When Automation Isn’t Enough
When Automation Isn’t Enough
With this came a temptation: to use automatic tools to transcribe and translate that content. Fast, cheap, hassle-free.
At least, until the first major mistake appears.
The truth is simple audio transcription and translation are not the same as copy-pasting text.The more automated the process, the bigger the risks.
The Real Problem with Automatic Transcription
An automatic tool "listens" to audio and converts it to text. In theory, it works. In practice, it fails constantly.
The Mistakes You Don't See (But Your Audience Does)
Speech recognition problems
- Different accents: A Portuguese, Brazilian or Angolan accent can confuse AI
- Variable clarity: If someone speaks fast, mumbles or has poor diction, the machine makes mistakes
- Audio with noise: Noisy background, interference, echoes – and the transcription becomes unrecognizable
- Multiple speakers: Without clear identification of who is speaking
- Technical terms and proper names: AI invents words or misspells them
Contextual problems
- The machine doesn't know the difference between "bank" (institution), "bank" (bench) and "database"
- Doesn't understand idioms or slang
- Transcribes literally, ignoring the real meaning of the sentence
- Doesn't recognize when someone is using sarcasm or irony
Technical formatting problems
- Inadequate line breaks (illegible subtitles)
- Wrong or missing punctuation
- Miscalibrated synchronization times
- Subtitles that disappear too quickly or take too long
The result? A video with subtitles that no one can read. A transcribed podcast that makes no sense. An interview that seems to have been translated by someone who doesn't speak the language.
Automatic vs. Professional Transcription
The Real Numbers
Automatic transcription has an accuracy rate of approximately 75-85% under ideal conditions. But under real conditions (audio with accents, noise, multiple speakers)? That accuracy drops to 50-70%.
A company that implemented automatic captions on YouTube discovered: although the videos had "captions", they had so many errors that deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers simply gave up.
Hiring a professional transcriber? Accuracy above 98%, even with challenging audio.
Time Isn't What It Seems
Yes, automatic transcription is fast. An hour of audio in 5 minutes.
But then you need to review, correct, reformat. An hour of audio ends up requiring 2-3 hours of manual work to fix the automatic errors.
A professional transcriber delivers it right the first time. More expensive at the start, cheaper in the long run.
The Real Challenge: Audio/Video Translation
If the content needs translating into another language, the complexity multiplies.
The Trap of Automatic Audiovisual Translation
Using Google Translate to process subtitles or audio means:
Losing context completely
- A joke in Portuguese makes zero sense in English
- Idioms turn into nonsense
- Cultural references disappear
Practical example:A Portuguese creator says “É uma boca.”
- Google Translate: “It’s a mouth” (no sense for English speakers)
- Professional translator: Adapts the slang with the correct meaning
Synchronization problems:
- Automated subtitles ignore subtitle timings
- Words show up after the speaker finishes
- The translation doesn’t match the visuals
Emotional nuances ignored:
- Sarcasm turns aggressive
- Jokes become confusing
- The original message is lost
Speaker identification missing:
- In group interviews, you can’t tell who’s talking
- The translation loses clarity without context
A Professional’s Work: Audio Translation and Transcription
1. Active Listening and Interpretation
A professional understands audio, not just “hears” it. They grasp accents, hear tone, recognize implied expressions.
If someone says, “Yes, sure…” with a particular tone, a human knows if it’s genuine or sarcastic. Machines will never notice.
2. Professional Formatting
For subtitles:
- Meaningful line breaks
- Proper duration for comfortable reading
- Perfect synchronization with audio
- Technical standards met
For transcripts:
- Clear speaker identification
- Organized paragraphs
- Corrects mispronunciations while staying faithful to the original
- Notes on pauses, intonation, or non-verbal cues when relevant
3. Cultural Adaptation in Translation
A professional translator doesn’t just “convert” words—they adapt the message..
Translating Portuguese marketing into English:
- Adapts jokes and local references for English audiences
- Maintains the original voice and tone
- Adjusts speech rhythm to fit lip movements (when needed)
- Respects cultural sensitivities
4. Handling Real Challenges
- Noisy or poor-quality audio
- Multiple accents in one video
- Specialized technical jargon
- Specific cultural and historical contexts
- Critical timing and synchronization
All this is professional management,not automation.
When Is Professional Transcription Essential?
Academic and Scientific Content
A researcher’s lecture, technical seminar—a transcription error can distort vital information. Students rely on those transcripts.
Legal and Medical Content
Depositions, medical consultations, formal records. Transcription errors here have legal consequences. One wrong word may change a contract or diagnosis.
Podcasts and Editorial Content
If you’re building authority in your field, quality transcriptions reflect your standards. Errors are noticed and harm credibility.
Corporate Training Videos
Foreign staff, compliance content, onboarding materials—all need to be exact and culturally adapted.
Accessibility Content
True inclusion for deaf audiences demands accurate subtitles. Bad subtitles are worse than none, sending the wrong message.
The Illusion of “Good Enough”
Here’s a hard truth: a poor transcript or bad translation does more harm than having none at all..
If someone sees faulty subtitles, they think: “This company doesn’t care about quality.
If they hear nonsense translated audio, they tune out.
If they read a transcript full of mistakes, they question everything said.
Hiring a professional is an real investment. The hidden cost is damaged first impressions, distorted messages, lost audiences.
The Future: AI + Human, Not Just AI
Yes, AI has improved. Tools like Sonix or Rev are respectably accurate.
But here’s the real secret: the future is AI plus human review..
Top services work like this:
- AI produces the first draft (fast)
- A professional reviews, corrects, adapts
- A second expert checks for quality
- Result: AI speed, human quality
This is the professional industry standard—not machine alone, not only manual—the best of both worlds.
Conclusion: Investing in Quality is Investing in Credibility
A professional audio/video transcript or translation says to the world:
- You respect your content
- You value the viewer’s experience
- You are serious about reaching a global audience
- You understand quality matters
Using automatic tools says:
- “This was an afterthought”
- “We saved on quality costs”
- “We hope no one notices the errors”
The choice is simple when you think about your reputation.
At Words by Lia,we offer professional audio transcription in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French—with precise cultural adaptation. From podcasts to corporate content, we guarantee clarity, accuracy and impact.
Don’t leave audio quality to chance. Invest in transcription and translation that truly reflect professionalism and quality.