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As long as people from different parts of the world have
been communicating there has been a need for translators. As the world has
become a smaller place and globalization has brought
peoples into greater contact, the need for translators has grown and so too has
the various misconceptions and myths about translation. Translators must know
more than just the vocabulary and grammar of a language. It's not as simple as
sitting down with dictionaries and translating content word for word.
What follows is a list of some of the most common myths
about translation office.
1) Bilingual People Can Translate
Being raised bilingually is not something that makes one a
translator by nature. You can't simply wake up one day and decide to do quality
Spanish / English translation just because you understand the languages, are
fluent with them, or are even a native speaker of both. Spoken language is
different from written language and those who can fluently speak a language
aren't necessarily good writers. Translation, however, is much more than
writing and an understanding of translation theory is a necessity. One needs to
understand the problems and issues that are inherent in translating languages.
A translator needs to know such things as when it is
important that the cultural elements of the original text be transferred to the
translated version and when they should not be. Different approaches need to be
taken when translating technical texts, legal documents, philosophical writings
and fiction.
2) Translation Can Be Done Quickly
Translation is a process that takes a considerable amount of
time. It isn't reasonable to assume that translators can easily translate
material in a flash. Far too many people think that translation is a simple
task that can be accomplished quickly, as if one just substitutes Spanish words
for English words.
A competent typist may be able to finish copying a 3,000
word document in under an hour. However, you would be hard pressed to find
anyone capable of typing thousands of words in an hour where translation is
concerned. The actual number of words that a translator can produce in an hour
can vary depending on the type of text that they're dealing with. However, a
good rule of thumb is about 3,000 words per day. For comparison, this article
(including the title and subheadings) has 1,092 words.
Translators must spend a great deal of time to ensure that
the finished product looks like an original work. They spend time on:
* Looking up definitions, synonyms, word usage, etc.
* Considering context, concepts, semantics, ambiguity,
cultural influences, verbiage, etc.
* Editing and proofing grammar as well as mechanics such as
punctuation and capitalization
3) A Translator Can Translate Both Directions Equally
Translating from English to Spanish as well as Spanish to
English is something a translator generally should not do. While there are some
gifted translators in the world who can handle both directions, most
translators limit themselves to one direction for good reason. It's not like a
highway where traffic flows easily in two directions.
Regardless of how well a translator has learned additional
languages, one language will be dominant. It is generally preferable for a
translator to translate into his primary language. A skilled and trained
individual translating into his dominant or native language will be able to
more adequately understand the subtle nuances of his own language than a
non-native speaker would.
4) Translators Can Translate Anything If They Know The
Language
People specialize for a reason. No one can be an expert in
everything. Knowledge of a language is obviously necessary for translating but
understanding a language doesn't make a translator an expert in all things. To
be able to translate a particular subject area, a translator should have an
intimate knowledge of that field. Medical translators, for example, develop a
large vocabulary of medical and biological terms and have an understanding of
human anatomy and medical procedures. A translator who doesn't understand what
he is translating is doomed to produce a poor translation.
5) Computer Translation Is Pretty Reliable
While translation software may be useful for certain tasks -
it might help the reader get the general gist of the text - it is far from
being a reliable source for translation. The problem with computer translation
is that the software doesn't have a deep knowledge of the language. It doesn't
understand ambiguity, know how to deal with irregularities in the language, and
is prone to inaccuracies due to multiple meanings for a single word. A human
translator is able to comprehend context and has an understanding of the
culture that has helped shape the language.
Computers have been known to come up with some pretty funny
(or scary) translations. The same can be said for so called translators who are
nothing more than bilingual. This writer once saw an English language sign that
stated something to the effect of "No Vandalism - Violators will be
prosecuted." The Spanish translation stated something like "Victims
of rape will be prosecuted." Not a good translation to say the least.
6) Translators Can Interpret And Interpreters Can Translate
While it may seem like the two would be interchangeable,
there is a distinct difference between translating and interpreting. Writing
and speaking are two very different things, and one skill set is very different
from the other. Just because someone is skilled at one does not mean that he or
she is skilled at the other.
Translation deals specifically with translating into a text
format, whether the source material is another document or speech (audio
translation). Translators need to be good writers and depending on the
individual's area of expertise, a background in technical, creative, academic,
or other forms of writing is necessary. A translator also needs reading and
comprehension skills, along with knowledge of linguistics and a high
proficiency for editing and grammar. For those who are involved in audio
translation, listening skills are also important.
Interpreting deals specifically with producing the final
product orally. An interpreter will listen to a Spanish speaker and then
express what he hears in English. A knowledge of linguistics and phonetics is
important as well as a background in interpersonal and intercultural
communication. Interpreting can be a mentally exhausting task as one needs to
accurately express what the speaker is saying as he is saying it or just after.
There is no time to use dictionaries or to carefully craft a statement.
Listening and comprehension skills are a must as are public speaking, voice and
diction skills and an understanding of non verbal communication.
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