TRADUCCIÓN I: TRANSLATION, TYPES AND ELEMENTS

 What is a translation?
“Translation is the process of reworking text from one language into another to
maintain the original message and communication.”

“Translation is the process of converting the meaning of a written message (text)

from one language to another.”

Translators must strike a fine balance between staying true to the original meaning
and making a text sound natural in the target language—to ensure that the final
text communicates the same message, feeling, and tone as the original.

 What are some types of translation?

There are several different types of translation, each with its own challenges and
best practices. Some of the most common types of translation include:

We speak of business translation as an umbrella term when the transfer of

meaning between two languages has the purpose of accompanying global
business activities. This could involve the most varied types of documents,
marketing materials, and digital assets.

1) Document translation or Administrative translation

This is a type of business translation that deals specifically with the translation
of business correspondence, internal memos, manuals, legal contracts, technical
specifications, and other important documents. Complexity may arise from the large
volumes and fragmented nature of business documents, as well as the need to
maintain consistent terminology throughout the document corpus.

Organizations usually need this type of translation when looking to establish or

maintain their global presence. It allows them to break down language barriers within
the global economy, increasing their opportunities to grow and embracing a multi-
cultural workforce. This ensures that business partners, investors and employees are
all on the same page, creating clear channels of communication for a better
functioning business.
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2) Legal translation

Another subset of business translation, this specialist area includes the

translation of legal, judicial, and juridical documentation. Warrants, registrations,
certifications, statements, affidavits, patents, trademarks, proceedings, trials,
decrees, contracts, and insurance policies are only some examples of legal
documents that may need translating. Accuracy is of the utmost importance in legal
translation, as even a small mistake could have major repercussions. As you expand
into new international markets, you need to ensure that your legal documents are
understood, respected and legally binding for all audiences. As such, the translator
must understand the political, legal and socio-cultural context of a legal text. This will
allow them to translate it in a way that anyone from different cultural, political and
social backgrounds can readily understand.

Legal documents must be translated accurately while also following the writing norms
of the target language. Only a translation agency that understands both the source
and target cultures can produce a good legal translation. However, the slightest
miswording can have disastrous consequences. As such, even translation specialists
will seek professional legal help to make certain that the target text offers the same
legal protection as the original.

3) Literary translation

This type of creative translation is all about transferring the meaning, style, and
beauty of literary works between languages. From poetry and drama to novels and
short stories, literary translation is a true art form that often requires the translator to
exercise a great deal of creative freedom to do justice to the source text.
Stylistic devices are one of the most important characteristics of literary texts. They
can be found in everything from rhythm and meter to word choices, imagery and the
innate balance of the sentences. Then there are also puns, humor and rhyme to
contend with. These all use the source language in a specific way, and often there is
no direct equivalence between the source and target languages.
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This means that translators often need to get creative so that they can recreate the
same effect that the original text had on its readers. Other challenges include
nuances, such as cultural sensibilities, connotations and emotions, along with the
social, historical and political context of the text. These nuances are especially hard
to convey and might also be considered untranslatable.

4) Technical translation

Technical translation groups together a broad range of scientific and technical

texts that range from user manuals, service guides, and installation instructions to
software strings and datasheets. This type of translation is often complex because of
the need to maintain consistent terminology throughout the text, as well as the risk of
inaccuracy affecting the safety or efficacy of products or services. Relevant subject
matter expertise and the support of terminology management tools are essential for
technical translation.

This broad range of text types means that technical translation is needed in almost
every industry, from engineering and construction to life sciences and
pharmaceuticals. It is this variety of subject domains is that makes technical
translation especially challenging, since each comes with its own specialist jargon.
Translators also need an in-depth understanding of how technical texts are written,
their nature and their legal requirements.

A great technical translator not only knows the technical terminology but also
understands specific subject and industry jargon. This allows them to produce a
translation that clearly conveys the correct message by making the right word
choices.
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5) Financial Translation

Financial translation is crucial in today’s global marketplace and holds great

importance for banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. It helps
them expand access to their services and build trust among customers while making
sure they comply with international regulations.

As financial companies move into developing markets, the demand for high-quality
financial translation increases. From annual and tax reports to profit and loss
statements and company accounts, this sector involves a range of documents
requiring versatile language specialists with industry-specific skills.

These financial documents are highly regulated, and as such, translators must be
familiar with local laws and regulations. That way, they can understand the
differences between the source and target documents, ensuring that the target text
complies with target market rules.

The financial industry also goes hand in hand with technology and innovation,
meaning that new financial instruments and innovative concepts come to market
almost every day. As such, many new buzzwords are being added to an already
overwhelming glossary of specific terms and phrases. This means that translators
need to stay on top of industry developments, constantly learning new terms in both
their native and secondary languages.

6) Medical Translation

Involves any medical content that is patient related, like labels, packaging,
instructions, or software, and content that is product related, like research papers,
clinical trial paperwork, quality management certificates and the like, usually needs
translation. It is absolutely imperative that the translation service providers are
experienced, have the requisite knowledge, and are in-country professionals.
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Translation of medical documents can also be very tricky as the requirements of

general translation can differ from country to country; a kind of translator or company
specialized in medical documents would be your best bet, as they would be familiar
with the intricacies of all the different requirements.

 Importance of translation

In an ever-globalizing world, the ability to communicate across cultures is more

important than ever before. There are dozens of approaches, techniques, and
methods for translating content— but at the end of the day, what’s most important
is that the meaning is transferred accurately, naturally, and in a way that resonates
with the target audience.

Translation isn’t a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process that should be
integrated into your overall localization strategy. Technology acts as the great
enabler in this process, automating repetitive tasks and facilitating collaboration
between all stakeholders.

With the right tools and processes in place, you can streamline your translation
workflow, improve the quality of your translations, and get your content to market
faster—to take your business to the next level in the global marketplace.

 Elements of a translation

What are the elements of a good translation?

A translation has to serve its purpose. It should mirror the original work. In order for
the translation to be a good one, here are things that should be taken into
consideration:
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1) Background of the translator

Translators should have received the right education. They should be a native
speaker of the target language. They should have the desired language proficiency
and specialization in case the translation is for a specific theme or topic. Most
translators prefer to translate in their area of expertise. Other translators can
handle different subject areas, such as technology, foreign affairs to defense, real
estate, legal, tourism, and business.

2) The nature of the translation project

The translator has to know your target audience – the people who will read the
translated documents. Some translations are for specific targets, such as business
contracts, while others are for diverse audiences, such as books, product
information, manuals, and user instructions.

In order to make the translation appropriate to the expected user, the client has to
provide the direction in terminology, style, tone, and vocabulary. Likewise, it is
important for the translator to know the specific regions. For example, Spanish has
different regional variations.

3) Turn-around time

It takes time to create a good translation, taking into account the quality assurance
process. Discuss with the translator or translation agency if your requirement is
urgent.

4) No literal translations

A good translation does not have a word-for-word translation. It should be created

by understanding the context from the document or transferring the meaning of the
text from the source to the target language, including linguistic appropriateness.
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5) Well-written original

A translator must be an excellent writer because it is difficult to render a document

from one language to another. The language should flow smoothly and naturally,
creating a bridge where the original message is conveyed properly in the new
language.

6) Cultural appropriateness

The translation should be culturally appropriate, using the language that the
intended readers will understand, while considering cultural values, beliefs,
expectations, and norms.