ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM IN TRANSLATION

The True Professional: There are translators and then there are professional translators: the former are people who translate on the side, using their knowledge of a particular field to translation work (for example, a mathematician who translated a book on advanced mathematics). Professional translators are applied linguists whose ability to work with language, write well, and for freelancers, to operate a business, represents their source of income.

Professional translators are people who are dedicated to their languages and the nations, societies, and cultures which come with them. They are devoted to improving their ability to understand their source language and write in their target language.

POLISHING YOUR TRANSLATION STYLE

If you dont already have one, start by developing a translation methodology. A methodology will enable you to translate more efficiently and accurately. For example: 1. Read the original carefully 2. Research the subject 3. Translate the work 4. Compare with the original 5. Edit (proof) the translation 6. Sleep on the product

Read the Original: Read the original text thoroughly paying attention to the style of writing employed by the author. Is the authors style light-hearted, positive, forceful, truthful, or sincere, etc.? to rephrase, determine where the author is coming from. Once you have successfully put yourself in the authors mind, emulate the authors style in the translation. This simple act will make your product an extension of the authors work. This, indeed, is professional translation. It is smooth, seamless and natural. Research the subject: Not enough can be said about research-good research. Less than 60 minutes of research on the translation subject really does make all the difference to the finished product. Use the internet extensively. Research free dictionaries, encyclopedias, informational sites, case studies and white papers. Look for recent articles on the translation subject you will be translating. The internet is the greatest resource since the invention of the library, with one

flaw. Anyone can publish anything without due process (authentication). So you need to use the internet wisely! Corroborate your research with multiple, trusted sources. Research the author: Researching the translation subject will definitely go a long way to improving your style but researching the author will provide luster to your style. Get an insight to the authors life. Search for the author by name, research biographies or autobiographies, and research other work that has already been published by the author. Knowing your author will provide in-depth knowledge about his or her own private and personal feelings, reflections and experiences. Authoritative Knowledge: is the technical, or subject matter, expertise one possesses on a specific field. Specializing in specific fields in which you are genuinely an expert on terminology, in both languages, adds weight to your style. Translate the work: Translate into your native language! Translating into a non-native language will generally suffer from deficiencies in style, you will make more spelling and grammatical errors. Regional variations within the same language need to be reflected in your translation also. American English is not the same as British English, and not the same as Australian English or south African English. The difference between cultures and countries is significant, professional translators make the effort to be aware of regional language differences. Culture does factor into translation. Know your limits. Translation encompasses a huge field of subjects. If you think of all the material that requires translation you will soon realize that this encompasses the collective body of human knowledge. Some people are just incredibly gifted and seem to soak up whatever subject they are exposed to. Context is important. Disregard for translating in context has given rise to the expression lost in translation. In your native language, most words have multiple meanings, so try to get the general idea of what the author wants to say and not to lose the meaning of the context. Simple is best. Never has an adage been more applicable to the profession of translation a simple translating style, like writing and just about everything else, is powerful and convincing. Always use succinct, easily understood language that complements the authors style writing. Short, well formed sentences that adhere to the rules of grammar and are devoid of complex terms are better. Slang and clichs do not translate well between most languages. What is not written is as important as what is written. Knowledge of the author and authoritative knowledge will provide you with the background information to see past the physical, or written text. Admittedly, this is difficult and being able to convey the hidden meaning without putting it in print is the mark of an accomplished translator.

Ask the Questions. Clients know that professional translators literally analyze text from every conceivable angle. If something the original text does not sound right, seek clarification with a timely question. Your client will appreciate your professionalism. Compare with the Original: When you have finished the translation, place the source text on the left and the target text on the right, side by side. Then, slowly and methodically, one line at a time, read over the source text and then the corresponding target text. By employing this methodology, you will easily be able to catch mistranslations and omissions. Correct any discrepancy in the translation right away. Edit (proof) the translation: In this step your focus should be on the technical (grammatical) errors. Eliminate one group of errors at a time. Professional language translators will have someone that is not too close to the project to do so (for example, someone that has not worked on the project at all) to do the proofreading. If you not have an assistant, then distance yourself from the project for a while. Sleep on it! Omitted words are not translated. In the English language, much is implied and therefore omitted. There are numerous other words, such as particles (the that are often omitted in English. Indeed, all languages have these grammatical quirks that are ill-defined. The simple rule to follow is that if you are not sure, then do not omit it. Acronyms can be misleading Take ASAP for example, everyone knows that ASAP stands for as soon as possible, but according to the acronym finder, asap can ha ve roughly 90 definitions. The definitions of acronyms vary from language to language. Avoid using acronyms in your translations, or if you do, provide the definition. Check the number, dates, names, and times twice. When deadlines are short, it is easy to confuse numbers, dates, and times especially when different formats are required. Consistency Rules: your writing style should be creative and varied. The technical aspect of your style, however, must be consistent. If you have adopted a particular word or phrase for a term, ensure that you consistently use the same term throughout. For example, if you use the term aircraft, do not alternative use then the term plane, airplane, of flying object, be consistent throughout the whole translation. Sleep on the product: Sleep on the project or go for a walk, listen to music and then go back to the work. You will be amazed at the clarity of mind with which you round off your translation project!. Now, put your thesaurus to work. Identify words in the translated text that can be replaced with alternative, better words. This is also a good place to be creative.

LA TRADUCCION DE NOMBRES PROPIOS

Muchas de las normas seguidas por los traductores se deben solo a convenciones y estn sujetas a cambio. Una es la que aconseja que, con salvedades, no se traduzcan los nombres propios extranjeros. En idioma espaol es frecuente la traduccin de los nombres propios, adaptndose la grafa de los apellidos. Las enciclopedias, por ejemplo, respetan los nombres originales, pero desaparecen acentos y para la mayora de los personajes histricos de cierta antigedad se recogen los nombres latinos. Los nombres extranjeros de la antigedad suelen aparecer en su forma castellanizada, como en el ejemplo de Toms Moro. Los nombres extranjeros actuales se escriben generalmente respetando la forma original. Los nombres de reyes pueden repetirse entre distintos pases, por lo que debe seguirse de su pas: Carlos de Inglaterra, Carlos I de Espaa, etc. Algunos personajes de la antigedad son conocidos por un calificativo, generalmente de su origen. Si el apellido empieza por preposicin, sta debe ir en minscula si aparece el nombre de pila (Juan de la Cruz) y en mayscula si el apellido est solo (el seor De la Cruz). Las partculas van der (en holands) y von (en alemn) equivalen al de espaol y deberan ir en minscula: Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig van Beethoven, John von Neumann, etc. Cuando no aparece el nombre de pila, se escribirn en mayscula: Es un Van Gogh, el Autogiro de De la Cierva, etc. Los nombres propios son otro de los aspectos que le dan connotacin local a un texto, tanto si se refieren a las personas como a los objetos. Por ejemplo, en la cultura angloamericana el escritor Tolstoy es conocido como Leo, que no es la traduccin del original Lev, que significa len, sino su versin onomstica. Se aprecia un fenmeno anlogo en la grafa occidental de algunos nombres originalmente pertenecientes a alfabetos no latinos. El nombre ruso Dmitrij se traduce en algunos casos como Demetrio o Dimitri.

Veamos los nombres propios de cosas. Esta categora se suele clasificar en:

Nombres de cines, teatros, nombres de calles, etc.

Con la excepcin de los organismos con nombre multilinge (Unin Europea, Unione Europea, Union europenne, European Union, Europische Union, etc), la traduccin del nombre propio de una entidad puede generar confusin. Por ejemplo, la traduccin de los nombres de universidades que incluyen un nombre de lugar (University of California, Washington University, Universit degli studi di Milano, etc.) puede ser arriesgado, ya que en algunos casos el topnimo hace referencia al lugar donde se encuentra la universidad, y en otros no es ms que un apelativo. Por ejemplo, la traduccin Milan University creara confusin, puesto que en Miln hay ms de diez universidades que, si se tradujera su nombre, encajaran con mayor o menor precisin en dicha traduccin al ingls. Lo mismo puede aplicarse a University of California, que si se traduce literalmente dar la idea (equivocada) de que en California slo hay una universidad. La traduccin de Washington University como Universidad de Washington sera sencillamente un error, pues dicha universidad no se encuentra en Washington sino en Missouri. Un aspecto importante referente a los nombres propios en particular, que es vlido para los traductores de todas las combinaciones lingsticas, es el siguiente: cuando aparezca en un texto un elemento de realia o un nombre propio, lo primero que hay que preguntarse es en qu cultura e idioma se ha originado. Una vez determinado, se debe elegir entre: 1. la transliteracin o transcripcin de la grafa original 2. la traduccin o adaptacin de la grafa original..

TRANSLATION OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

Translating the names of geographical entities (names of cities, states, provinces, countries and other geographical terms) is like navigating in treacherous waters. When there is doubt about translating the name of a given place, it is recommended that a document be found that serves as a primary source. Translating, transferring or adapting geographical terms accurately is a most difficult, yet rewarding, task. Old places, but not new ones, change names. True or false? I have always wondered why certain cities and places are not known in their native forms in other languages, while others are. For example, Firenze is also known as Florencia and Florence, and London is known as Londres and Londra. Cities that change their names in translation are often old European towns, having been founded in antiquity or in the Middle Ages. This is the case of Lisbon, Krakow, Brussels, Rome, Cologne, among others. On the other hand, many cities in the American continent, founded as of the sixteenth century, keep their original name in different languages, Chicago, Toronto, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Acapulco are a case in point. It could therefore be deduced that European cities have different names in translation (exonyms), because they are old, but the names of some American cities do not get translated, because they are more recent. On the other hand, Amsterdam and Madrid are simply transferred, not translated. Some cities located in the Caribbean, which are considerably less old, such as Port-au-Prince in Haiti, and Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago, the names changes when translated into Spanish, becoming Puerto Prncipe and Puerto Espaa, respectively. Another Caribbean city christened after its patron saint, Santiago de Cuba, keeps its Spanish denomination unchanged when rendering it in French. In English, Puerto Rico is simply transferred from Spanish. The Galician city of Santiago de Compostela is translated into French as Saint Jacques de Compostelle, and into English as Saint James of Compostela. Also located in the North of Spain, we find San Sebastin, a city that keeps its Spanish name unaltered in both English and French. It is simply transferred, not translated. Therefore, the theory that ancient cities change their names in different languages, while newer towns do not, applies to some, but not to all cases. If you dont know the exact translation, keep the name in the original language. But, which one is the original language sometimes? When the translation of a geographical entity is not available, or it is not known to the translator, the best solution is to keep the places name in its original language. This is the case of the Dutch city of Maastricht. In Spanish, however, there is no generally accepted

translation or adaptation available. The Low Countries pose a special challenge when it comes to the translation of geographical names. This region includes The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the North of France. The Low Countries once belonged to the Spanish crown. While some provinces became independent, others remained possessions of the Hapsburgs these being initially Spanish and then passing on to Austrian suzerainty. The tongue spoken in the north of the Low Countries is known to its inhabitants as Nederlands. Nederlands is translated into French as Nerlandais, and into English as Dutch. Nederlands is the name of the actual language, which comprises all the local dialects spoken in The Netherlands and Flanders. In many cases, when there is doubt about translating the name of a given place, it is recommended that a document be found that serves as a primary source. This can be complicated in the Low Countries. Lets look at the city of Lille. Lille is located in the Nord-pasde-Calais region of France. Lille translates into dutch as Rijsel. Lille has no translation into English. So, following the recommendation of keeping geographical names in their original tongue, Lille will remain Lille when translating a document. Englishr efer to Lille as Rijsel. Also the main port of Belgium is Antwerpen (in Dutch) and is translated as Antwerp in English, amberes in Spanish, and Anvers in French. The town of budweis, for example, home of the famous Budweiser beer is the towns name in German. Pilsen another bohemian town famous for its beer. We have already seen that San Sebastin is transferred as such into English and French. San Sebastin is a bastion of Basque nationalism and many natives prefer to designate it as Donostia.

The o in burgo did not make it across the Atlantic

Many European towns started as burgs. Thus, the suffix burg, or one of its variations, is frequently found at the end of a citys name. Hamburg, Strasbourg, Edinburgh, and Saint Petersburg are good examples. In Spanish they are translated as Hamburgo, Estrasburgo, Edinburgo, San Petersburgo. Sin embargo, Pittsburgh it remains the same in English. When translating the names of Canadian towns, beware not only of English and French, but also of a capricious use of Latin: Canada, as Belgium, has more than one official language. In most cases, the names of Canadian towns are simply transferred, not translated. This is the case of Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Regina. But the island of Newfoundland is known in French as Terre Neuve. In Spanish, the name of the island is Terranova or Terra Nova as recorded in the early geography books.

Latin medical terms, on the other hand, frequently undergo changes in Spanish (eg. Post partum = postparto), but not in English. Escocia. Names including the word New: Gender and translation issues. When colonizing America, the English, French, and Spanish frequently named the new territories after cities, regions, or provinces in their home countries adding the word new to the original name. This is the origin of New York, Nouvelle Orlans, and Nuevo Mxico. The word state translates as tat and estado in French and Spanish, respectively, being masculine in both cases. On the other hand, city translates to ville and ciudad, both feminine. New Orleans is translated as Nouvelle Orlans. It could be argued that the French prefer to leave the names of the New towns in their original tongue. Ending in a is normally feminine in Spanish. How does it translate into French? It is a rule of thumb that in Spanish, with few exceptions, words ending in a are feminine, while those ending in o are masculine. This is not the case in French, were feminine names frequently end in e. It can thus be assumed that geographical names ending in a in Spanish will end in e in French, e.g., Barcelona-barcelone, Bolivia-bolivie, ArgentinaArgentine. However, for other names ending in a in Spanish, their rendering into French keeps the names spelling unaltered, but the gender changes. Such is the case of the Central American countries of Guatemala, Panama, and Nicaragua which are feminine in Spanish and masculine in French. In Spanish, Nova Scotias name is translated as Nueva

Careful with the accent: Same symbol, different values:

In Spanish the acento or tilde indicates a stressed syllable. In French, however, the same symbol, known as the accent aigu, denotes a change in the pronunciation of the vowel. In some cases, when these two different types of accents are considered equivalent, as the diacritic is the same, mistakes can be made. Let us consider the city and province of Quebec in Canada. In French, the spelling is Quebec. In Spanish, in order to respect the original pronunciation, the spelling must be Quebec. In French, the name is Montral , where the accent does not indicate the stressed vowel, but the way the e should be pronounced. In Spanish, the unquestionable spelling is Montreal. In English we say Orleans without accent, and in French we say Orlans. Can you find some more cities that are spelled differently in English and Spanish?? Or in other languages ??

PROOFREADING YOUR WORK

S. Gomes is a bilingual translator and interpreter with over six years experience teaching business language and culture. Every translators nightmare is to proofread their work. You send a translation to a client and you realize later that it had a mistake or a typo. Or worse, the client send it back to you marked with so many corrections that it looks like they bled on your work. Poor punctuation or misspelled words are practically unforgivable. Every document you translate is a reflection on you and your skills. Some people devote only a few minutes to proofreading, hoping to catch any glaring errors that jump out from the page, but a quick job, especially after youve been working long and hard on a translation, usually misses a lot. Here are a few tips to make your translation as close to perfect as possible: 1. take a break between writing and proofreading. Set the document aside for at least 20 minutes or longer whenever possible. Go for a run. Get a bite to eat. Watch a movie. Approach your writing with a clear head so you can look at the translation fresh. 2. Proper lighting is essential. Dont use fluorescent lighting when proofreading. 3. Use spell-check wisely. Word-processing programs have spell-checkers that will cat most but not ALL spelling errors. They might suggest a word that isnt what you want at all. Make sure that your text says that Shes anxious to meet him. And not meat him. Dont rely entirely on them. 4. Print out your work. Youre more likely to catch typos and mistakes looking at a hard copy. The eye tends to scan information on a screen, but actually reads it when its on a printed page. 5. Break down your tasks. The number of things you need to look out for may overwhelm you. For example, one proof for spelling, one for type of font and size, etc. 6. Read the text out loud and slowly, articulating each word as it is actually written. When you read silently or too quickly you may skip over errors or make unconscious corrections. 7. Proof tables and lists separately. Proof the most prominent text separately such as headings, table of contents, titles, etc. When proofing a numbered or lettered list, take a moment at the beginning and run down the list counting each number out making sure that the numbers or letters flow in their proper

order. Make sure all headings are formatted identically and numbered properly. 8. Keep a glossary. Write out proper names and specific terminology on a separaThe proofreading process becomes more efficient as you develop and practice a systematic strategy. Youll learn to identify the specific areas of your own writing that need careful attention and try to have a method for finding errors will help you focus more on translating your text.te sheet of paper and check it against every instance in the main document to ensure they are spelled correctly each time. 9. Check spacing, bullets, and tabs. Make sure the tabs line up especially from page to page. 10. Use specific notations. When marking the document, try using proofreader marks. Use a colored ink that will pop out at you as you look at the page. 11. Know your weak areas. Create a list of the errors you make repeatedly so that you can pay more attention to them next time you translate something.

GOOD AND BAD TRANSLATION HABITS. SOME COMMON ERRORS TRANSLATORS MAKE AND SHOULD AVOID.

The accomplished translator can develop good as well as bad habits.

BAD HABITS: 1. to lose touch with the source language for long periods of time. 2. Taking illegitimate shortcuts while translating, like falling to look up a word one is really not sure how to translate. 3. To summarize a paragraph instead of providing a full translation. 4. The worst habit for a translator is to decide at a certain point in time that his or her knowledge of either the source or the target language is so good that it cannot possibly stand any improvement. The moment one stops growing linguistically, one is no longer on the cutting edge of ones profession. The good translator is a perennial language student, always eager and willing to learn more and to keep up with the latest.

GOOD HABITS:
1. one excellent habit is to read professional literature in the field one will be called upon to translate in with reasonable frequency. One good example is Scientific American, which can help anyone who translates subjects of science and technology. And people who work in the field of translating business documents should definitely read business periodicals, The Wall Street Journal, the Times, American Business magazines, articles, etc. 2. to be always on the lookout for dictionaries. Many dictionaries are hard to find, and are available in few places.

3. The practice of compiling word lists and building a reference library. Dictionaries do not have all the words and terms a translator needs, nor do they contain all the information which specialized references may have. There are aids for translators put out by certain organizations, and there is professional literature in every field. Good references are worth their weight in gold when they are needed for a specific translator. 4. To consult experts on the specific subject we are translating. 5. To re-read again the original and the target text and to take into account to which audience we are translating for.

Can you think of some more good and bad habits?

MONOLINGUAL AND BILINGUAL DICTIONARIES

A word of Advice
You should always have at hand tow different dictionaries at least: a bilingual dictionary (in this case, English-Spanish, Spanish-English) and an English dictionary. This is most important in order to avoid falling into a very common type of error which could change the whole meaning of your translation. Take as an example the word solicitud. You may find this opening phrase in a letter, De acuerdo con su solicitud de fecha Your bilingual dictionary will give you several definitions for thw word solicitud, for example, request, application, etc. Only one of these terms would be correct, the others probably will be totally unrelated to your letter. Consult your English dictionary and, by the meanings given, you will find out which is the right term to use. The same advice applies when translating into Spanish Think of the disasters committed with the word actually, introduce, etc), but you must reverse the procedure. First consult your English Dictionary to find out the exact meaning of a word you are not sure of, and then look it up in your English-Spanish Dictionary.

MAKING THE MOST OF DICITONARIES IN THE CLASSROOM From OxfordUniv. Press

Inexperienced users of both monolingual and bilingual dictionaries are liable to fall into trap of finding a word and taking the first meaning that they come to. It is worth taking some time to point out to them that the word may appear more than once in the dictionary, or have more than one part of speech, or meaning, and that they must sometimes look beyond the first item they find.

Once the students have become familiar with the conventions of thedictionary and gained confidence in using it, it is important to make the dictionary an integral part of the language class. (we can even choose a word of the week, a new word we learn that week and post it in the blackboard during a whole week).

USING A DICTIONARY FOR INTRODUCING NEW VOCABULARY

This is a natural starting-point for encouraging your students to use dictionaries, since it is when they meet an unfamiliar word that they most readily recognize the need for help from an outside source. In class they may be content to rely on you for explanations, but being able to find things out independently is an essential part of language learning. At home the dictionary may be their only source of help, in class, it can take some of the pressure off the teacher and provide relief from the familiar routine of students always reading texts and the teacher explaining the new words. Recording vocabulary methodically and in a way which will help them to remember it is an important stage in the students language learning process. You may wish to encourage them to make their vocabulary notebooks, or glossaries (specific mini-dictionaries). The dictionary can be a useful tool in ensuring that their personal vocabulary records are accurate and helpful by providing information on: 1. whether the word is worth recording. Students may consider that a word makred dated or technical is not one which they wish to make part of their active vocabulary. 2. The correct spelling 3. Any irregularities in thegrammar (plural of a noun? Past tense of a verb? 4. Pronunciation 5. Meaning 6. How the item is used in phrases or sentences 7. Connected derivatives and compounds

USING A DICTIONARY FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORD

From elementary level onwards, students are confronted with choices about register: request or ask for, descend or go down? Many students will opt for a more formal word than is appropriate. They may feel that it is safer to err on the side of formality, or, particularly if their own language is Latin-based, the more formal expression may seem more familiar to them. On the other hand, some learners may have been exposed to English in informal situations. Once students realize how it can help them to choose more confidently among the various options, they will be more inclined to make using a dictionary part of their routine for choosing their words.

For example, if we look up the word request in the dictionary we can have several meanings: ask for something, Passengers are requested not to smoke, or as a noun, asking for something like: They made a request for money. Lets do Exercise I. Look up the words in the left hand column and match them with the more usual expression: 1. request 2. attempt 3. weep 4. permit 5. vomit 6. resemble 7. purchase 8. assist a. cry b. help c. be sick d. buy e. ask for f. look like g. allow h. try

Exercise II: Whats more usual?

Look up the words in the left-hand column and match them with the more usual expression. Look at the examples of notices, instructions, etc, below and explain how the words used in these situations differ from those in everyday conversation. Then choose one of the words from the list to fill each of the gaps, using the dictionary to check which match the formal situations and which should go in the speech bubbles. Select Remove Omit Choose Need Take off Leave out Ring the bell if you help All the cakes look delicious. I dont know which to choose Please .. a ticket from the machine To photocopy you should: the number of copies. Press the green button. If youre too hot, your coat ! I cant do question 4 so Im going to it .. Are you a full-time student? If yes, ..question number 8 and 9. 8. Name and address of employer:___________________ get Cooking instructions: Heat oven to 200, .. wrapper, place dish in oven.

Exercise III: Whats the register, situation or tone? Look at the following sentence: Do not alight here. Loop up the word alight in the dictionary and note any information which related not to meaning but to the situation in which the word is used. There will be clues in the examples given by the dictionary, but they should also find the label fml. Then try to imagine where they might read or

see this sentence. Read the sentences below and speculate on the possible source of the sentences: report? Poem? Sign? Conversation? In a textbook? 1. We walked throughverdantfields. 2. She reallywent off the deep end. 3. Stars shone in thefirmament. 4. There were injuries to thetibia.

USING A DICTIONARY FOR PRACTISING PRONUNCIATION:

When the emphasis of the lesson is on pronunciation practice, the dictionary need not sit on the shelf. Your students may be unaware of the help that the dictionary can give them in pronouncing unfamiliar words, or they may lack confidence in dealing with the phonetic alphabet. A good starting-point might be to concentrate on just two sounds, for example the asilyconfused vowel sounds /A/ and /U/. Look up in the dictionary for the words cup and put and write down the phonetic symbol which represents each vowel sound. Hear the difference between the two sounds. From the list of words below, check the pronunciation in the dictionary and group them according to whether they contain the sound /A/ or /U/. Cup Tub put wool bull butcher butter cushion pudding

CHOOSING A GOOD SPANISH ENGLISH DICTIONARY

English Spanish dictionaries come in all shapes, sizes, specialties, and mediums. There are paperback dictionaries, medical dictionaries, desktop dictionaries, electronic dictionaries, good dictionaries and bad dictionaries. All the options can be confusing for anybody deciding on how best to start (or improve their Spanish translation resource library. The most important thing to remember is that individual needs will vary. People who love Spanish translation (and English Spanish dictionaries) are a unique breed.

However, there are a list of guidelines that I like to follow when deciding how to spend my money on English Spanish dictionaries. I think this checklist can also help you. 1. Dont trust the internet. Just because its on the internet, doesnt mean its true. Is a warning call to be careful when doing research online for translations of specific words. 2. due to the nature of the web, anyone can claim they know everything about Arctic fishing and how to translate every related word in both Spanish and English. 3. Determine your needs. There are so many choices to choose from when deciding to get. Narrow down what kind of work youll be doing and the target audience for that specific translation. 4. Are you interested in translating for the medical field? Then, youll need to invest in medical dictionaries. 5. Determine the format. Are you looking for just Spanish English translation equivalents or do you want definitions included in the dictionary? Thats usually the difference between glossaries and dictionaries. Glossaries are lists translations while dictionaries have definitions included. 6. Determine the language(s). do I need the dictionary to be a monolingual one or a bilingual one? There are a lot of specialized dictionaries that are written in only Spanish or only English. 7. Legal dictionaries are an excellent example of this. Because laws are different in different parts of the Spanish-Speaking world, individualized resource books have been written which explain the laws of that particular region. These will undoubtedly be different in other regions and will usually be monolingual (as opposed to an English-Spanish Dictionary). 8. Where do you do most of your translation work? At the office? At home? In your bed? The last thing you want to be doing is to carry around every English Spanish Dictionary you own. Thanks to this technology age, however, there are many options to choose from. Electronic Spanish English dictionaries, computer software, or even programs specially to translate (TRADOS, WORDFAST, etc).

More on dictionaries to come!

How to use a dictionary

dictionary (-sho-) n
dictionary n. Book explaining, usu. in alphabetical order, the words of language or words and topics of some special subject, author, etc., wordbook, lexicon, (French-English, etc. - list of French etc. words with English etc. translation or explanation: dictionary of Americanisms, of architecture, of the Bible, of proverbs, Dictionary of National Biography, Shakespeare dictionary, etc.) //f. med. L dictionarium (manuale manual) & dictionarius (liber book) f. L dictio (see prec., - ARY)// Ask most people to define the word, dictionary, and the chances are they will provide a passable explanation, though probably not in as much detail as the one above, taken from the Concise Oxford Dictionary. Ask the same people whether they possess a dictionary - either at home, in the office, or in a briefcase or book-bag- and the answer would most probably be yes. Again, ask the same people how often they refer to it and whether they fully understand the abbreviations which accompany each words explanation, and the answer might be very different! Why do people so often fail to check the meaning or spelling of a word? The answer lies in the Vocabulary Range diagram. As you see, everyones vocabulary may be divided into two sectionsfirstly, the words which a person knows well, and uses regularly, and secondly, the words which a person tends not to use, but which he is able to recognise when he meets them in a book or magazine. The first section may be termed our active vocabulary and the second, our passive vocabulary. In addition, there is a third section of words, which a person does not know or use, or recognise. In between the second and third sections lie those words which we recognise when we see them in print we remember that we have seen them beforebut which we have been too lazy to look up! And this is why people tend to use only the words they know well while avoiding unfamiliar ones. As you can imagine, the number of words a person knows and uses his active vocabulary varies a great deal between one person and another. A journalist or reporter, for example, might be expected to have a wider vocabulary range then, say a forester or watchmaker, whose work is more solitary and specialised. Every student of English and communication, however, needs to widen his or her range of vocabulary, since this will help both oral and written English to be more accurate and

interesting. And this is why the ability to use a dictionary effectively and the determination to consult it regularly are so important. As you will have noticed from the definition of the word dictionary at the head of this section, there are a number of references and abbreviations which may at present seem strange and unfamiliar. Once you have mastered the techniques of consulting a good dictionary, however, you will find that your vocabulary range, spelling and awareness of the force of language will improve greatly. gain from it. 1 Use your dictionary to complete these spellings. Full spelling recei - t qua - m ya - - t - onour - sychology - neumonia - now - naw 2 1. In each of the following pairs of sentences there is a blank. 2. Use your dictionary to decide which word fits in which sentence, and write the correct word in. Check the following points carefully and then browse through your own dictionary to see how much more information you are able to

stationary/stationery e g Dont get off the bus until it is dairy/diary aIll make a note of that in my .. 1. Butter, milk and cheese are all ..products. stationary... Im going to buy a new pen from the stationery shop.

eligible/illegible 1. 2. Im afraid you are not ..for this job. Your handwriting is gaol/goal 1. 2. He was sent to .for theft. He scored two .in the football match. .

sensible/sensitive ghShe is a person and her feelings are easily hurt. He was enough to take an umbrella when he left . the house.

1. As in the previous exercise, put the correct word in the appropriate sentence. dictionary. e g arrangement/appointment I have anappointment. with the manager at 11.00 a.m. I have an arrangement with the bookshop. They give me a 10% discount. rob/steal abThe thief .the bank. He .some money. mean/think 1. 2. What do you .about my idea? What does plonk ..? wait/expect 1. 2. I .the train will arrive late as usual ! Ill for you near th entrance. rise/raise 1. 2. The sun in the East. your hand if you are in agreement. lose/loose

Use your

1. j-

Hes dieting to try to .some weight.

If hes successful, his trousers may be too 1. Insert the correct words in the appropriate spaces in the passage below.

appointment announces area arrangements client

duties escorts gesture movements notify

procedure refer register suggestion tact

A receptionist in a small firm may have to use the typewriter, operate the switchboard, and perform other clerical ., in addition to receiving visitors. In a large firm a receptionist can concentrate on welcoming and looking after visitors. A visitor to a large firm should make an ..because executives are often very busy and do not have much time for visitors. Executives and secretaries should the receptionist in advance about important appointments, and about the . of executives, especially when they are out of the building on business. Executives often ask receptionists to make travel . for them, such as booking hotel rooms and airline tickets. There is a certain for receiving visitors. A receptionist should find out if the visitor has an appointment or not. If the visitor is an important , the executives or this Sometimes the the secretary will come down to the reception .to greet the visitor. receptionist or another secretary , or accompanies, visitor to the executives office. Using the visitors name when he arrives is a friendly and gives the visitor a good impression of the firm. When the receptionist and the visitor arrive at the executives office, the receptionist .the visitors name, title and position, and introduces the executive to him. When a visitor cannot be satisfied, the receptionist should apologize and make some .. for an alternative meeting. feelings are not hurt. 6 A receptionist should keep a .. which includes dates, times, name and the firm the visitor works for. A receptionist can then to this if there is a request for information. If a meeting is impossible, the receptionist should express regret and explain with ., what has happened, so that the visitors

7 Insert the correct word in the appropriate spaces. balance basis bill clear column commercial consular debit duty open quarterly quotation retains statement submit

An invoice is a . that is, a demand for payment. It can also be a .., a regular notice of a buyers account with a seller. The statement invoice is for buyers who have an account with sellers, and is often sent monthly or . . In a statement There each invoice is a entry, and each payment by the buyer is a credit entry. is a separate .. in an invoice for the quantity of goods despatched, the description of the goods, the price per unit, and the total value. In the statement there is one each for debit and credit entries and for the .. A Pro-Forma invoice is like an ordinary invoice, except that it is sent to the buyer for information before he buys, or for payment before the seller despatches the goods. If the Pro-Forma invoice is for information, it is a form of , a description of price and costs to help the buyer to decide. An invoice which is used in international trade and includes the cost of freight and insurance is called a or Export Invoice. This is one of the shipping documents and is very important for banks, customs, and shipping. An invoice which is signed by the seller and an official from the importing countrys embassy or consulate is called a ..invoice. This is one of the shipping documents and is very important for banks, customs, and shipping. An invoice which is signed by the seller and an official from the importing countrys embassy or consulate is called a .. invoice. This invoice is very often used for customs authorities in the importing countries to make sure that the customs .. is paid. It is also used to help a consignment through customs, to avoid a lengthy inspection and a long delay. When the invoice is made out, a copy is sent to the Packing and Despatch Departments, and the Accounts Department a copy. They fill in the columns for price and total value. These details must be accurate, as the invoice is the . for the Bill of Lading, and the exporter must

these two documents, the Export Invoice and the Bill of Lading to a bank for payment.

8 Insert the correct words in the appropriate spaces in the passage below. accept airmail consignee discharge endorsing in blank law negotiable packing present receipt responsibility shipped title transfer unclean

The Bill of Lading is important in international finance, insurance, and It is the local . to ownership of the goods described on the Bill of Lading. The .. cannot accept delivery of his consignment unless he possesses a copy. You can describe a Bill of Lading in one way by saying that it is a . . signed by the captain of the ship, stating that he has received the goods on board his ship. A Bill of Lading signed by the captain after he receives and inspects the goods on board ship is called a Bill of Lading. If the goods are damaged before they reach the ship, the captain or the shipowners issue an ..Bill of Lading (sometimes called dirty or foul). If the captain receives the goods on board in good condition, the full title of the document he signs is a clean, shipped on board Bill of Lading. Banks usually demand shipped Bills of Lading before they accept for the credit. The holder of a Bill of Lading can ..possession of the goods to another person or company by ..or signing on the back of it. In other words, the Bill of Lading, unlike the Air Waybill, is a document. If a buyer or a bank ask the seller not to restrict the negotiability of the Bill of Lading, they demand that it should be endorsed The details printed on the Bill of Lading must include the port of loading and the port of . The type of packing must also be stated. Examples of this are cases, crates, and boxes. When the Bill of Lading is completed, copies are sent by on sepa rate days, so that if one is lost, the other may reach the importer. The importer, or consignee as he is described on the Bill of Lading, can then

. the Bill of Lading to the shipping company and .. delivery of his goods.

LISTADO DE DICCIONARIOS RECOMENDADOS

Bibliografa
Diccionario de Uso del Espaol: Mara Moliner, Gredos, Madrid (1990), Reimp. ISBN: 8424913442 Longman dictionary of English Language and Culture: Longman, London (2002). 2nd Edition, 5th impression with corrections. ISBN: 058230203X. Diccionario de trminos jurdicos: ingls-espaol,espaol-ingls: Enrique Alcaraz Var y Brian Hughes: prologo de Ramn Martn Mateo. Editorial Ariel, Barcelona (2000). 3ra. Edicin. ISBN: 84-344-0512-1. Dictionary of international trade: handbook of the Global Trade Community: Edward G. Hinkelman, with contributions by Karla Shippey. Word Trade Press, California (2000). 4th Edition. ISBN: 1-885073-84-4 English-Spanish Banking Dictionary: Rafael Gil Esteban, Editorial paraninfo, Madrid (2000). 8a. edicin. ISBN: 84-283-3673-8.

La Traduccin de los Nombres Propios: Virgilio Moya. Catedra, Madrid, 2000. ISBN: 8437618711.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

ENGLISH IDIOMS
An idiom isan expression with a meaning that can be difficult to guess from the meanings of its separate words. Talk to a brick wall means talk to an unresponsive person. Hear something from the horses mouth means get the information directly from the person concerned. Common areas for idioms in business are war (hit your targets), gambling (theres a lot of money at stake) and shipping (dont rock the boat). Complete the sentences with idioms from the box below: a. put you in the picture b. talking at cross purposes c. get straight to the point d. have a quick word e. get a word in edgeways f. beating about the bush g. heard it on the grapevine h. on the same wavelength

Use your dictionary to complete these sentences with the phrases above: 1. Ok, Ill Im afraid were going to have to let you go. 2. You and your boss seem to agree on most things. Yes, we are ... 3. Susan, I know you are busy, but can I with you? 4. Some important decisions were taken at yesterdays meeting. Let me . 5. I think we have been . I meant next month, not this month. 6. Anja dominates all our meetings. Once she starts you cant . 7. He never gives you a straight answer. Hes always 8. I that hes been fired. Is it true?

Can you look for some more idioms on the dictionary? Then translate them.

DEFINITIONS OF GLOSSARY:

Noun. An alphabetical list, with meanings, of the words or phrases in a text that are difficult to understand. A list of difficult or specialized words with their definitions. Latin: glossarium. There are words requiring a certain explanation. A Dictionary of special terms found in a particular field of study. In general specialized glossaries of a certain subject (technical, scientific, medical, law, architecture, dentistry, literary, biology, etc), there can be glossaries in any subject we can think of.. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary. The American Heritage Dictionary

Websters New Encyclopedic Dictionary