elegant and flow well. Wrong meanings and mistranslation can be much more disturbing, clumsy and insulting depending on the culture of the foreign country. Even if you are used to travelling and are regularly confronted with discussions in a foreign language, this type of saving can cost your brand image dear at international level.

Aprofessional translation is above all a work of authorship. Translators are distinguished by their ability to move from one language to the other, faithfully recreating the original text and making it accessible to all, in a style appropriate to their mother tongue. People who are bilingual are completely at ease orally, they know how to make themselves understood in everyday conversations, but they do not necessarily have the communication skills required when it comes to conveying an idea in writing. Speaking fluently is one thing, writing is another. The technical level of the text according to its field may also represent a significant handicap. In this situation specialist translators with mastery of terminology specific to a sector of activity need to be used (psychiatrists do not express themselves in the same way as neurologists do). They also need to be aware of their limits.