CONCEPTS
What’s translation?
The process of transferring meaning from one language to another.
What can you translate?
Everything! Texts, TikToks, videos, novels, books, articles, websites, etc.
This technique uses the exact same word from the original version and inserts it into the translated version.
Borrowing.
This technique translates a text by changing the perspective of the original version. It's like a different way of saying the same.
Modulation
What’s a translation technique?
The way in which you translate a text, a paragraph or a sentence.
Why is translation useful?
Because we can communicate better with translation.
This technique translates a single word in a literal way, also word-by-word, and always keeps the same literal meaning as in the original version.
Calques
This technique uses many idioms or colloquial phrases to translate according to the specific culture of the language community.
Reformulation
Translate the following using reformulation: “Why does it cost this much? It’s going to cost me an arm and a leg”.
¡Me va costar un ojo de la cara!
What’s a direct technique?
A technique where you translate a text using literal meaning. We do not pay attention to context.
What are the three direct techniques?
Literal translation, calques, and borrowings.
In this technique, you mainly get rid of words you do not consider necessary in your translation, but you do not affect the meaning of your text.
Omission
This technique translates a text word by word without considering the whole text's meaning, intention, or message.
Literal translation
Translate the following using modulation: “I am pregnant! My baby is born in May”.
¡Estoy esperando un hijo! Voy a ser mamá en mayo.
What’s an indirect technique?
A technique where you consider the context, and we translate freely according to what we want to communicate.
What are the six indirect techniques?
Insertion, Omission, Modulation, Transposition, Reformulation, Adaptation.
In this technique, you add different words or phrases to make more sense in your translation.
Insertion
This technique translates a sentence by changing word types; for example, a noun becomes an adjective in translation.
Transposition
Translate the following using adaptation in Latin American Spanish vs in Castellano Spanish: “You’re so annoying! Stop it!”
¡No estés chingando! ¡Ya cálmate! ¡Qué fastidioso tío! ¡Hombre, que lo dejes!
This technique mainly translates whole books, movie transcripts, songs, etc. for a specific language community.
Adaptation
Translate the following using transposition from noun to verb: “I don’t get this feeling."
No entiendo lo que siento.