The discipline of translation may, on the surface, appear straightforward. Many think that literal and word-for-word translation are the only ways in which to approach translating text from the source to the target language. However, upon further exploration, it becomes apparent that culture and language are intertwined. The intersection of all facets of a particular culture greatly influence a language's specificity making the act of translation local and complex. When truly translating text, the expression “bigger is better” is not the case. From my experiences, simplification, a process normally associated with math, is one of the most useful applications when translating language. In the process, simplification solves issues of linguistic repetition and superfluous use of description, characteristic of some languages. To illustrate my point, I will present specific examples from my translation of documents for the YWCA of Schenectady.