Experienced translators use various techniques to ensure translations are accurate and sound natural in the target language.
This presentation covers key strategies used by interpreters and translators.
1. Borrowing
Definition: Adoption of words or phrases from one language by speakers of another without translation.
Example: Words like "pretzel" and "hamburger" borrowed from German.
Often used when there is no equivalent word in the target language.
Common borrowed words from English include technical terms like "software" and "iPhone."
Other examples: "pizza", "cappuccino" (Italian); "valet", "champagne" (French).
2. Calque
Definition: A phrase borrowed from another language and translated literally, word for word.
Example: "Flea market" from French "marché aux puces" (literally "market of fleas").
Calques follow the morphosyntactic rules of the target language.
Examples in Spanish: "rascacielos" (skyscraper), "alta resolución" (high resolution), and "ratón" (mouse).
3. Literal Translation
Definition: Word-for-word translation but may not always work due to structural differences in languages.
Example: "I am doing a presentation" translates to "Yo estoy haciendo una presentación" (works).
Sentence structure can affect translation: "The experienced teacher had never been..." translates to "El profesor experimentado nunca había..." (note adjective and noun order).
Not all sentences can be translated literally:
"I am going to the beach" does not translate literally to Spanish.
More natural: "Voy a la playa."
4. Transposition
Definition: Changing the sequence or grammatical category of parts of speech in translation without altering the message.
Example: "Hand knitted" becomes "Tejido a mano."
Example Translation: "The Mexican border was the key topic in the last election" to "La frontera con México fue el tema principal en las últimas elecciones."
5. Modulation
Definition: Using a different phrase in the target language that conveys the same idea, altering the semantics or perspective.
Example: "Te lo dejo" literally means "I leave it to you," but in English, it could be "You can have it."
Another example: "It's not difficult" translates more naturally as "Es fácil de hacerlo."
6. Equivalence
Definition: Conveying the same idea using different styles, structures, or words, often used for idioms.
Examples of idiomatic expressions:
"Creerse la última Coca-Cola en el desierto" (to think you’re the best) vs. "to think you’re the best thing since sliced bread."
"Tomar el pelo" (to pull one’s leg).
"No saber ni papa de algo" (not to have a clue).
7. Compensation
Definition: Used when something cannot be translated directly; adds extra context to maintain meaning.
Example: Gender distinction in Spanish (el gato, la gata)."La gata le dio de comer a su gatito" may translate to "The cat fed her kitten" to clarify gender.
Formal vs. informal address in translation (e.g., "usted" vs. "you").
Conclusion
Translation involves navigating between languages and cultures.
The techniques discussed are tools to achieve accurate and natural translations.