Ethics and Professionalism in Translation

7/22/2019 Ethics and Professionalism in Translation

1/25

ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM IN TRANSLATION

The True Professional:There are translators and then there are professional translators: the

former are people who translate on the side, using their knowledge of a particular field to

translation work (for example, a mathematician who translated a book on advancedmathematics). Professional translators are applied linguists whose ability to work with language,

write well, and for freelancers, to operate a business, represents their source of income.

Professional translators are people who are dedicated to their languages and the nations,

societies, and cultures which come with them. They are devoted to improving their ability to

understand their source language and write in their target language.

POLISHING YOUR TRANSLATION STYLE

If you dont already have one, start by developing a translation methodology. A

methodology will enable you to translate more efficiently and accurately. For

example:

1. Read the original carefully2. Research the subject3. Translate the work4. Compare with the original5. Edit (proof) the translation6. Sleep on the product

Read the Original: Read the original text thoroughly paying attention to the style of writing

employed by the author. Is the authors style light-hearted, positive, forceful, truthful, or

sincere, etc.? to rephrase, determine where the author is coming from. Once you have

successfully put yourself in the authors mind, emulate the authors style in the

translation. This simple act will make your product an extension of the authors work. This,

indeed, is professional translation. It is smooth, seamless and natural.

Research the subject: Not enough can be said about research-good research. Less than 60

minutes of research on the translation subject really does make all the difference to the finished

product. Use the internet extensively. Research free dictionaries, encyclopedias, informational

sites, case studies and white papers. Look for recent articles on the translation subject you will

be translating. The internet is the greatest resource since the invention of the library, with one


2/25

flaw. Anyone can publish anything without due process (authentication). So you need to use

the internet wisely! Corroborate your research with multiple, trusted sources.

Research the author: Researching the translation subject will definitely go a long way to

improving your style but researching the author will provide luster to your style. Get an insight

to the authors life. Search for the author by name, research biographies or autobiographies,

and research other work that has already been published by the author. Knowing your author

will provide in-depth knowledge about his or her own private and personal feelings, reflections

and experiences.

Authoritative Knowledge: is the technical, or subject matter, expertise one possesses on a

specific field. Specializing in specific fields in which you are genuinely an expert on terminology,

in both languages, adds weight to your style.

Translate the work: Translate into your native language! Translating into a non-native

language will generally suffer from deficiencies in style, you will make more spelling andgrammatical errors. Regional variations within the same language need to be reflected in your

translation also. American English is not the same as British English, and not the same as

Australian English or south African English. The difference between cultures and countries is

significant, professional translators make the effort to be aware of regional language

differences. Culture does factor into translation.

Know your limits. Translation encompasses a huge field of subjects. If you think of all the

material that requires translation you will soon realize that this encompasses the collective body

of human knowledge. Some people are just incredibly gifted and seem to soak up whatever

subject they are exposed to.

Context is important. Disregard for translating in context has given rise to the expression lost

in translation. In your native language, most words have multiple meanings, so try to get the

general idea of what the author wants to say and not to lose the meaning of the context.

Simple is best. Never has an adage been more applicable to the profession of translation a

simple translating style, like writing and just about everything else, is powerful and convincing.

Always use succinct, easily understood language that complements the authors style

writing. Short, well formed sentences that adhere to the rules of grammar and are devoid of

complex terms are better. Slang and clichs do not translate well between most languages.

What is not written is as important as what is written. Knowledge of the author and

authoritative knowledge will provide you with the background information to see past the

physical, or written text. Admittedly, this is difficult and being able to convey the hidden

meaning without putting it in print is the mark of an accomplished translator.


3/25

Ask the Questions. Clients know that professional translators literally analyze text from every

conceivable angle. If something the original text does not sound right, seek clarification with a

timely question. Your client will appreciate your professionalism.

Compare with the Original: When you have finished the translation, place the source text on

the left and the target text on the right, side by side. Then, slowly and methodically, one line at

a time, read over the source text and then the corresponding target text. By employing this

methodology, you will easily be able to catch mistranslations and omissions. Correct any

discrepancy in the translation right away.

Edit (proof) the translation: In this step your focus should be on the technical (grammatical)

errors. Eliminate one group of errors at a time. Professional language translators will have

someone that is not too close to the project to do so (for example, someone that has not worked

on the project at all) to do the proofreading. If you not have an assistant, then distance yourself

from the project for a while. Sleep on it! Omitted words are not translated. In the English

language, much is implied and therefore omitted. There are numerous other words, such asparticles (the that are often omitted in English. Indeed, all languages have these grammatical

quirks that are ill-defined. The simple rule to follow is that if you are not sure, then do not omit

it. Acronyms can be misleading Take ASAP for example, everyone knows that ASAP stands for

as soon as possible, but according to the acronym finder, asap can have roughly 90

definitions. The definitions of acronyms vary from language to language. Avoid using acronyms

in your translations, or if you do, provide the definition.

Check the number, dates, names, and times twice. When deadlines are short, it is easy to

confuse numbers, dates, and times especially when different formats are required. Consistency

Rules: your writing style should be creative and varied. The technical aspect of your style,

however, must be consistent. If you have adopted a particular word or phrase for a term,

ensure that you consistently use the same term throughout. For example, if you use the term

aircraft, do not alternative use then the term plane, airplane, of flying object, be consistent

throughout the whole translation.

Sleep on the product: Sleep on the project or go for a walk, listen to music and then go back

to the work. You will be amazed at the clarity of mind with which you round off your translation

project!. Now, put your thesaurus to work. Identify words in the translated text that can be

replaced with alternative, better words. This is also a good place to be creative.


4/25

LA TRADUCCION DE NOMBRES PROPIOS

Muchas de las normas seguidas por los traductores se deben solo a convenciones y

estn sujetas a cambio. Una es la que aconseja que, con salvedades, no se traduzcan

los nombres propios extranjeros.

En idioma espaol es frecuente la traduccin de los nombres propios, adaptndose la grafa de

los apellidos. Las enciclopedias, por ejemplo, respetan los nombres originales, pero desaparecen

acentos y para la mayora de los personajes histricos de cierta antigedad se recogen los

nombres latinos.

Los nombres extranjeros de la antigedad suelen aparecer en su forma castellanizada, como en

el ejemplo de Toms Moro. Los nombres extranjeros actuales se escriben generalmente

respetando la forma original.

Los nombres de reyes pueden repetirse entre distintos pases, por lo que debe seguirse de su

pas: Carlos de Inglaterra, Carlos I de Espaa, etc.

Algunos personajes de la antigedad son conocidos por un calificativo, generalmente de su

origen.

Si el apellido empieza por preposicin, sta debe ir en minscula si aparece el nombre de pila

(Juan de la Cruz) y en mayscula si el apellido est solo (el seor De la Cruz).

Las partculas vander (en holands) y von (en alemn) equivalen al de espaol y deberan

ir en minscula: Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig van Beethoven, John von Neumann, etc. Cuando

no aparece el nombre de pila, se escribirn en mayscula: Es un Van Gogh, el Autogiro de De la

Cierva, etc.

Los nombres propios son otro de los aspectos que le dan connotacin local a un texto, tanto si

se refieren a las personas como a los objetos. Por ejemplo, en la cultura angloamericana el

escritor Tolstoy es conocido como Leo, que no es la traduccin del original Lev, que significa

len, sino su versin onomstica.

Se aprecia un fenmeno anlogo en la grafa occidental de algunos nombres originalmente

pertenecientes a alfabetos no latinos. El nombre ruso Dmitrij se traduce en algunos casos

como Demetrio o Dimitri.


5/25

Veamos los nombres propios de cosas. Esta categora se suele clasificar en:

Nombres de cines, teatros, nombres de calles, etc.

Con la excepcin de los organismos con nombre multilinge (Unin Europea, Unione Europea,

Union europenne, European Union, Europische Union, etc), la traduccin del nombre propio deuna entidad puede generar confusin. Por ejemplo, la traduccin de los nombres de

universidades que incluyen un nombre de lugar (University of California, Washington University,

Universit degli studi di Milano, etc.) puede ser arriesgado, ya que en algunos casos el topnimo

hace referencia al lugar donde se encuentra la universidad, y en otros no es ms que un

apelativo. Por ejemplo, la traduccin Milan University creara confusin, puesto que en Miln

hay ms de diez universidades que, si se tradujera su nombre, encajaran con mayor o menor

precisin en dicha traduccin al ingls. Lo mismo puede aplicarse a University of California, que

si se traduce literalmente dar la idea (equivocada) de que en California slo hay una

universidad. La traduccin de Washington University como Universidad de Washington sera

sencillamente un error, pues dicha universidad no se encuentra en Washington sino en Missouri.

Un aspecto importante referente a los nombres propios en particular, que es vlido para los

traductores de todas las combinaciones lingsticas, es el siguiente: cuando aparezca en un

texto un elemento de realia o un nombre propio, lo primero que hay que preguntarse es en qu

cultura e idioma se ha originado. Una vez determinado, se debe elegir entre:

1. la transliteracin o transcripcin de la grafa original2. la traduccin o adaptacin de la grafa original..


6/25

TRANSLATION OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

Translating the names of geographical entities (names of cities, states, provinces, countries and

other geographical terms) is like navigating in treacherous waters.

When there is doubt about translating the name of a given place, it is recommended that a

document be found that serves as a primary source. Translating, transferring or adapting

geographical terms accurately is a most difficult, yet rewarding, task.

Old places, but not new ones, change names. True or false?

I have always wondered why certain cities and places are not known in their native forms in

other languages, while others are. For example, Firenze is also known as Florencia and

Florence, and London is known as Londres and Londra. Cities that change their names in

translation are often old European towns, having been founded in antiquity or in the MiddleAges. This is the case of Lisbon, Krakow, Brussels, Rome, Cologne, among others. On the other

hand, many cities in the American continent, founded as of the sixteenth century, keep their

original name in different languages, Chicago, Toronto, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and

Acapulco are a case in point. It could therefore be deduced that European cities have different

names in translation (exonyms), because they are old, but the names of some American cities

do not get translated, because they are more recent.

On the other hand, Amsterdam and Madrid are simply transferred, not translated. Some cities

located in the Caribbean, which are considerably less old, such as Port-au-Prince in Haiti, and

Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago, the names changes when translated into Spanish,

becoming Puerto Prncipe and Puerto Espaa, respectively. Another Caribbean city christened

after its patron saint, Santiago de Cuba, keeps its Spanish denomination unchanged when

rendering it in French. In English, Puerto Rico is simply transferred from Spanish.

The Galician city of Santiago de Compostela is translated into French as Saint Jacques de

Compostelle, and into English as Saint James of Compostela. Also located in the North of Spain,

we find San Sebastin, a city that keeps its Spanish name unaltered in both English and

French. It is simply transferred, not translated. Therefore, the theory that ancient cities change

their names in different languages, while newer towns do not, applies to some, but not to all

cases.

If you dont know the exact translation, keep the name in the original language. But, which one

is the original language sometimes?

When the translation of a geographical entity is not available, or it is not known to the

translator, the best solution is to keep the places name in its original language. This is the

case of the Dutch city of Maastricht. In Spanish, however, there is no generally accepted


7/25

translation or adaptation available. The Low Countries pose a special challenge when it comes to

the translation of geographical names. This region includes The Netherlands, Belgium,

Luxembourg, and the North of France. The Low Countries once belonged to the Spanish

crown. While some provinces became independent, others remained possessions of the

Hapsburgs these being initially Spanish and then passing on to Austrian suzerainty.

The tongue spoken in the north of the Low Countries is known to its inhabitants as

Nederlands. Nederlands is translated into French as Nerlandais, and into English as

Dutch. Nederlands is the name of the actual language, which comprises all the local dialects

spoken in The Netherlands and Flanders.

In many cases, when there is doubt about translating the name of a given place, it is

recommended that a document be found that serves as a primary source. This can be

complicated in the Low Countries. Lets look at the city of Lille. Lille is located in the Nord-pas-

de-Calais region of France. Lille translates into dutch as Rijsel. Lille has no translation into

English. So, following the recommendation of keeping geographical names in their originaltongue, Lille will remain Lille when translating a document. Englishr efer to Lille as Rijsel.

Also the main port of Belgium is Antwerpen (in Dutch) and is translated as Antwerp in English,

amberes in Spanish, and Anvers in French.

The town of budweis, for example, home of the famous Budweiser beer is the towns name in

German. Pilsen another bohemian town famous for its beer.

We have already seen that San Sebastin is transferred as such into English and French. San

Sebastin is a bastion of Basque nationalism and many natives prefer to designate it as

Donostia.

The o in burgo did not make it across the Atlantic

Many European towns started as burgs. Thus, the suffix burg, or one of its variations, is

frequently found at the end of a citys name. Hamburg, Strasbourg, Edinburgh, and Saint

Petersburg are good examples. In Spanish they are translated as Hamburgo, Estrasburgo,

Edinburgo, San Petersburgo. Sin embargo, Pittsburgh it remains the same in English.

When translating the names of Canadian towns, beware not only of English and French, but also

of a capricious use of Latin:

Canada, as Belgium, has more than one official language. In most cases, the names of

Canadian towns are simply transferred, not translated. This is the case of Vancouver, Toronto,

Calgary, Winnipeg, and Regina. But the island of Newfoundland is known in French as Terre

Neuve. In Spanish, the name of the island is Terranova or Terra Nova as recorded in the early

geography books.


8/25

Latin medical terms, on the other hand, frequently undergo changes in Spanish (eg. Post partum

= postparto), but not in English. In Spanish, Nova Scotia s name is translated as Nueva

Escocia.

Names including the word New: Gender and translation issues.

When colonizing America, the English, French, and Spanish frequently named the new territories

after cities, regions, or provinces in their home countries adding the word new to the original

name. This is the origin of New York, Nouvelle Orlans, and Nuevo Mxico. The word state

translates as tat and estado in French and Spanish, respectively, being masculine in both

cases. On the other hand, city translates to ville and ciudad, both feminine. New Orleans is

translated as Nouvelle Orlans. It could be argued that the French prefer to leave the names of

the New towns in their original tongue.

Ending in a is normally feminine in Spanish. How does it translate into French?

It is a rule of thumb that in Spanish, with few exceptions, words ending in a are feminine,

while those ending in o are masculine. This is not the case in French, were feminine names

frequently end in e. It can thus be assumed that geographical names ending in a in Spanish

will end in e in French, e.g., Barcelona-barcelone, Bolivia-bolivie, Argentina-

Argentine. However, for other names ending in a in Spanish, their rendering into French keeps

the names spelling unaltered, but the gender changes. Such is the case of the Central

American countries of Guatemala, Panama, and Nicaragua which are feminine in Spanish and

masculine in French.

Careful with the accent: Same symbol, different values:

In Spanish the acento or tilde indicates a stressed syllable. In French, however, the same

symbol, known as the accent aigu, denotes a change in the pronunciation of the vowel. In some

cases, when these two different types of accents are considered equivalent, as the diacritic is the

same, mistakes can be made. Let us consider the city and province of Quebec in Canada. In

French, the spelling is Quebec. In Spanish, in order to respect the original pronunciation, the

spelling must be Quebec.

In French, the name is Montral , where the accent does not indicate the stressed vowel, but the

way the e should be pronounced. In Spanish, the unquestionable spelling is Montreal. In

English we say Orleans without accent, and in French we say Orlans.

Can you find some more cities that are spelled differently in English and Spanish?? Or in other

languages ??


9/25

PROOFREADING YOUR WORK

S. Gomes is a bilingual translator and interpreter with over six years experience teaching

business language and culture.

Every translators nightmare is to proofread their work. You send a translation to a

client and you realize later that it had a mistake or a typo. Or worse, the client send it

back to you marked with so many corrections that it looks like they bled on your

work. Poor punctuation or misspelled words are practically unforgivable.

Every document you translate is a reflection on you and your skills. Some people

devote only a few minutes to proofreading, hoping to catch any glaring errors that

jump out from the page, but a quick job, especially after youve been working longand hard on a translation, usually misses a lot.

Here are a few tips to make your translation as close to perfect as possible:

1. take a break between writing and proofreading. Set the document aside for atleast 20 minutes or longer whenever possible. Go for a run. Get a bite to

eat. Watch a movie. Approach your writing with a clear head so you can look

at the translation fresh.

2. Proper lighting is essential. Dont use fluorescent lighting when proofreading.3. Use spell-check wisely. Word-processing programs have spell-checkers that

will cat most but not ALL spelling errors. They might suggest a word that isnt

what you want at all. Make sure that your text says that Shes anxious to

meet him. And not meat him. Dont rely entirely on them.

4. Print out your work. Youre more likely to catch typos and mistakes looking ata hard copy. The eye tends to scan information on a screen, but actually reads

it when its on a printed page.

5. Break down your tasks. The number of things you need to look out for mayoverwhelm you. For example, one proof for spelling, one for type of font and

size, etc.

6. Read the text out loud and slowly, articulating each word as it is actuallywritten. When you read silently or too quickly you may skip over errors or

make unconscious corrections.

7. Proof tables and lists separately. Proof the most prominent text separatelysuch as headings, table of contents, titles, etc. When proofing a numbered or

lettered list, take a moment at the beginning and run down the list counting

each number out making sure that the numbers or letters flow in their proper


10/25

order. Make sure all headings are formatted identically and numbered

properly.

8. Keep a glossary. Write out proper names and specific terminology on aseparaThe proofreading process becomes more efficient as you develop and

practice a systematic strategy. Youll learn to identify the specific areas of

your own writing that need careful attention and try to have a method for

finding errors will help you focus more on translating your text.te sheet of

paper and check it against every instance in the main document to ensure they

are spelled correctly each time.

9. Check spacing, bullets, and tabs. Make sure the tabs line up especially frompage to page.

10.Use specific notations. When marking the document, try using proofreadermarks. Use a colored ink that will pop out at you as you look at the page.

11.Know your weak areas. Create a list of the errors you make repeatedly so thatyou can pay more attention to them next time you translate something.

GOOD AND BAD TRANSLATION HABITS. SOME COMMON ERRORSTRANSLATORS MAKE AND SHOULD AVOID.

The accomplished translator can develop good as well as bad habits.

BAD HABITS:

1. to lose touch with the source language for long periods of time.2. Taking illegitimate shortcuts while translating, like falling to look up a word one is really

not sure how to translate.

3. To summarize a paragraph instead of providing a full translation.4. The worst habit for a translator is to decide at a certain point in time that his or her

knowledge of either the source or the target language is so good that it cannot possibly

stand any improvement. The moment one stops growing linguistically, one is no longer

on the cutting edge of ones profession. The good translator is a perennial language

student, always eager and willing to learn more and to keep up with the latest.

GOOD HABITS:

1. one excellent habit is to read professional literature in the field one will be called upon totranslate in with reasonable frequency. One good example is Scientific American, which

can help anyone who translates subjects of science and technology. And people who

work in the field of translating business documents should definitely read business

periodicals, The Wall Street Journal, the Times, American Business magazines, articles,

etc.

2. to be always on the lookout for dictionaries. Many dictionaries are hard to find, and areavailable in few places.


11/25

3. The practice of compiling word lists and building a reference library. Dictionaries do nothave all the words and terms a translator needs, nor do they contain all the information

which specialized references may have. There are aids for translators put out by certain

organizations, and there is professional literature in every field. Good references are

worth their weight in gold when they are needed for a specific translator.

4. To consult experts on the specific subject we are translating.5. To re-read again the original and the target text and to take into account to which

audience we are translating for.

Can you think of some more good and bad habits?

MONOLINGUAL AND BILINGUAL DICTIONARIES

A word of Advice

You should always have at hand tow different dictionaries at least: a bilingual dictionary (in this

case, English-Spanish, Spanish-English) and an English dictionary. This is most important in

order to avoid falling into a very common type of error which could change the whole meaning of

your translation.

Take as an example the word solicitud. You may find this opening phrase in a letter, De

acuerdo con su solicitud de fecha

Your bilingual dictionary will give you several definitions for thw word solicitud, for example,

request, application, etc. Only one of these terms would be correct, the others probably will

be totally unrelated to your letter. Consult your English dictionary and, by the meanings given,

you will find out which is the right term to use.

The same advice applies when translating into Spanish Think of the disasters committed with the

word actually, introduce, etc), but you must reverse the procedure. First consult your

English Dictionary to find out the exact meaning of a word you are not sure of, and then look it

up in your English-Spanish Dictionary.

MAKING THE MOST OF DICITONARIES IN THE CLASSROOM

From OxfordUniv. Press

Inexperienced users of both monolingual and bilingual dictionaries are liable to fall into trap of

finding a word and taking the first meaning that they come to. It is worth taking some time to

point out to them that the word may appear more than once in the dictionary, or have more

than one part of speech, or meaning, and that they must sometimes look beyond the first item

they find.


12/25

Once the students have become familiar with the conventions of thedictionary and gained

confidence in using it, it is important to make the dictionary an integral part of the language

class. (we can even choose a word of the week, a new word we learn that week and post it in

the blackboard during a whole week).

USING A DICTIONARY FOR INTRODUCING NEW VOCABULARY

This is a natural starting-point for encouraging your students to use dictionaries, since it is when

they meet an unfamiliar word that they most readily recognize the need for help from an outside

source. In class they may be content to rely on you for explanations, but being able to find

things out independently is an essential part of language learning. At home the dictionary may

be their only source of help, in class, it can take some of the pressure off the teacher and

provide relief from the familiar routine of students always reading texts and the teacher

explaining the new words.

Recording vocabulary methodically and in a way which will help them to remember it is an

important stage in the students language learning process. You may wish to encourage them to

make their vocabulary notebooks, or glossaries (specific mini-dictionaries).

The dictionary can be a useful tool in ensuring that their personal vocabulary records are

accurate and helpful by providing information on:

1. whether the word is worth recording. Students may consider that a word makred dated or technical is not one which they wish to make part of their active vocabulary.

2. The correct spelling3. Any irregularities in thegrammar (plural of a noun? Past tense of a verb?4. Pronunciation5. Meaning6. How the item is used in phrases or sentences7. Connected derivatives and compounds

USING A DICTIONARY FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORD

From elementary level onwards, students are confronted with choices about register: request or

ask for, descend or go down? Many students will opt for a more formal word than is

appropriate. They may feel that it is safer to err on the side of formality, or, particularly if their

own language is Latin-based, the more formal expression may seem more familiar to them. Onthe other hand, some learners may have been exposed to English in informal situations. Once

students realize how it can help them to choose more confidently among the various options,

they will be more inclined to make using a dictionary part of their routine for choosing their

words.


13/25

For example, if we look up the word request in the dictionary we can have several

meanings: ask for something, Passengers are requested not to smoke, or as a noun, asking

for something like: They made a request for money. Lets do Exercise I.

Look up the words in the left hand column and match them with the more usual expression:

1. request a. cry

2. attempt b. help

3. weep c. be sick

4. permit d. buy

5. vomit e. ask for

6. resemble f. look like

7. purchase g. allow

8. assist h. try

Exercise II: Whats more usual?

Look up the words in the left-hand column and match them with the more usual

expression. Look at the examples of notices, instructions, etc, below and explain how the words

used in these situations differ from those in everyday conversation. Then choose one of the

words from the list to fill each of the gaps, using the dictionary to check which match the

formal situations and which should go in the speech bubbles.

Select Ring the bell if you help

Remove All the cakes look delicious. I dont know which to choose

Omit Please .. a ticket from the machine

Choose To photocopy you should: the number of copies.

Press the green button.

Need If youre too hot, your coat !

Take off I cant do question 4 so Im going to it ..

Leave out Are you a full-time student? If yes, ..question number

8 and 9.

8. Name and address of employer:___________________

get Cooking instructions: Heat oven to 200, .. wrapper,

place dish in oven.

Exercise III: Whats the register, situation or tone?

Look at the following sentence: Do not alight here.

Loop up the word alight in the dictionary and note any information which related not to meaning

but to the situation in which the word is used. There will be clues in the examples given by the

dictionary, but they should also find the label fml. Then try to imagine where they might read or


14/25

see this sentence. Read the sentences below and speculate on the possible source of the

sentences: report? Poem? Sign? Conversation? In a textbook?

1. We walked throughverdantfields.2. She reallywent off the deep end.3. Stars shone in thefirmament.4. There were injuries to thetibia.

USING A DICTIONARY FOR PRACTISING PRONUNCIATION:

When the emphasis of the lesson is on pronunciation practice, the dictionary need not sit on the

shelf. Your students may be unaware of the help that the dictionary can give them in

pronouncing unfamiliar words, or they may lack confidence in dealing with the phoneticalphabet.

A good starting-point might be to concentrate on just two sounds, for example the asily-

confused vowel sounds /A/ and /U/.

Look up in the dictionary for the words cup and put and write down the phonetic symbol

which represents each vowel sound.

Hear the difference between the two sounds. From the list of words below, check the

pronunciation in the dictionary and group them according to whether they contain the sound /A/

or /U/.

Cup put bull butcher butter cushion pudding

Tub wool

CHOOSING A GOOD SPANISH ENGLISH DICTIONARY

English Spanish dictionaries come in all shapes, sizes, specialties, and mediums. There are

paperback dictionaries, medical dictionaries, desktop dictionaries, electronic dictionaries, gooddictionaries and bad dictionaries.

All the options can be confusing for anybody deciding on how best to start (or improve

their Spanish translation resource library.

The most important thing to remember is that individual needs will vary. People who

love Spanish translation (and English Spanish dictionaries) are a unique breed.


15/25

However, there are a list of guidelines that I like to follow when deciding how to spend

my money on English Spanish dictionaries. I think this checklist can also help you.

1. Dont trust the internet. Just because its on the internet, doesnt mean itstrue. Is a warning call to be careful when doing research online for

translations of specific words.

2. due to the nature of the web, anyone can claim they know everything aboutArctic fishing and how to translate every related word in both Spanish and

English.

3. Determine your needs. There are so many choices to choose from whendeciding to get. Narrow down what kind of work youll be doing and the target

audience for that specific translation.

4. Are you interested in translating for the medical field? Then, youll need toinvest in medical dictionaries.

5. Determine the format. Are you looking for just Spanish English translationequivalents or do you want definitions included in the dictionary? Thatsusually the difference between glossaries and dictionaries. Glossaries are lists

translations while dictionaries have definitions included.

6. Determine the language(s). do I need the dictionary to be a monolingual oneor a bilingual one? There are a lot of specialized dictionaries that are written in

only Spanish or only English.

7. Legal dictionaries are an excellent example of this. Because laws are differentin different parts of the Spanish-Speaking world, individualized resource books

have been written which explain the laws of that particular region. These will

undoubtedly be different in other regions and will usually be monolingual (as

opposed to an English-Spanish Dictionary).8. Where do you do most of your translation work? At the office? At home? In

your bed? The last thing you want to be doing is to carry around every English

Spanish Dictionary you own. Thanks to this technology age, however, there are

many options to choose from. Electronic Spanish English dictionaries,

computer software, or even programs specially to translate (TRADOS,

WORDFAST, etc).

More on dictionaries to come!


16/25

How to use a dictionary

dictionary (-sho-) n

dictionary n. Book explaining, usu. in alphabetical order, the words of language or words and

topics of some special subject, author, etc., wordbook, lexicon, (French-English, etc. - list of

French etc. words with English etc. translation or explanation: dictionary of Americanisms, of

architecture, of the Bible, of proverbs, Dictionary of National Biography, Shakespeare dictionary,

etc.) //f. med. L dictionarium (manuale manual) & dictionarius (liber book) f. L dictio (see

prec., - ARY)//

Ask most people to define the word, dictionary, and the chances are they will provide a

passable explanation, though probably not in as much detail as the one above, taken from the

Concise Oxford Dictionary.

Ask the same people whether they possess a dictionary - either at home, in the office, or in a

briefcase or book-bag- and the answer would most probably be yes.

Again, ask the same people how often they refer to it and whether they fully understand the

abbreviations which accompany each words explanation, and the answer might be very

different!

Why do people so often fail to check the meaning or spelling of a word? The answer lies in the

Vocabulary Range diagram. As you see, everyones vocabulary may be divided into twosectionsfirstly, the words which a person knows well, and uses regularly, and secondly, the

words which a person tends not to use, but which he is able to recognise when he meets them in

a book or magazine. The first section may be termed our active vocabulary and the second, our

passive vocabulary. In addition, there is a third section of words, which a person does not know

or use, or recognise. In between the second and third sections lie those words which we

recognise when we see them in print we remember that we have seen them beforebut which

we have been too lazy to look up! And this is why people tend to use only the words they know

well while avoiding unfamiliar ones.

As you can imagine, the number of words a person knows and uses his

active vocabulary varies a great deal between one person and another. A journalist or

reporter, for example, might be expected to have a wider vocabulary range then, say a

forester or watchmaker, whose work is more solitary and specialised.

Every student of English and communication, however, needs to widen his or her range of

vocabulary, since this will help both oral and written English to be more accurate and


17/25

interesting. And this is why the ability to use a dictionary effectively and the determination to

consult it regularly are so important.

As you will have noticed from the definition of the word dictionary at the head of this section,

there are a number of references and abbreviations which may at present seem strange

and unfamiliar. Once you have mastered the techniques of consulting a good dictionary,

however, you will find that your vocabulary range, spelling and awareness of the force of

language will improve greatly. Check the following points carefully and then

browse through your own dictionary to see how much more information you are able to

gain from it.

1 Use your dictionary to complete these spellings.

Full spelling

recei - t

qua - m

ya - - t

- onour

- sychology

- neumonia

- now

- naw

2

1. In each of the following pairs of sentences there is a blank.2. Use your dictionary to decide which word fits in which sentence, and write the correct

word in.

stationary/stationery

e g Dont get off the bus until it is stationary...

Im going to buy a new pen from the stationery shop.

dairy/diary

a- Ill make a note of that in my ..

1. Butter, milk and cheese are all ..products.


18/25

eligible/illegible

1. Im afraid you are not ..for this job.2. Your handwriting is .

gaol/goal

1. He was sent to .for theft.2. He scored two .in the football match.

sensible/sensitive

g- She is a person and her feelings are easily hurt.

h- He was enough to take an umbrella when he left .

the house.

1. As in the previous exercise, put the correct word in the appropriate sentence. Use yourdictionary.

e g arrangement/appointment

I have anappointment. with the manager at 11.00 a.m.

I have an arrangement with the bookshop. They give me a

10% discount.

rob/steal

a- The thief .the bank.

b- He .some money.

mean/think

1. What do you .about my idea?2. What does plonk ..?

wait/expect

1. I .the train will arrive late as usual !2. Ill for you near th entrance.

rise/raise

1. The sun in the East.2. your hand if you are in agreement.

lose/loose


19/25

1. Hes dieting to try to .some weight.j- If hes successful, his trousers may be too

1. Insert the correct words in the appropriate spaces in the passage below.

appointment duties procedure

announces escorts refer

area gesture register

arrangements movements suggestion

client notify tact

A receptionist in a small firm may have to use the typewriter, operate the switchboard, and

perform other clerical ., in addition to receiving visitors. In a large firma receptionist can concentrate on welcoming and looking after visitors.

A visitor to a large firm should make an ..because executives are often very busy and

do not have much time for visitors. Executives and secretaries should the

receptionist in advance about important appointments, and about the . of

executives, especially when they are out of the building on business.

Executives often ask receptionists to make travel . for them, such as booking hotel

rooms and airline tickets.

There is a certain for receiving visitors. A receptionist should find out if the visitor

has an appointment or not. If the visitor is an important , the executives or this

secretary will come down to the reception .to greet the visitor. Sometimes the

receptionist or another secretary , or accompanies, the

visitor to the executives office. Using the visitors name when he arrives is a

friendly and gives the visitor a good impression of the firm. When the receptionist

and the visitor arrive at the executives office, the receptionist .the visitors

name, title and position, and introduces the executive to him.

When a visitor cannot be satisfied, the receptionist should apologize and make some ..

for an alternative meeting. If a meeting is impossible, the receptionist should

express regret and explain with ., what has happened, so that the visitors

feelings are not hurt.

6 A receptionist should keep a .. which includes dates, times, name and the firm

the visitor works for. A receptionist can then to this if there is a request for

information.


20/25

7 Insert the correct word in the appropriate spaces.

balance commercial quarterly

basis consular quotation

bill debit retains

clear duty statement

column open submit

An invoice is a . that is, a demand for payment. It can also be a .., a

regular notice of a buyers account with a seller.

The statement invoice is for buyers who have an account with sellers, and is often

sent monthly or . . In a statementeach invoice is a entry, and eachpayment by the buyer is a credit entry. There

is a separate .. in an invoice for the quantity of goods despatched,

the description of the goods, the price per unit, and the total value. In the statement there is

one each for debit and credit entries and for the ..

A Pro-Forma invoice is like an ordinary invoice, except that it is sent to the buyer

for information before he buys, or for payment before the seller despatches the goods. If

the Pro-Forma invoice is for information, it is a form of , a description of price and

costs to help the buyer to decide.

An invoice which is used in international trade and includes the cost of freight and insurance is

called a or Export Invoice. This is one of the shipping documents and is very

important for banks, customs, and shipping.

An invoice which is signed by the seller and an official from the importing countrys embassy or

consulate is called a ..invoice.

This is one of the shipping documents and is very important for banks, customs, and shipping.

An invoice which is signed by the seller and an official from the importing countrys embassy

or consulate is called a .. invoice.

This invoice is very often used for customs authorities in the importing countries to

make sure that the customs .. is paid.

It is also used to help a consignment through customs, to

avoid a lengthy inspection and a long delay. When the invoice is made out, a copy is sent

to the Packing and Despatch Departments, and the Accounts Department a

copy. They fill in the columns for price and total value. These details must be accurate, as the

invoice is the . for the Bill of Lading, and the exporter must


21/25

these two documents, the Export Invoice and the Bill of Lading to a bank for

payment.

8 Insert the correct words in the appropriate spaces in the passage below.

accept endorsing packing shipped

airmail in blank present title

consignee law receipt transfer

discharge negotiable responsibility unclean

The Bill of Lading is important in international finance, insurance, and

It is the local . to ownership of the goods described on the Bill of

Lading. The .. cannot accept delivery of his consignment unless he possesses a

copy.

You can describe a Bill of Lading in one way by saying that it is a ..

signed by the captain of the ship, stating that he has received the goods on board his ship. A

Bill of Lading signed by the captain after he receives and inspects the goods on board ship is

called a Bill of Lading.

If the goods are damaged before they reach the ship, the captain or the shipowners issue an

..Bill of Lading (sometimes called dirty or foul). If the captain receives the goods

on board in good condition, the

full title of the document he signs is a clean, shipped on boardBill of Lading. Banks usually

demand shipped Bills of Lading before they accept

for the credit.

The holder of a Bill of Lading can ..possession of the goods to another person or

company by ..or signing on the back of it. In other words, the Bill of Lading, unlike

the Air Waybill, is a

document. If a buyer or a bank ask the seller not to restrict the negotiability of the Bill of

Lading, they demand that it should be endorsed

The details printed on the Bill of Lading must include the port of loading and the port of

. The type of packing must also be stated.

Examples of this are cases, crates, and boxes.

When the Bill of Lading is completed, copies are sent by on separate days, so that if

one is lost, the other may reach the importer. The importer, or consignee as he is described

on the Bill of Lading, can then


22/25

. the Bill of Lading to the shipping company and ..

delivery of his goods.

LISTADO DE DICCIONARIOS RECOMENDADOS

Bibliografa

Diccionario de Uso del Espaol: Mara Moliner, Gredos, Madrid (1990),

Reimp. ISBN: 8424913442

Longman dictionary of English Language and Culture: Longman, London (2002). 2nd

Edition, 5th impression with corrections. ISBN: 058230203X.

Diccionario de trminos jurdicos: ingls-espaol,espaol-ingls: Enrique Alcaraz Var y

Brian Hughes: prologo de Ramn Martn Mateo. Editorial Ariel, Barcelona (2000). 3ra.

Edicin. ISBN: 84-344-0512-1.

Dictionary of international trade: handbook of the Global Trade Community: Edward G.

Hinkelman, with contributions by Karla Shippey. Word Trade Press, California (2000). 4th

Edition. ISBN: 1-885073-84-4

English-Spanish Banking Dictionary: Rafael Gil Esteban, Editorial paraninfo, Madrid (2000). 8a.

edicin. ISBN: 84-283-3673-8.

La Traduccin de los Nombres Propios: Virgilio Moya. Catedra, Madrid,

2000. ISBN: 8437618711.


23/25

REFERENCE MATERIALS

ENGLISH IDIOMS

An idiom isan expression with a meaning that can be difficult to guess from the meanings of its

separate words.

Talk to a brick wall means talk to an unresponsive person.

Hear something from the horses mouth means get the information directly from the person

concerned.

Common areas for idioms in business are war (hit your targets), gambling (theres a lot of

money at stake) and shipping (dont rock the boat).

Complete the sentences with idioms from the box below:

a. put you in the picture e. get a word in edgeways

b. talking at cross purposes f. beating about the bush

c. get straight to the point g. heard it on the grapevine

d. have a quick word h. on the same wavelength

Use your dictionary to complete these sentences with the phrases above:

1. Ok, Ill Im afraid were going to have to let you go.2. You and your boss seem to agree on most things.Yes, we are ...3. Susan, I know you are busy, but can I with you?4. Some important decisions were taken at yesterday s meeting. Let me

.

5. I think we have been . I meant next month, not this month.6. Anja dominates all our meetings. Once she starts you cant .7. He never gives you a straight answer. Hes always 8. I that hes been fired. Is it true?

Can you look for some more idioms on the dictionary? Then translate them.


24/25

DEFINITIONS OF GLOSSARY:

Noun. An alphabetical list, with meanings, of the words or phrases in a text that are

difficult to understand.

A list of difficult or specialized words with their definitions. Latin: glossarium. There are words

requiring a certain explanation.

A Dictionary of special terms found in a particular field of study.

In general specialized glossaries of a certain subject (technical, scientific, medical, law,

architecture, dentistry, literary, biology, etc), there can be glossaries in any subject we can think

of..

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary.

The American Heritage Dictionary

Websters New Encyclopedic Dictionary


25/25

Ethics and Professionalism in Translation

Documents

Transcript of Ethics and Professionalism in Translation