Archive for the 'Translation Buyers' Category

Are You Looking For A Translator? Five Misconceptions You Should Avoid

Published on May 23, 2013 in Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators and Translation Buyers. 0 Comments

It is a common belief to assume that having a sound knowledge of a second language is enough to become a translator. In fact, some people think no other skill is required to translate any kind of document. As a result, many people tend to downplay the value and effort of these language experts. In this article we’ll look into the five most common misconceptions you should avoid.

 

1.     Being bilingual makes anybody a translator

Being bilingual only means that you have a sound knowledge of two languages. However, a translation is not made word by word. Quite on the contrary, translating implies having a deep understanding of the text written in the source language and knowing how to choose the best words and expressions to convey the message accurately in the target language. And not all bilingual people can do this.

This doesn’t mean that you cannot be a good translator unless you have a translation degree. There are plenty of excellent translators who don’t have formal training but, unfortunately, many people think that they are able to translate just by studying four years of a foreign language in high school. Even if you are a fluent speaker, it doesn’t mean that by default you are a good translator. In fact, it doesn’t imply that you can write in that language or translate into it accurately.

2.     Modern translation machines make translations easier and human translators are no longer needed

The translation tools now available in the market are far from being able to provide a reliable and good translation. Since they only translate sentences totally isolated from the context, they are unable to understand the different meanings that a word may have and, therefore, the translated text usually ends up being an unintelligible bunch of words one after the other. In addition, translation machines are totally unaware of the difference that may exist between the word order in the source language and the target one and it is not strange at all to find awkwardly worded sentences that require a human translator to clear the mess.

3.     “The translation is ready. Can you just proofread it for me?”

It is quite frequent to find translation clients that come to freelance translators or agencies asking to proofread and edit a translation done either by a machine or somebody that doesn’t have a thorough knowledge of the source and target languages. But what the client doesn’t know is that editing this kind of translations usually implies retranslating the whole document again almost from scratch, which means that the fee to pay will be higher than a regular proofreading one.

4.     A 5000 word document can be delivered in two hours

Have you ever tried typing 5000 words in two hours? You need to be really quick; therefore, translating the same amount of words in the same time is totally out of the question. It is quite difficult for a translator to estimate how many words he can translate in an hour as it depends on various factors. Amongst them we can mention: the type of text to be translated, the subject matter (a highly technical article rich in specific jargon takes longer than a general text) and the format.

On average, a professional and experienced translator translates around 250 to 500 words per hour so it would take between 10 or 20 hours to work on a 5000 word document. Needless to say, if you hire an agency, a group of translators may work on the text simultaneously so the translation is ready earlier. However, you should always bear in mind that if you expect a high quality translation you definitely need to allow enough time for the translation to be done.

5.     Every text can be translated in one possible way.

Different translators will translate the same sentence in different ways, being all of them correct. Translation, as language, is not an exact science and, therefore, there is no unique correct way of conveying an idea in a different language. It is true, however, that some translations will be more appropriate for the context or more in tune with the target audience. This is why you should always try to hire a translator who is well acquainted with the industry the document is about and the target audience.

`Mina´: One of the Most Popular Words in Lunfardo

Published on May 22, 2013 in Lunfardo, The origin of..., Tips for Translators and Translation Buyers. 0 Comments

If you ever spend a couple of days in Buenos Aires or Montevideo, there are great chances that you will hear at least once the word mina in a conversation and, needless to say, without referring to any kind of military device or to the place where precious metals are extracted.

What kind of mina is everybody talking about?  To begin with, we will mention that in the River Plate area mina has a very distinctive meaning since it is one of the most popular terms used in lunfardo. It is part of everyday language of men and women, both young and old. Generally speaking, mina means “woman”.

 

mina-meaning

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 Mina: When A Woman is as Precious as a Jewel

Both in Buenos Aires and in Montevideo, the term mina is traditionally used to refer to a beautiful and sexually attractive woman. The origin of this usage can be traced to the 17th and 18th centuries, when Buenos Aires was a Spanish colony, and groups of slaves were brought from Africa. The slaves that came to America from the old Portuguese African fort of San Jorge de la Mina received the name of Minas. The slave women that came from Cape Verde were especially expensive; their very dark skin and exquisite, exotic beauty made them very sought after by men, who employed them in their houses and used them to satisfy sexual favors.  In the 20th century and now in the 21st, mina is still used to talk about a beautiful woman, especially in informal or colloquial conversations.

According to some language experts, this term of lunfardo derives from the clipping of the Italian word femmina and the contraction of the Galician menina. To these origins we can add the metaphoric language used by procurers since the woman with her body brought them money, just as a mine does any time a precious metal is extracted from it.

Mina: Or How to Talk About a Woman in a Pejorative Way

Even though it may seem paradoxical, it is also quite common to find the word mina used to refer to a woman in a pejorative or derogatory way.

This is quite common in everyday dialogues or when somebody is telling a story in which in some way or another a lady intervenes, whether she is beautiful or not.

Mina: A Tango Word

There are many tangos where we can find the word mina, either because a beautiful woman is the main character or because she is the singer’s elusive object of desire.

In this context, language expert Gobello states that it comes from the Italian slang. On the other hand, etymologist Santillán comes up with two complementary points of view. He mentions that, either it is the Castillian voice mina figuratively meaning any profitable activity or business or it derives from the Italian slang of the camorra in which this voice stands for “donna” and “miniera”, which mean young and beautiful prostitute.

It is also worth mentioning that the word mina has additional meanings in the world of tango. Amongst them we can mention: woman, female, prostitute, woman that lives with a man, woman that lives with a man illegally, concubine and lover.

How to Identify a Good Translation

Published on May 20, 2013 in Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators and Translation Buyers. 0 Comments

Many people mistakenly believe that being bilingual is all it takes to offer a good translation. As a result, people often ask a friend or relative who has studied a foreign language for four or five years in High School to translate a document for them. However, translating can be considered an art and it is much more than a simple word by word exchange. With this being said, what makes a good translation?

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Firstly, can you tell the text is a translation? Does it read smoothly and sound as if it were originally written in the target language? Good translations do not look like ones. They are well written, ideas flow naturally and carry the sense and atmosphere of the original text. The information is presented clearly and any acronyms are correctly translated and/or explained.

It is also important to pay attention to the accuracy of the translation. The original document needs to be respected and translated completely, without missing any word or sentence, but it has to be grammatically correct and have no spelling mistakes as well. A wrongful translation is difficult to read and understand and can also seriously affect the reputation of the person or business organization that requested it.

Other aspect that should not be forgotten is clarity. The translator needs to ensure, when possible, that the final document is uncluttered, clear and has no complex and long sentences. In fact, it is not strange at all that the translated document is much easier to read than the original.

Finally, the audience should also be taken into consideration. This is important in two ways; on the one hand,  the translated text should be culturally appropriate for the target audience. There  should be no references to religious or political figures that may offend the reader or be controversial and the style needs to respect the tone and formality used by the original writer . On the other hand, the reading level of the audience should be accurately matched. For instance, the words used should be more complex and sentences more elaborated if the text will be read by scientists or high skilled professionals and simpler if it is written for newly arrived immigrants.

As you can see, there are several points that can be applied to determine whether the translation you are reading is good or not. You should bear them in mind next time you are handed in a translation.

Translation Services Across Different Industries

Published on May 17, 2013 in Tips for Translators and Translation Buyers. 0 Comments

Globalization, transnational business organizations and employees working across different countries have made translation services almost a must-have for companies all over the world. In fact, many of them would not be able to function properly if it weren’t for the valuable job that in- house or freelance translators or hired translation agencies do for them. From documents to glossaries, to technical manuals to legal records to signals and memos, almost every corporate piece of paper needs to be written in different languages so that everybody can understand them.

translation-industries

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Translating for the Heavy Industry and Home Appliance Manufacturers

These are probably the less novel and surprising fields for translators to work for. In fact, we are so used to reading users’ manuals in different languages that we tend to forget that a professional translator has worked on them. From instructions on how to use a domestic dishwasher to really long documents with detailed information on how to install, dissemble and use complex industrial machines, the heavy industry and home appliance manufacturers need to rely on translators to make sure that the products they make are used correctly no matter where they are shipped. In general, translators working in this niche do not only have a great command of the language but also a strong technical knowledge, either because they are technicians or engineers themselves or because they’ve been translating that kind of documents for a long time.

Translating for the Health Care and Medical Industry

Over the last years, the demand for translation services for the health care and medical industry has risen. Laboratories and scientific research organizations that publish medical journals, elaborate drugs or do clinical trials need to communicate their findings and discoveries to the medical community across the world. Translating for the healthcare industry is extremely challenging as the language professional needs to be totally proficient in the language he is translating into and understand the text he is translating; a wrong interpretation can be really serious!

Hospitals that receive foreign patients or are considered reference centers to treat certain diseases or conditions also require the services of translators or interpreters not only because they need to ensure that the professionals working there have access to documents and files in their own language but also to make sure that patients understand what’s wrong with them and what healing treatment they can undergo. Many interpreters find this field really rewarding as it implies being in constant relation with people and they can appreciate first hand the benefits of their profession.

Translating in the Internet and Technology Fields

The demand of translation services in the Internet and technology fields is definitely on the rise. This is one of the most interesting areas translators can work for as almost every company across every niche has a website and e-commerce and it has made it almost compulsory for them to be available for a multinational audience. Translating websites not only implies knowing the language but also having a deep understanding of the culture to which the professional is catering. In other words, in this field in particular, the documents not only need to be translated but also localized to make sure they are fully understandable in the target country.

Video Game Translation

Translating video games is a fun and interest niche appealing mainly to young translators who like spending some time playing videogames. The linguist professional not only needs to translate correctly what the different characters are saying but also make sure their message is conveyed in a natural way to the target culture so that the player can really immerse himself in the action proposed by the game.

Translating PR and Marketing Documents

Working as a translator for a PR or marketing  agency can be quite fun as it usually implies reading about products or services that are just about to be launched to a new country, working on slogans or marketing campaigns as a whole. Anyway, these documents need to be translated in such a manner that the right message is clearly conveyed making this translation field one of the most creative and challenging ones to work for as the translator must also bear the cultural background in mind.

Unveiling the origins of the word “tango”

Published on May 10, 2013 in Did you know?, The origin of..., Tips for Translators and Translation Buyers. 0 Comments

There is no doubt at all that Argentina, and especially the city of Buenos Aires, are immediately identified with the tango. Since the 1920’s, the tango has been considered one of the most popular and sensual dances in the world and, as years go by, passion for it has grown not only in the River Plate area but all over the world as well. But, what about the etymological origins of the word “tango”? Which cultural and sociological aspects have influenced the origin of this word? Can the roots of “tango” be found and determined or is it a world with a vastly rich origin? Throughout the following paragraphs we will try to unveil the origins of the word “tango”.

 

tango-origin

 

Historical Perspective

It is generally agreed by language experts that the etymological origin of the word “tango” cannot be detached from a historic phenomenon: the cultural relationship between Spain and America and the trade of slaves that started coming from Africa around the 1600´s.

According to some historians such as José Gobello and Ricardo Rodríguez Molla, “tango” comes from an African term some slaves used to refer to the place where they were reunited to be sent to America. The Portuguese adopted the Africanism “tangomao” to refer to the man that trafficked slaves. Thus, in America the word “tango” was embraced to name the places where the African slaves got together to dance and sing. Buenos Aires was a very important slave market in the 1600’s, 1700’s and 1800’s and, therefore, the African population definitely had a significant influence in the birth of the term “tango”.

The Beating of the Drum

Other language theory relates the etymological origin of the word “tango” to the onomatopoeic sound of the beating of the drums as, apparently, the drum was one of the musical instruments used in the beginnings of this dance.

However, this theory is widely rejected by experts as it has been proved that the drum was never used to play tango music. In fact, the first musical instruments for this dance were: the flute, the viola, the violin and, later on, the bandoneon.

Latin Origin

Another language theory supports the idea that the word “tango” derives from the Latin term “tanguere”, which stands for “to touch”. Language experts that agree with this idea base their findings on the fact that tango as a dance is characterized by the sensuality and closeness with which the couple move across the dance floor.

Yet, from an etymological point of view this idea cannot be accepted since, in its beginnings, tango dancers did not dance so close to each other.

Final Words

We have discussed the three most important theories regarding the etymological birth of the word “tango”. Only the first one can be considered valid as the other two are more far-fetched and cannot be traced back to actual facts to support them.

Anyway, whether “tango” derives from the place where the African population in the River Plate met to dance, talk and sing or from the onomatopoeic beating of the drums or a Latin word, it cannot be denied that tango is one of the most enjoyable dances in the word.

Is Latino Unemployment in the US really on the decrease?

Published on May 7, 2013 in Latinos and Translation Buyers. 0 Comments

Last week, the US employment report was rolled out and, on the surface, the figures look good for the Latino community living in the US.

The report documents a 0.2% drop in Latino unemployment in the past month. The figure has dropped from 9.2% in March 2013 to 9.0% in April 2013, but the data is deceiving, according to Alicia Criado from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).

The US Latino unemployment rate might well be the lowest it has been since November 2008, when it dropped to an impressive 8.6%, but a closer inspection of the fine details reveals a number of concerns.

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In defiance of the report, Criado rightly points out that 209,000 Latinos based in the US have actually just stopped looking for work and were, therefore, not included in the data used to generate the recent report on US employment. Criado is adamant that Latinos face lots of difficulties when it comes to finding employment in the US across a wide variety of industries and that the constant disappointment felt from unsuccessful job applications has forced 209,000 of them to simply stop trying.

The NCLR also published its own monthly Latino report last week. This report delves a little deeper into the facts and figures relating to US Latino unemployment and reveals that unemployment levels, which specifically pertain to the Latino youth demographic, those individuals aged between 16 and 24, climbed to a shocking 18% this month – double the overall Latino unemployment rate recorded in the US government’s employment report. Unsurprisingly, Criado, and the team who work at the NCLR, want to see this discrepancy in the figures highlighted as a definite cause for concern.

When further analyzing the state of affairs regarding US unemployment as a whole, many people might be concerned to hear that during April 2013, even though 169,000 more jobs were made available in the US across a wide range of industries including business services, food services and bars, retail and healthcare, problems surrounding job shortage in the US are far from over. The report published by the NCLR reveals that with each new job advertised in the US at present, there are still three US citizens hoping to be employed in the role.

One of the main issues which places US Latinos at a distinct disadvantage in this competitive environment is education. Both the US government and the NCLR believe that one of the best ways of decreasing unemployment within the US Latino community relates directly to education and training. Both parties believe that more Latinos must be encouraged to get a college education in order to be able to compete against their peers for high-paying jobs. The question remains as to whether resources will be made available to bring about these changes and reduce unemployment within the coming 12 months.

Indeed, it is Criado’s hope that the next Secretary of Labor will regard investment in job training and education as a real priority for US Latino workers. This, coupled with a heavy focus on health and safety in the workplace, is for Criado two of the most important areas in which the US government needs to invest if it is really serious about reducing Latino unemployment rates in the US and helping Latino workers reach their true potential.

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