An exhibition should engage its audience, an events programme awaken curiosity, and a personal narrative retain its distinctive character in another language. This requires translation that brings together substance, voice and the circumstances in which a text will be read. As a translation agency for Ukrainian in Switzerland, Dialektikus+ supports cultural institutions, associations, publishers and private clients with such endeavours. We translate between Ukrainian and German, tailoring the language to the medium and readership. Whether you need accompanying commentary, a project description or a biographical contribution, you receive a carefully crafted text that belongs within your publication and offers readers an intelligible point of entry.

Making Exhibitions and Cultural Content Accessible

Reading beside an exhibit differs from reading a catalogue at home. A brief wall text provides orientation, whereas a longer contribution can elucidate background and connections. We take this reading context into account and preserve the hierarchy of information. The audience encounters the particulars needed for understanding in the appropriate place, whilst the text retains its specialist character.

Cultural texts frequently contain allusions, institutional designations or historical terminology that another readership may not readily recognise. Discerning contextualisation can tip the balance. We discuss whether a concise explanation is envisaged or whether the translation should adhere closely to the source. Additions are agreed, ensuring that the translation sustains the curatorial rationale without insinuating an interpretation of its own.

Names and geographical designations deserve particular philological attention. Personal names, titles of works and geographical references must remain consistent throughout the publication. In German translations, we take account of English transliteration and existing identity-document spellings for personal names, and German renderings for place names. Established titles and institutional names are agreed against your references, avoiding needless variants of the same designation.

Good interpretation can be substantial without scattering specialist vocabulary indiscriminately. We choose a register suited to the audience whilst maintaining terminological precision. Where the source develops an evocative observation, the translation should also conjure an image. Where its interpretation is tentative, that restraint remains: a possible reading must not harden into an incontrovertible assertion.

Space is also consequential for printed labels. Please tell us about character limits, layout specifications and the positioning of supplementary notes. We take these constraints into account and agree necessary abridgements separately. Text and design can then be reconciled without important particulars falling by the wayside merely because the translation runs longer than the original.

Presenting Events and Projects Persuasively

A concert, reading or association project needs copy that kindles interest whilst conveying dependable information. We translate programmes, invitations and project descriptions with close attention to both purposes. Readers should understand what to expect, whom the event is intended for and which practical details matter to their participation. Elegant phrasing must preserve this sense of direction.

Brief announcements in particular must strike the right note. An academic panel discussion calls for a different approach from a family afternoon or a literary evening. We preserve the character of your event, rendering nuances so that they sound natural in the target language. We avoid sweeping assumptions about the audience: your particular readership and agreed communicative purpose determine our approach.

For contributor information, we attend to roles, qualifications and the correct attribution of contributions. Artistic direction differs from organisation or an individual performance. Preserving such distinctions supports the programme’s credibility. Existing biographies, approved name spellings and earlier publications help maintain consistent designations across different media and avoid misunderstandings in publicity material.

Project descriptions for partners or funding bodies require cogent exposition. Objectives, proposed activities and results already achieved must not blur into one another. We preserve these distinctions and the connections described in the source. Recipients can establish what is planned, which conditions apply and what each participant contributes. The difference between an intention and a binding commitment also remains discernible.

When an invitation, programme and website are prepared together, we keep the narrative thread in view. Principal terms and practical particulars should agree even where the texts differ in length. Coordinated translation facilitates subsequent approval and presents the project as a coherent whole. Requested amendments can then be assigned more precisely to the versions concerned.

Preserving Individual Voice in Biographical Writing and Publications

A life story derives its effect from narrative perspective, sentence rhythm and the writer’s disposition. We attend to these stylistic qualities in biographical contributions, memoirs and interviews. Reticent writing retains its reserve; a vivid account remains evocative. The translation should reach its readers without drowning out the voice of the original.

In interviews and personal recollections, the distinction between direct perception, another person’s account and subsequent interpretation is essential. We preserve these layers and attend to the attribution of quotations. Conjecture does not retrospectively become fact, nor is uncertainty expunged for stylistic convenience. This documentary fidelity preserves the text’s substance and supports conscientious editorial work.

For longer publications, we agree names, recurring terminology and formal conventions at an early stage. A glossary and representative passages provide guidance. We discuss how quotations, annotations and existing translations should be handled. Such editorial diligence makes the rationale for decisions traceable, even where chapters are produced at different times or several contributors have a hand in the publication.

Before printing, the version actually approved is paramount. Tell us your proofing deadlines, preferred file formats and any length restrictions. A linguistic review of the typeset text can be included by agreement. This allows matters such as hyphenation, inadvertent omissions and inconsistent spellings to be checked before the publication is released in its definitive form.

Send Dialektikus+ your text with details of the readership, medium and timetable. We discuss the desired style and prepare a specific quotation. You receive a nuanced Ukrainian or German version that brings substance and expression into accord, giving your endeavour an engaging and carefully wrought form in the other language.