Translation Blog » Spanish Translation

Five Term-Search Resources for Translators

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:27:34 +0000

Sometimes even seasoned, professional translators come up short in the hunt for a tricky term. Here are five resources available on the Internet where you can search for translations of terms or discuss terminology with fellow translators. Remember: Seek, and ye shall find.

ProZ.com

ProZ.com offers a searchable database of personal glossaries and an archive of questions previously posed by fellow translators. If your search there yields no clues, take advantage of KudoZ, a forum that allows you to pose a question to colleagues in your language pair who can lend a helping hand when the proper translation of a term seems to elude you.

WordReference.com

In addition to this site’s extensive dictionary offerings, WordReference also features an excellent forum that translators can turn to with questions. The forums there are quite active, but if an answer doesn’t seem forthcoming, the moderators often chime in and help.

TranslatorsCafé.com

With a similar set-up to that of ProZ.com, TranslatorsCafé provides a forum for translators to discuss challenging terminology with colleagues. TCTerms allows you to take advantage of collective wisdom when you’re really feeling stumped.

Linguee.com

Although Linguee lacks the interactive/conversational features of the other sites, it’s still a valuable term-search resource for translators. Linguee, the combination of a dictionary and translation search engine, hunts for a match to your query from among assorted texts culled from professionally translated websites and sources in the public domain such as EU documents and patent specifications. Unlike the results provided by a machine translation tool such as Google Translate, every entry that appears in the Linguee dictionary has been translated by humans.

Twitter

Sometimes contributors can be slow to respond in a translation-specific forum, which is why Twitter can be a valuable resource when you’re in a real pinch. Thousands of translators participate in the conversation on Twitter, so if you’ve taken the time to get to know some of them, you can pose questions to colleagues and receive responses, sometimes in mere seconds!

The Meaning of Morfar

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:26:11 +0000

Argentine Spanish is strewn with words and colorful phrases from Lunfardo, a rich vocabulary born on the streets of Buenos Aires in the second half of the 19th century. Now considered a fixture of the Spanish language in Argentina (especially in and around Buenos Aires) and Uruguay, linguists cite the use of Lunfardo as a defining characteristic of the Rioplatense dialect. Add a dash of Argentine flavor to your Spanish vocabulary with the Transpanish blog’s ongoing feature highlighting some of the most frequently used terms in Lunfardo.

In Lunfardo, the word “morfar” means to eat, especially in a hearty, voracious or gluttonous manner. Other possible informal English translations of the word include to get some grub, to get some chow, to chow down, to devour, to wolf down, to gobble (down) and to scarf (down).

In soccer (football) slang, morfar can also be used to indicate that a player hogs the ball.

It’s said that the verb “morfar” stemmed from the French slang word “morfer” meaning—not surprisingly—to eat, although it’s highly likely that both the French and Lunfardo terms arose from the Italian dialect word “morfa,” meaning mouth.

Related words in Lunfardo:
noun morfi: food, grub, chow
noun morfón: glutton, pig, hog

Usage example: Ese chabón es un morfón, se queda con la pelota. // That guy’s a ball hog. He keeps the ball for himself. (He never passes the ball.)

Éstos van en limusina y no tienen para morfar. // These guys ride around in a limo, but they’ve got nothing to eat.

The song Yira yira by the popular 90s Argentine rock band Los Piojos features the word “morfar” in the lyrics.

Cuando rajés los tamangos
buscando ese mango
que te haga morfar
la indiferencia del mundo
que es sordo y es mudo
recién sentirás.

Verás que todo es mentira
verás que nada es amor
que al mundo nada le importa
yira, yira…

Aunque te quiebre la vida
aunque te muerda un dolor
no esperes nunca una mano
ni una ayuda ni un favor.

The High Cost of a Bad Translation

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:14:37 +0000

Pay now or pay later. In the world of translation, this saying certainly rings true. Some translation buyers—more concerned with the bottom line than with quality—look for the cheapest translation possible without considering the potential fallout from a translation done for a rock-bottom price. A poorly translated text could tarnish a company’s hard-won corporate image or negatively affect sales, but, in the worst-case scenario, a bad translation could lead to injury or even death.

Translation buyers wooed by low-budget translations don’t always realize that they’re likely sacrificing quality for price. Cheap translations are often performed by inexperienced or unqualified translators or those who hope to garner more clients by translating into languages other than their mother tongue. Some translation buyers bypass human translators altogether, opting to plug their text directly into online machine translation tools such as Google Translate. The results of translations by rookie translators, non-native translators and machine translation tools can be disastrous in certain situations.

The following types of translations require the utmost care and should never be left in the hands of a second-rate translator or a machine translation tool, as doing so could invite catastrophe:

Sales and marketing texts requiring both linguistic and cultural understanding
Patent translations or other technical literature where accuracy carries great importance
Medical and pharmaceutical texts, particularly when such information may mean a matter of life or death
Legal texts such as contracts, court orders, and wills, where any error in the text may have profound legal implications
Any text that represents the public face of your business or organization, including websites, brochures, manuals, etc.

Companies work tirelessly to cultivate a particular image, but the results of that hard work can evaporate quickly with just one major gaffe. Websites marketing products and services can’t afford to take a lax approach to linguistic blunders. According to an article published by BBC News, UK-based online entrepreneur Charles Duncombe found that “an analysis of website figures shows a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half.” It makes one stop to think about the potential impact of error-free yet awkwardly-expressed language, or text that flows and works well in one country and culture, such as Spain but not in others, such as Mexico or Argentina.

Inexperienced translators and machine translation tools also lack the ability to fine tune the text based on cultural nuances. The success or failure of a print ad or online marketing campaign rides on the text’s ability to connect with the target audience, and culturally inappropriate aspects of a translation will stick out like a sore thumb to native speakers. Regardless of the technological advances made, machine translation will never learn to pick up on the cultural undertones and subtleties at play in language. Jokes, idioms and wordplay are largely lost on tools such as Google Translate, which fail to capture the “flavor” of the text.

It’s worth mentioning that bad translations can have an impact on more than just the company’s bottom line. Inaccurately translated testimony in a court case could lead to an undeserved conviction; a translation error on a prescription drug label could have life-threatening consequences for a patient; and badly translated instructions in a machine manual could spell injury or death for a factory worker.

Businesses and organizations that prioritize their investment in a high quality translation of their documents, website, etc. project an image of professionalism and integrity, and they ensure the health and safety of those who rely on the company’s products or services.

How to Handle Client Feedback about a Translation

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:58:53 +0000

As the great Latin proverb reminds us, To err is human. Inevitably, there will come a time when – in your capacity as a professional translator – you will make a mistake. On the flip side, clients may demand changes to your translation or, worse, ask for a literal translation of the text, in which case maintaining the integrity of the translation while keeping your client happy may pose a significant challenge. Learning how to deal with clients in a diplomatic fashion in either of these scenarios is an important skill for translators.

When a mix-up, error or disagreement occurs, consider applying the following three rules:

1) Own up to the error;

2) Tell the client you’re sorry;

3) Try to make things right.

Additional points for dealing with client feedback:

» Never respond to a client in anger or frustration. It’s easy to fire off a nasty email or phone call when you’re in the heat of the moment. Take a few hours to collect yourself (or wait until the following day) before addressing the problem.

» Ask the client to point out the specific problem areas in the translation. It’s difficult to improve upon your work if the client doesn’t offer examples of quality issues.

Keep in mind that clients (even non-native speakers) who are well-read on the translation’s topic will likely have intimate knowledge of the vocabulary used within a particular field; in this case, the client’s feedback about terminology may well prove to be valuable. However, when the client insists on changes that badly mangle the translation, politely and gracefully point out that you’re a professional linguist, trained to craft natural-sounding, readable text for native speakers of your language. In situations where the client’s changes are stylistic and do not affect the quality/correctness of the translation, it may be best to bow to his or her preferences.

» Don’t take business issues personally. Stay calm and professional, and try to place yourself in the client’s shoes.

» In some cases, when you simply can’t see eye to eye with your client, the best course of action may be to part ways. Not all clients are a good fit.

Ten Keys to Success as a Freelance Translator

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:58:45 +0000

The ultimate key to profitability for any freelance translator is to assemble a core group of steady clients who will keep you busy with quality projects. Follow these tips to find success.

1. Stick to deadlines

Clients need to know that they can rely on you to deliver a project on time. If you can’t meet the deadline for a project, don’t accept it.

2. Follow instructions

While you likely have your preferred way of doing things, if a client gives you specific instructions for a project, follow them. Clients will take notice and send more work your way.

3. Value your clients’ time

It’s important to clarify doubts about a project with the client; however, you should make an effort to keep emails or phone calls brief and on point. Respect your clients’ time as much as you respect your own.

4. Be easy to contact

If clients can’t contact you right away, they’ll simply get in touch with another translator. Place your full contact information in your email signature, and put an auto-responder on your email if you’ll be away from your desk.

5. Be friendly and accommodating

Go the extra mile for regular clients. Show your customers that you value their business.

6. Seek out constructive criticism

Request feedback about your translations from your regular clients to determine where changes to your work flow can be made.

7. Don’t take clients for granted

Freelance translators’ success lies firmly in the relationship with their regular customers. Consider a small gift for clients at the end of the year as a token of your appreciation.

8. Don’t quarrel

If a potential client offers you an extremely low rate for a translation, courteously decline the project. There’s no need for negative or insulting comments.

9. Refer colleagues

Don’t be afraid to recommend trustworthy colleagues who work in your language combination when you’re too busy to take on a project. You’ll get your client out of a jam, and colleagues will likely reciprocate when they find themselves in the same position.

10. Charge clients what you’re worth

Give clients a high level of service, and they’ll be willing to pay what you’re worth.

Tips for Organizing Translation Files

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:02:16 +0000

Busy translators quickly accumulate a wealth of files that must be kept organized. Storing your translation files in a haphazard manner not only leads to frustration but can also have a negative impact on productivity. Kick off the New Year right by applying these tips to get your computer’s hard drive in order (and keep it that way!).

1. Create a specific folder for your translation files.

2. Apply a consistent method when naming files and folders, categorizing projects by agency name, dates, and/or word count.

3. Restrict the length of file names.

4. Maintain separate files for ongoing and completed projects.

5. Group similar projects together.

6. Create shortcuts instead of copies for documents that pertain to different folders.

7. Explore the possibility of storing files in the cloud.

8. Clean up files and folders on a regular basis.

Facebook’s Newest Machine Translation Tool Falls Flat

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:29:22 +0000

Just in case you need more proof that most machine translation tools don’t quite cut the mustard, the latest attempt by social media giant Facebook to incorporate machine translation (MT) into its platform fails miserably with most languages.

In an effort to help pages connect better with their fan base—often found scattered across the globe—Facebook recently introduced machine translation, powered by Bing. With just one click, users can get an automatic translation of status updates and comments. Facebook plans to roll out this feature to all profiles (not just pages) in the near future.

There’s just one problem: most of the translations are unintelligible. Posts on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are rife with slang, and Bing’s machine translation tool simply isn’t up to task. An analysis of Bing’s performance by the site Lexiophiles shows that Bing only gets it right about 50% of the time, leaving users confused and, at worst, possibly misled by faulty translations. Interestingly, out of the ten languages tested, posts translated from Spanish to English fared worst of all, with less than 10% of the rendered text considered intelligible.

For greater accuracy, Facebook will also be implementing a feature that allows bilingual users to offer an alternative translation. If other users endorse the accuracy of the crowdsourced translation, it will take the place of Bing’s original translation the next time the “Translate” option is clicked. Page administrators will be able to manage crowdsourced translations through a “manage translations” link below the posts on pages they control.

One of the great arguments in favor of MT has always been that it can at least offer users a gist of the conversation when no other means of translation is available. It seems that, at least for now, Bing’s tool doesn’t even offer that to Facebook’s users.

Transpanish Announces New Discounts for Translation Buyers

admin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:27:40 +0000

Transpanish is pleased to announce a savings opportunity for translation buyers. Now through December 1, 2011, new customers ordering English to Spanish translations will receive a 15% discount on services. Plus, don’t forget that new customers purchasing Spanish to English translations qualify for a 10% discount. We’d also like to remind existing customers that Transpanish offers discounts on large volume translations and 10% off the cost of translations for non-profit organizations.

Get a free translation quote today from Transpanish and take advantage of this offer.

Researching Neutral Spanish Terms and Dialect-Specific Terms

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:54:11 +0000

When creating advertising campaigns, website content, or other materials geared toward a diverse Hispanic audience, companies are wise to consider the use of neutral Spanish (sometimes known as international Spanish). Translators and writers employing neutral Spanish seek to produce a text that is universally understood by Spanish speakers by avoiding regionalisms and colloquial language that hint at a particular dialect.

Multinational corporations with employees spread across the globe benefit from the use of neutral Spanish when translating manuals and corporate communications, as translation costs can be contained by producing one broadly understood text rather than translating into various dialects of Spanish. The same holds true forU.S.companies employing a significant number of Hispanic workers, who most likely hail from different parts of the Spanish-speaking world.

Conversely, it’s often desirable to target the text to a specific group of Spanish speakers. For example, if a company launches a product in Latin America, consumers will identify more closely with the product and the campaign if an effort is made to tailor the copy to reflect idioms and vocabulary employed in theAmericasrather than inSpain.

Challenges Inherent to Selecting Neutral Terms

While producing a text in neutral Spanish may sound simple, the fact is that identifying neutral terms is quite challenging. The Spanish language is rich with variants, and a true neutral Spanish does not exist in the real world (think Received Pronunciation in the U.K.or Standard American English in the U.S.). As such, translators may encounter difficulties when trying to determine the appropriate term to use when the target audience is a group as diverse as U.S. Hispanics or Spanish speakers worldwide. For instance, the word “car” can be translated as carro, auto, automóvil, or coche. Which term is the most neutral (i.e. widely understood)?

It’s important to learn as much as possible about the text’s target audience before beginning the translation. If possible, try to determine which region or country most of the Hispanics in your target audience come from (e.g.Spain, the Caribbean,South America). For example, if you’re translating a text to be used in the court system of the State ofCalifornia, that state’s Latino population consists largely of Mexicans or those of Mexican descent, so you may want to favor Mexican vocabulary if you’re undecided about the best term to use.

Search Tips for Neutral Spanish Terms

The key to translating a text to neutral Spanish is selecting the vocabulary that will be most widely understood by Spanish speakers, regardless of their background.

1. Consult several dictionaries to determine all possible translations of a term. Resources such as the DRAE and Jergas de Habla Hispana are particularly useful for identifying the countries or regions where a particular term is utilized.

2. Perform a search for the term you think is the most neutral in the Spanish language version of Google (click on the option at left that says “Buscar sólo páginas en español” to ensure that any stray English language results are removed).

3. Compare search results for different terms and see which one has more hits.

Selecting Terms to Target a Specific Group of Spanish Speakers

If most of your target population come from a particular country, then search for terms in the version of Google specific to that country. For example, in the case of Argentina, search at google.com.ar. Click here for a list of all the countries with specific Google sites.

Excluding Countries from Your Search

When translating for a particular country or region, you may want to remove certain results from your search. For example, if you’re targeting Latin America, you will want to search in the Spanish language version of Google without seeing results from Spain. To remove results from a specific country, type your search term and then site:-.xx, where xx represents the country’s domain extension (.es forSpain, .ar for Argentina, etc.).

Hispanics Reluctant to Participate in Clinical Research Trials

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:21:09 +0000

According to the latest demographic information culled from the 2010 U.S. Census, the Hispanic population now constitutes roughly 16% of the nation’s inhabitants, yet Hispanics’ participation in clinical research studies ranks disproportionately low in comparison to their overall percentage of the population. Every year, some 260,000 Americans volunteer to take part in medical research studies; however, Latinos represent less than five percent of those who participate. Given that demographers expect the U.S. Latino population to triple by the year 2050, researchers must take steps to get Hispanics actively involved in clinical studies by pinpointing barriers that prevent Latinos from participating in research and developing strategies to increase this population’s access to and representation in medical research.

A diverse sample of participants is of great importance to investigators because some ethnic groups react differently to certain medications and therapeutic interventions. A lack of participation by minority groups in clinical trials leaves populations open to potential unexpected side effects. Regardless of whether ethnicity influences the effectiveness of a specific medication or treatment, clinical researchers must be sure they have thoroughly evaluated the possibility before moving on to the next phase of their research.

Why Don’t Hispanics Participate in Medical Research?

A number of reasons for Latinos’ low participation rates in clinical studies have been cited by researchers:

Hispanic patients and their caregivers generally have little understanding of what is involved in a clinical trial. In addition, limited information tailored specifically to the Hispanic community about clinical research studies exists.
Latinos are often fearful of new drugs or treatments, and they are wary of being used as guinea pigs.
Many Hispanic patients stated they would not take part in medical research due to psychological reasons such as depression or denial (i.e. if they don’t participate in the clinical trial, they don’t have to face their illness).
Many Latinos also expressed concern about the costs entailed by the treatment(s) they would receive as part of the study.

How to Increase Participation by Hispanics in Clinical Trials

Community outreach and education about clinical research trials are vital to increasing participation rates among Latinos. Ideally, physicians—who’ve already successfully established a relationship of trust with their patients—should be the ones to initially present the idea of taking part in a clinical research study. The doctor can act as a resource for Hispanic patients who tend to have limited information about this treatment option.

It’s important to translate brochures, clinical documentation and consent forms into Spanish in a culturally appropriate manner to help improve understanding among potential study participants. People will feel more comfortable if they’re offered literature in the language that feels most familiar to them. Studies show that participants also demonstrate greater willingness to participate in clinical trials if the researchers—regardless of their ethnicity—speak Spanish.

Lastly, Latinos usually demonstrate greater willingness to participate in research studies if they receive a direct health benefit (for example, free blood pressure or diabetes screenings), if they see a measurable benefit to the Hispanic community, and if they can participate in the study on weekends rather than during the workweek.

Translation Blog » Spanish Translation

Five Term-Search Resources for Translators

Related posts

The Meaning of Morfar

Related posts

The High Cost of a Bad Translation

Related posts

How to Handle Client Feedback about a Translation

Related posts

Ten Keys to Success as a Freelance Translator

Related posts

Tips for Organizing Translation Files

Related posts

Facebook’s Newest Machine Translation Tool Falls Flat

Related posts

Transpanish Announces New Discounts for Translation Buyers

Related posts

Researching Neutral Spanish Terms and Dialect-Specific Terms

Related posts

Hispanics Reluctant to Participate in Clinical Research Trials

Related posts