Translation Techniques

Overview

• 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.