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QUALITY TRANSLATIONS - PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATORS
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PROCEDURE
4.1. TRANSLATION PROCEDURE
Here is every quality standard to be achieved and the procedure to follow to achieve that standard.
4.1.1 - Faithfulness to the original text
- Standard quality: fidelity to the original text.
- Staying true to the meaning of terms and phrases translated.
- Work with great rigor and precision to reflect the merits of the case, collecting all the nuances. It's about being true to the original version in content and faithful to the target language on the form.
- They are especially dangerous "false friends" (words similar to the target language but have different translation) and groups of words that together are translated differently as translated separately.
Important Procedures:
- Read the text carefully.
- Read each sentence as many times as necessary until they understand.
- Investigate the degree of depth and perfectionism that is required until they understand all the ideas of the text. Each of the original idea must be understood in all its nuances, to know exactly what he meant by the author. To this end, does all the research necessary to know the exact meaning of each word and expression. If necessary, we study the country's legal system which has drafted the original document or other fields on which see the text. To do this, it will sometimes be necessary to consult dictionaries (general, specialized, definitions, abbreviations, etc.), Other available resources (Internet, manuals, etc..) Or people who know the subject.
- A once understood the ideas contained in the translation, with all its nuances, are expressed just as you would a native expert. To this end, conducting a research with the degree of depth and perfectionism that is necessary in the appropriate fields in order to find the exact equivalent to the concept abroad.
- Consult the dictionary a lot, especially when a term does not sound 100% good in context, or we are not 100% sure, even for words they already know. View all possible translations and phrases with the word, selecting the best alternative for each context.
- At the same time, not content with the dictionary. If none of the translations given by the dictionary does not quite square, research by other means. When necessary, use a dictionary of definitions, take the concept and to investigate what the target language term corresponds to the concept.
- If the target language concept that there is no exact equivalent to the concept of the source language (it happens sometimes with legal translations, due to the different legal systems), make a free translation for understanding the concept and indicate with An explanatory note in the Note Criteria.
- If the translation sounds good (it has to look like a text originally written by a native of the target language and not a translation), be as literal as possible. However, anything that sounds forced or odd must be adapted to the style of a native expert, at the cost of departing from the literal (to take the idea, forget the original text and to express the idea as you would an expert native) .
- Where necessary to deviate much from the original version so that the translation is written as you would an expert native state on the Note Criteria.
- If after investigating everything you need, is a doubtful question, note that fact in the criteria (if slightly dubious) or contact by email the Project Coordinator (if it is more questionable), proposing the query translation, Coordinator that the transfers to the client. When in doubt, better to ask.
- To translate the abbreviations. If not possible, because the author has invented the original version, indicate in the Note Criteria that have been left in the original language.
- Make sure everything (not assume anything). Be done continuously questions like "Am I sure this is right?
- Review by comparing an original copy of the translation, highlighting each word as it is checked (or checking in the computer itself word for word with the marker that appears at the bottom right of the toolbar).
This type of screening is highly effective if applied some mechanism of "retention", ie to memorize a piece of text in the source document, then read the relevant piece of translation and compare both. This can be effective vocalizing to read (aloud or to oneself) the piece of the translated text and the source text and comparing, checking each word match. It may be useful to read a piece of our translation back to mentally translate the source language and go comparing our translation with the original text.
- To review the contents to make sure everything makes sense and logic. For a moment, forget that we are translators and imagine that we are a lawyer who has just drafted a contract, a consultant who has just written a report, etc., Checking that the content is appropriate.
Recommended Procedures:
- Consult experts in those subjects who are not fluent
- To acquire specialized knowledge of the relevant knowledge area (eg do some kind of study of law, computer, etc.).
- Have good specialized dictionaries, handbooks, legislation, etc.
For legal translations can be very useful practical Mementos Francis Lefebvre: Memento corporate, tax, real estate, etc., Since it is very easy to locate topics that are investigated. Also useful are the manuals and legislation, especially the manual of commercial law and procedure and commercial law, the Civil Code, the LEC, etc. For translations of English is extremely useful to Black's Law Dictionary (West Publishing), which explains the various figures of the common law.