Castilian Spanish Versus Latin American Spanish

Posted On August 25, 2010By TranspanishIn Languages, Latinos, Spanish Language, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 1 Comment

Castilian Spanish – so named for its roots in the region of Castile – emerged from Spain’s many regional languages and dialects to become the primary language of the nation. Castilian Spanish was later brought to the New World through the colonization efforts of the Spanish, where the language enjoyed widespread adoption throughout the Americas. Over time, Latin American Spanish has evolved in its own right to contain various features that distinguish it from European Spanish.

The use of the term “castellano” as opposed to “español” when referring to the Spanish language may be interpreted in a number of ways. Since there are several official languages in Spain including Catalan, Basque, and Galician, the word “castellano” is often used to differentiate the Spanish language from these regional languages. Castellano may also be used to refer to regional dialects of the Spanish language spoken in Castile, for example, Andalusian. Many times – particularly outside of Spain – castellano and español are utilized interchangeably and simply refer to the Spanish language as a whole.

The terms Castilian Spanish or castellano are often used to draw a distinction between the Spanish spoken in Spain (Peninsular Spanish) and Latin American Spanish; however, this usage is somewhat misleading since Spanish speakers in Latin America also speak what are essentially dialects of Castilian Spanish as opposed to a distinct language, as is often implied.

Many Spanish speakers in Latin America customarily refer to their language as castellano as opposed to español. For example, Southern Cone countries such as Argentina and Uruguay have a tendency to refer to Spanish as castellano, while other parts of South America alternate between the use of the terms español and castellano. In the U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, Spanish is almost exclusively referred to as español.

While there is no generic form of Latin American Spanish, many countries share several features of pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar that set apart Latin American Spanish from Castilian Spanish.

Translate your document to Spanish.

World Cup Attracts Multilingual Audiences

Posted On June 5, 2010By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Spanish Language, Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

The FIFA World Cup – soccer’s premier sporting event – is coming to African soil for the first time in history. South Africa will play host to 32 national soccer teams and 350,000 foreign visitors during the month-long event, requiring that both linguistic and cultural barriers be bridged for the global cast of players, organizers and fans who will be in attendance.

Demand for website localization, translation, editing and voice-over projects has increased exponentially in advance of the international sporting event. Written translations for the World Cup are mandatory for each of the 11 official languages of South Africa, in addition to the languages of the participating teams. In an effort to reach as many fans as possible, the World Cup website has been translated into Arabic, English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Organizers predict that 450 to 500 million viewers from around the globe will tune in to this year’s World Cup.

For more information, see this article at Global Watchtower.

Recent Translation and Language News

Posted On June 4, 2010By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Spanish Language, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

Here are some of the top language-related stories from the last month:

1. The recently elected president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, sports an animal last name. Could the warm and fuzzy appeal of her name have helped her to get elected?

2. As part of the state’s new comprehensive immigration reform, Arizona now requires that any teacher instructing students in the English language speak without a heavy accent.

3. Renowned scientist Stephen Hawking ponders what sort of language humans would require to communicate effectively with extraterrestrials should they one day make contact with our planet.

4. Bad translations are the order of the day. A recent diplomatic visit to Washington D.C. by Mexican President Felipe Calderón was marred due to lackluster interpretation of his comments by a substitute interpreter.

5. The Eurovision Song Contest is perennially plagued with bad English translations, and this year was no exception.

6. Icelandic-English translators can barely keep pace with the flood of financial documents resulting from Iceland’s economic collapse.

For more information, visit this article at The World.

Concern for Trademark Infringement in Spanish

Posted On May 22, 2010By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Language, Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

With an ever-growing number of businesses looking to cash in on the growth of the Hispanic market in the U.S., English-language trademarks have become increasingly susceptible to infringement by companies looking to take marketing shortcuts.

So, what exactly constitutes trademark infringement? To qualify as infringement, the translation into Spanish must be determined to be direct and literal. In addition, it is difficult to prove copyright infringement in cases where the English-language trademark consists merely of a service or product description (e.g. jeans branded with the name “Rugged Pants”).

In order to protect your business’ English-language trademark, first hire a professional translator to produce one or more possible Spanish translations of your copyrighted name. The following steps may then be taken to avoid trademark infringement:

1) Hand over the translations to a trademark-watching firm, which will warn your company of any potentially conflicting trademarks.

2) Set up a Google Alert to receive notifications about a specific word or phrase to sniff out companies that may be using your trademarked name online.

3) Monitor new trademark registration application filings at http://www.USPTO.gov.

4) Ask Spanish-speaking colleagues with a finger on the pulse of the Hispanic community to remain vigilant.

Read more about this issue at the Richmond Times-Dispatch website.

What Do Translators Expect from Agencies?

Posted On May 16, 2010By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

As freelance translators, we all know the importance of making a good impression on our clients and maintaining a healthy professional relationship with them; however, what about the impression the client makes on you? The translator-agency relationship can vary significantly from vendor to vendor, depending on factors such as the size of the agency, the experience of the project managers, and the overall attitude of the agency toward the translation process (quality vs. quantity). A translation agency or client with concern for the translator will strive to meet the following expectations:

» Ideally, agencies express interest in negotiating rates, deadlines, payment methods and terms, etc., instead of forcing their own terms upon the translator. If a project requires urgency or overtime, the agency offers the appropriate incentives.

» A friendly yet professional tone. When communications from the project manager are overly formal, it’s easy for translators to feel like they’re talking to a robot instead of another human being. A touch of small talk and/or pleasantries can go a long way to humanizing the relationship with the agency.

» Tactful feedback. Translators do occasionally make errors, and while they appreciate feedback about their mistakes, it’s more helpful when the criticism is given in a tactful and constructive manner.

» Keep it simple. The agency that excels at simplifying the communication process, even for the most complicated projects, makes the translator’s life much easier and more productive.

» The agency sends the complete file for the translator’s review before expecting him or her to accept the project.

» Reasonably prompt communication. Translators understand that project managers or other team members are often swamped with work; however, a quick response to a question or doubt, especially on an urgent project, is much appreciated.

» Deft handling of administrative matters. Translators rejoice when the purchase order is sent in a timely manner, the agency confirms that the invoice has been received, etc.

» Timely payment. Translators put a great deal of stock in agencies that pay reliably and within acceptable timeframes.

What do you look for in your relationship with a translation agency or other vendors?

The Importance of Translating Foreign Texts

Posted On April 29, 2010By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/ 1 Comment

The reluctance of publishers in the English-speaking world to translate works from other languages truly boggles the mind. At a point in the world’s history in which we are more connected than ever before, America and the rest of the Anglophone world remain remarkably isolated from the literary contributions of other languages and cultures. The statistics are rather eye-opening: Just two to three percent of books published every year in the U.S. and Britain are translations, in comparison to close to 35 percent in Western Europe and Latin America.

Ignoring a bulk of the world’s literature represents a problem on several fronts. Aside from the fact that English speakers lose out on the obvious advantages gained by an understanding of different worldviews and perspectives found in foreign literature, as it turns out, a refusal on the part of publishers to translate books from other languages into English also does a disservice to non-English speakers the world over. “English often serves as the linguistic bridge for the translation of a book into a number of Asian and African languages.” Lastly, a paucity of translated works means that the exchange of information and ideas that is cherished by free, democratic societies ultimately suffers.

Click here for more information on this story from Foreign Policy.

Transcreation: Specialized Translation for Marketing

Posted On April 20, 2010By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 1 Comment

The translation of marketing and promotional materials presents unique challenges, not only from a language standpoint but from a cultural one as well. Translations of advertising copy must strive for something beyond technical accuracy; just like the carefully-crafted original text, the translation of a marketing message must be both engaging and culturally relevant to the target audience. The incorporation of specialists in transcreation and cultural adaptation to the linguistic team ensures that marketing messages are accurately conveyed without sacrificing creativity or consistency.

Transcreation services focus on adaptation of a text rather than a strict translation, guaranteeing that – by remaining faithful to the original and reflecting the local preferences and culture of the target audience – the message achieves the greatest impact in every market. Transcreation entails a host of services including translation, copywriting, and localization, bringing together the creativity and contributions of professionals whose principal interests and activities center on content adaptation.

“The goal of transcreation isn’t to say the same thing in another language. Indeed, it is often not possible to say exactly the same thing in another language. The aim of the game with transcreation is to get the same reaction in each language, something that translation in itself won’t be able to achieve.” [1]

The translation of copy for the marketing world differs significantly from other types of translations such as technical translations, which leave little room for creativity, and some training in copywriting is recommended. Translators with a flair for creative writing tend to produce the best results with advertising, marketing, and media texts and are best suited to work as transcreators.

Transcreation demands an intimate understanding of the source language, continuous exposure to the local media in the target market, as well as a high degree of familiarity with the target audience. A specialist in transcreation will be able to evaluate why the advertising message works for the original group, and he or she will produce materials that are culturally adapted and tailor-made for the target audience. Ideally, translators, transcreators, and those responsible for content adaptation should engage the client in a dialogue about the brand and its intended message to consumers to maintain consistency and meaning for the target audience.

[1] Bad Language, Translation vs. Transcreation

Desktop Publishing and Translation

Posted On April 14, 2010By TranspanishIn Spanish Language, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

While the content of a translation is always of utmost importance, the presentation of that content should not be underestimated. Even the best translation can flop if it is presented in an unprofessional manner. Desktop publishing (DTP) ensures that a translation delivers visual impact, with a design that complements and enhances the written word. Using sophisticated programs such as QuarkXPress, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe InDesign and PageMaker, a completed translation can be inserted into any number of file types, which may or may not include graphics, for use in presentations, advertising, web layouts, etc. The desktop publishing phase is not usually handled by the translator; instead, it is assigned to a team member with specific desktop publishing and design experience.

Documents translated from English to Spanish often contain up to 20% more words – a concept known as text expansion – as it often takes more words to express the same idea in Spanish. Text expansion may result in a visually-crowded document that is difficult to read, since an increased number of words must fit in the same design. To prevent higher formatting costs down the road, documents should be designed with adequate white space to accommodate text expansion.

Designers must be sensitive to the fact that the Spanish language includes characters and punctuation not found in English. The desktop publisher will ensure that special characters appearing in the Spanish translation such as á, é, í, ó, ú, ü and ñ are preserved in the final product. Special attention should also be paid to the uniquely Spanish inverted question and exclamation marks (¿ and ¡) as well as angular quotes (« and »). Desktop publishers should carefully select digital typefaces, as some fonts do not contain these characters. It is also worthwhile to experiment with different fonts in order to choose one where the accent marks do not appear to merge into the accented letters.

Lastly, a crucial element of desktop publishing is a visual assessment of each project to make sure it is acceptable from a cultural perspective. The use of certain images or colors may be perceived as offensive in some cultures and must be adapted for the local market.

Spanish Speakers in U.S. Exposed to Dangerous Pharmacy Errors

Posted On April 10, 2010By TranspanishIn Latinos, Spanish Language, Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

Apparently, speaking Spanish in the United States can be hazardous to one’s health. According to a recent study to be published in the journal Pediatrics, Spanish speakers are exposed to an unacceptable number of grave translation errors in the instructions provided with prescription medications. Pharmacists’ computers frequently deliver “Spanglish” translations, which ultimately pose a threat to patients’ health, as they are open to misinterpretation and therefore possible overdose. Overloaded pharmacists who are lacking Spanish-language skills simply do not have the time or ability to review the prescription labels for errors.

The best way that non-English speaking patients can protect themselves from misunderstandings when dealing with medical professionals is to request an interpreter or translator with expertise in the medical field in order to receive instructions and other vital information in their native tongue. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry should push for the hiring of more bilingual pharmacists and the development of more advanced pharmacy prescription software that produces clearer translations when the use of automatic translation is unavoidable.

Click here for more information on this story from HealthDay.com.

Visit our Pharmaceutical Glossary for English and Spanish terms and our Pharmaceutical Abbreviations section for English and Spanish Meaning of Latin Abbreviations in the Pharmacy Industry.

The Machine Translation Debate

Posted On March 27, 2010By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

Although computer scientists have toiled for decades to produce machine translation comparable to that rendered by humans, they have yet to succeed. In critical moments when human translation or interpretation is simply not an option due to logistical constraints (e.g. rescue efforts during the recent earthquake in Haiti), machine translation can be a literal lifesaver; however, in cases where style, originality, or real-world context count for something, call upon a human translator to deliver the best results.

Previously, computer scientists attempted to “teach” the computer the linguistic rules of two languages in the hopes that the computer would piece together something intelligible in the target language. These days, the newest machine translation technology available through Google Translate takes a different approach. Using powerful search techniques and Google’s vast library of books, Google Translate turns in a reasonable performance based on matches found among thousands of documents produced for organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union by human translators.

While machine translation does serve a purpose now and again, the current technology’s formulaic approach depends upon the works that skilled human translators have already created. In the case of truly original works with zero precedent to be found online, computers fail to render the nuanced translations created by humans every time.

Read more about the machine translation debate in this article by The New York Times.

Read our articles:
Google Translate and the Struggle for Accurate Machine Translations
Google Strikes Deal to Translate European Patents
Machine Translation vs. Human Translation: Pay Less, Get Less
When Never to Use Google Translate

Spanish Translation