Translating for museums: Why every language deserves its own rules

Translating for a museum does not simply mean transferring words from one language to another; it consists of carrying content from one cultural context to another while keeping in mind the institution’s voice, its educational mission and the expectations of its visitors. It is, therefore, an exercise in cultural mediation that must address not only what is being said, but also how, for whom and for what purpose it is being communicated.

For this reason, before tackling any material, it is essential to establish clear linguistic criteria that are consistent with the standards and conventions of each target language. This is a particularly important point because a solution that works in Spanish will not necessarily work in English, French or Catalan: each language structures discourse differently, organises information according to its own logic and endows sentences with their own particular rhythm.

Clear linguistic criteria

Having clearly defined criteria does not, however, mean limiting the translation. On the contrary, it provides a framework that facilitates decision-making and ensures consistency throughout the exhibition project. This common thread should be recognisable across every piece of communication, from a gallery title or wall label to the final footnote in a catalogue.

Having said that, following linguistic standards is not at odds with clarity. Quite the opposite: language that is used well, in accordance with its own syntactic and terminological conventions, is precisely what communicates most effectively. The fear of sounding “too correct” or “too academic” can sometimes lead to excessive simplification, flattening the text until it becomes generic and loses its personality. High-quality communication does not require us to sacrifice linguistic rigour; rather, it requires us to master it and turn that rigour into accessibility without losing precision or an authentic voice.

Cultural resistance

And this brings us to the heart of the matter: at a time when machine translation and large language models tend to homogenise discourse — producing a kind of average Catalan, English or French, smooth around the edges and optimised for the lowest common denominator — attending to the linguistic criteria of each language becomes an act of cultural resistance. Social dynamics and contemporary policies, accelerated by AI, are pushing towards a blurred lingua franca that erases nuances, registers and distinctive features. Against this backdrop, a museum that translates according to the specific conventions of each language not only communicates more effectively, but also protects the individuality of the person reading it, and, with it, a part of their cultural identity.

At WordCurators, we believe that the true added value of specialised translation for museums lies in translating with a keen awareness of language.