Detailed translation study

Introduction
It is well known that the use of literal translation has been criticized since the bible was translated. Critiques are backed up with the fact that literal translation is sometimes called word-for-word translation (as opposed to thought-for-thought translation). Because literal translation focuses on forms of language, it sometimes misses some of the meaning of those forms, since meaning is found not only in the forms of individual words, but also in relationships among words, phrases, idiomatic uses of words, and influences of speaker-hearer, cultural, and historical contexts. Despite these criticism, Nowadays, some literal translations are still found. They present the use of calques specially scientific translations. However, when a text is technical there are more possibilities for a translator to be creative so two translations of the same text can have different adjectives and both of them can be good. So, the aim of this paper is to prove that literal translation is used more frequently to translate scientific texts rather than technical texts.

Content

1. Methodology
1.1 General objective: to analyze different scientific and technical texts in L1 with their corresponding translations in L2.
1.2 Specific objective: to contrast the use of literal translation in both kinds of texts.
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1.3 Research area: scientific and technical articles and their translations
Source context: articles in English
Target context: articles in Spanish

1.4. Theoretical models of Translation
- The comparative model, to work specifically with the TT-ST and vice versa.

-The causal model, to deal with the effects of translation, namely the use of calques in scientific texts , extreme adjectives and comparisons in technical texts.

Texts might be defined by the translator, text type, genre and by languge. Research

Methods will involve text analysis and contrastive analysis if two texts or kinds of text

are compared. According to Katharina Reiss work in the 1970s, the text has to be seen

as a whole, as the level at which communication is achieved and at which equivalence

must be sought.(Reiss 19977/89:113-14). Her functional approach aims at systematizing

the assessment of translations and she links functions to the text types or communicative

situations in which they are used. There are four main characteristics of text types

summarized by Reiss(1977/89:108-109) but my focus is on two of them: the

informative and operative text types. The former one refers to information, knowledge,

opinion, how the language is used, the content or topic being the main focus of the

communication. The latter one induces a behavioral response, in other words, it

persuades the reader or receiver in certain way. The form of language is dialogic.

According to this classification of informative and operative texts I have chosen

English scientific and technical texts and their translations into Spanish as samples

for analysis and contrast. My aim is to concentrate on the use of literal translation on

both kind of texts.

What is literal translation?
According to Larson (1984), Literal translation is where the forms of the original are retained as much as possible, even if those forms are not the most natural forms to preserve the original meaning. Literal translation is sometimes called word-for-word translation (as opposed to thought-for-thought translation). Because literal translation focuses on forms of language, it sometimes misses some of the meaning of those forms, since meaning is found not only in the forms of individual words, but also in relationships among words, phrases, idiomatic uses of words, and influences of speaker-hearer, cultural, and historical contexts. Words often have different meanings in different contexts, but a literal translation often does not account for these differences. So literal translation often is not the most accurate form of translation.
A priority question a person must ask about any text is "What does it mean?" Then, a priority question a person must ask about any translation is "Does this mean the same as what the original means?" If the answer is no, then the translator needs to revise the translation until its meaning is faithful, true, accurate to the meaning of the original. If the translation is literal but doesn't preserve the meaning of the original, then that literal translation must be revised until it does. Being literal must never be the highest priority of normal translation. Having faithful preservation of meaning is the highest goal.


2. Tools

2.1Corpus 0:

Samples containing different vocabulary problems
- scientific texts presenting word to word translations
-scientific translation with the recurrence of calques

2.1.1. Characteristics and limits:

In order to narrow down the research, the texts which are used are English articles about periodontal disease and allergy with their corresponding translations into Spanish.

2.1.2Design and construction:
Corpus 0 will include four samples, two original texts in English, as the source language and two translations in Spanish, as the target language.

2.1.3 Analysis: establishment of textual groups:
-Source text 1 and target text 1will be analyzed in terms of similarities and differences
-Source text 2 and target text 2 will be analyzed in terms of similarities and differences
2.1.4. Transition: CORPUS 0 > CORPUS 1
During this stage, the different linguistic aspects of L1 and L2 will be detected to draw some conclusions.

2.2Corpus 1:

-Technical texts presenting descriptive language(extreme adjectives)
-Different outcomes of technical translations based on the same source text.

2.1.1. Characteristics and limits:
In order to focus on technical texts, two touristic brochures in English with their corresponding translations into Spanish are chosen.

2.1.2Design and construction:
Corpus 1 will include four samples, two original texts in English, as the source language and two translations in Spanish, as the target language.

2.1.3 Analysis: establishment of textual groups:

-Source text 3 and target text 3will be analyzed in terms of similarities and differences
-Source text 4 and target text 3 will be analyzed in terms of similarities and differences

3.Results

3.1 Strategies:

After analyzing the 4 texts and their translations a final conclusion will be drawn to prove whether my hypothesis is true or not, and if my research paper can be used as the starting point to conclude that literal translation is present in other scientific texts as well.

3.2: Translation models
Data of theoretical and causal models will be used to back up my results.

Bibliography:

Larson, Mildred L. 1984.Meaning-based translation: A guide to cross-language equivalence. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Munday, Jeremy 2001. Introducing Translation studies: Theories and applications. Routledge, London and New York
Jenny Williams and Andrew Chesterman. The Map: A beginner’s guide to Doing Research in translation studies. Shangai Foreign Language Education Press.
http:/mywebmd.com/content/article/1680.51336
http:/mywebmd.com/condition_center_content/alr/article/1625.50536
www.museodelmar.org

Teaching counselling

As an English teacher and translator I can work in companies to help the personnel.

USEFUL LINKS

1-Colegio de Traductores – Provincia de Buenos Aireshttp://www.traductores.org.ar/
2-Colegio de Traductores – Provincia de Córdobahttp://www.coltrad-cba.org.ar/
3-Colegio de Traductores – Provincia de Santa Fe
4-1era Circunscripciónhttp://www.traductoresantafe.org.ar/
5-2da Circunscripciónhttp://www.traductoresrosario.org.ar/

Research specific area assistance

I'm interested in the scientific field so I'm planning to carry a detailed investigation about literal translation in connection to scientific and technical texts with their corresponding translation in L2.

Editing projects

In february 2007, I was a student of translation so my works were edited by some of my professors at Instituto Superior Cem. I participated in the translation of a city tour around Mar del Plata. The company is called Mar del Plata Visión and my work was ediited by the translator Karina Rodriguez. Now I'm interested in working for Inidep's internships because there is a project which can be done in group and it can be edited by proffesionals who are working in the scientific field.

Translation programmes-samples

The programmes that I use are Microsoft, ESI, Trados and Media subtitler. Here's a sample of the subtitles I translated about the trailer of the movie Elizabeth. Go to http://www.jurasikpunk.com/ to see the trailer.

Sample texts with their corresponding translation

SPANISH VERSION

http://www.portalesmedicos.com/publicaciones/articles

Prevencion de alergia al latex en entorno sanitario.
Autor: Asociacion Española de Alergicos a Alimentos y latex
Publicado: 04/24/2006 Medicina Laboral , Medicina Preventiva y Salud Publica Alergologia

ALERGIA AL LATEX.
La alergia al látex de caucho natural presenta una incidencia creciente en todos los países desarrollados. Actualmente se estima que en España hay un 1% de población sensibilizada a esta sustancia, porcentaje mucho mayor para los grupos de riesgo identificados. El látex de caucho natural es una sustancia lechosa que se obtiene del árbol Hevea Brasiliensis o árbol del caucho. Una vez tratada convenientemente se utiliza para la fabricación de muchos productos de uso habitual (celo, preservativos, globos, neumáticos, gomas elásticas, tetinas, chupetes, juguetes, y un largo etcétera hasta los 40.000 artículos que se calcula lo contienen) y también en artículos de uso sanitario (sondas, guantes, catéteres, tapones de viales, conexiones, enemas, esparadrapo, tiritas, vendas elásticas, mascarillas de resucitación, mascarillas de oxígeno, etc.) Las situaciones que suponen mayor riesgo para los alérgicos son las que exponen al individuo a objetos elásticos de paredes delgadas como los globos, los guantes y los preservativos. El riesgo aumenta cuando éstos entran en contacto con mucosas (hinchar globos, preservativo en mucosa vaginal, etc.) y cuando contienen polvo para facilitar su uso (polvo en globos, guantes, gorro de piscina, etc.) En el entorno sanitario, todos estos productos así como las partículas de látex difundidas en el ambiente a partir del polvo de los guantes, suponen una amenaza para los pacientes alérgicos. Además, es frecuente en este ámbito que el látex contacte directamente con las mucosas, fluidos corporales y órganos internos, de manera que la absorción de las partículas es mucho más rápida y la reacción más intensa. Esta situación comporta, además, una exposición continuada al látex por parte de todos los trabajadores sanitarios, que se convierten así en uno de los más afectados por esta alergia. Otros grupos de riesgo para esta alergia -pacientes con espina bífida y trastornos urogenitales congénitos, personas con múltiples cirugías y con largas hospitalizaciones - desarrollan también su alergia a raíz de su elevada frecuentación en hospitales. Las personas afectadas por dicha alergia deben evitar cualquier contacto con las proteínas del látex, ya sea inhalación de las partículas difundidas por vía aérea, ya sea el contacto directo (cutáneo, mucoso, ingestión). Las reacciones pueden empezar a los pocos minutos de la exposición y hasta una hora después de ésta y pueden implicar : - afectación cutánea y mucosa (eritemas, dermatitis, urticarias, edemas, conjuntivitis) - afectación respiratoria (rinitis, asma, dificultad respiratoria) - afectación generalizada (angioedema, anafilaxia, shock anafiláctico con riesgo de muerte). El tipo de reacción dependerá del nivel de sensibilización del paciente, de la cantidad de alergeno látex que ha entrado en contacto con éste y de la vía de contacto (no es lo mismo el contacto del látex con una piel sana que con la mucosa vaginal durante una exploración ginecológica). Muchos pacientes alérgicos al látex pueden presentar reacciones similares al ingerir determinadas frutas tropicales (plátano, kiwi, aguacate) o castaña; es lo que se denomina síndrome látex-fruta. La elevada prevalencia de esta alergia y la importancia de sus posibles reacciones hace imprescindible adoptar las siguientes medidas preventivas básicas en todos los niveles asistenciales: 1. IDENTIFICAR PACIENTES ALÉRGICOS AL LÁTEX Y DE RIESGO a. Preguntar siempre por una posible alergia al látex (no sólo hay que indagar alergias medicamentosas), especialmente ante una manipulación de mucosas o intervención quirúrgica. A veces el paciente no conoce dicha alergia, hay que preguntar por reacciones al hinchar globos, al usar guantes o preservativos, al ingerir frutas como el kiwi o plátano. b. Leer placas o pulseras de advertencia, especialmente en la atención urgente, en pacientes inconscientes y en niños. 2. ACTUACIONES PARA PREVENIR NUEVAS SENSIBILIZACIONES a. Evitar guantes con polvo, puesto que difunden las partículas de látex al ambiente cuando los retiramos de las manos. Sólo con esta actuación se consiguió reducir en Alemania el 80% de los nuevos casos de alergia al látex en personal sanitario. b. Usar guantes de materiales sintéticos (vinilo, nitrilo, neopreno) adecuados a cada tarea o de látex con bajo contenido en proteínas alergénicas. Existen listados actualizados con el contenido en alergenos de los guantes de látex. En Finlandia se consultan regularmente estas listas y sólo se adquieren los bajos en alergenos. Esta medida evita nuevas sensibilizaciones. c. Dar atención sin látex desde un prinicipio a pacientes de riesgo: espina bífida, malformaciones urogenitales, cuando se prevén cirugías múltiples... 3. ACTUACIONES PARA EVITAR REACCIONES ALÉRGICAS A PACIENTES YA SENSIBILIZADOSa. Protocolos específicos para cada servicio (urgencias, UCI, cirugía, sala de partos, hospitalización, consultas externas, transporte sanitario) que contemplen: - material sin látex - espacio libre de látex - formación al personal Hasta el momento son pocos los centros que han adoptado iniciativas específicas para dar una atención segura a los alérgicos al látex que permiten, al mismo tiempo, para prevenir nuevas sensibilizaciones entre el personal sanitario. Pero son sólo pequeñas actuaciones dentro de una red asistencial aún poco preparada para ellos. Queda pendiente el reto de mejorar para ofrecer seguridad asistencial a toda la población. Autor: Asociacion Española de Alergicos a Alimentos y latexhttp://www.aepnaa.org

ENGLISH VERSION

ALERGIES – TC2

Prevention of latex allergy in the health care field.
Author: Asociacion Española de Alergicos a Alimentos y latex
Published: 04/24/2006 Medicina Laboral , Medicina Preventiva y Salud Publica Alergologia

LATEX ALLERGY

Allergy to the natural- rubber latex presents an increasing incidence in all developed countries. At present it is estimated that 1 % of the Spanish population is allergic to latex. Such percentage is much higher among the identified risk groups.
Natural-rubber latex is a milky substance that is extracted from the tree Hevea Brasiliensis or rubber tree. Once it is conveniently treated, this milky fluid is modified during the manufacturing process to form 40,000 latex-containing products of common use such as sticking plaster, prophylactics, balloons, pneumatic tires, rubber bands, baby’s dummies,pacifiers, toys, and so on. Health care products such as sounders, surgical gloves, catheters, flanged caps, connections, enemas, medical tape, (little) strips, elastic bandages, resuscitation and oxygen masks, and so on, also contain latex.
There is greater risk for allergic-prone people when they are exposed todipped-in latex products such as balloons, gloves and prophylactics. The risk increases when these latex products are in contact with mucous , for instance when blowing balloons, or introducing a prophylactic in vaginal mucous. The risk also increases with latex products containing powder such as balloons, gloves, swimming caps, etc.
In the health care field, all these products as well as latex particles spread out in the environment as from the powder of gloves imply a threat to allergic patients. Besides, latex frequently is in contact with mucous, body fluids and internal organs, causing a much faster absorption of particles and a stronger allergic reaction.
Also, this situation entails a continued exposure to latex of all health care workers who are the most affected by latex allergy.
Other groups at this allergy risk are patients with forked spine and congenital urogenital disorders, people with multiple surgeries and long hospitalization develop this allergy because of their high frequency in hospitals. People affected by such allergy must avoid contact with latex proteins, that is to say, the inhalation of the particles diffused in the air or direct contact (cutaneous, mucous contact or ingestion). Reactions can start after a few minutes of exposure and after one hour these reactions can cause:
-Cutaneous and mucous affection (erythemas, skin inflammation, itching, eczemas, conjunctivitis).
-Breathing affection (rhinitis,asthma, difficulty breathing).
-General affection (angioedema, anaphylaxis, anaphylaxic shock that may be life threatening).

The kind of reaction will depend on the level of the patient’s sensitivity, considering the amount of latex allergen found in contact with the patient and the means of contact (latex contact with healthy skin is not the same as the vaginal mucous contact during a gynaecological examination). Many patients may present similar reactions when eating certain tropical fruits (banana, kiwi, aguacate) or chestnuts. This is called fruit latex syndrome.
The high permanence of this allergy and the importance of its possible reactions make the adoption of the following basic preventive measures essential in all the assistance levels:

1. IDENTIFY PATIENTS ALLERGIC TO LATEX AND AT RISK.

a. Always ask for a possible allergy to latex (do not only ask about allergies to medicines only), especially before a mucous manipulation or a surgical intervention. Sometimes the patient does not know such allergy, ask about reactions when blowing balloons, wearing gloves or condoms and eating fruits like kiwi or banana.
b. Read Medic Alert bracelets or plaques, especially in urgent cases of unconscious patients or children.
2. PREVENTION TO AVOID NEW CASES OF ALLERGY.

a. Avoid the use of powder-free latex gloves. They spread latex particles across the environment when people take them off. In Germany, such a preventive attitude reduced to 80% the number of latex allergy cases in health workers.

b- Use synthetic gloves (vinyl, nitile, neoprene) depending on the purpose, or latex gloves with a small quantity of allergenic proteins. Nowadays, updated lists detail the number of allergens in latex gloves. Finns usually consult these lists to acquire only gloves with low quantities of allergens. This measure prevents the origin of new allergic patients.

c- Be cautious if high-risk patients (having a forked spine or urogenital malformations) require multiple surgeries. From the first contact, provide them with medical assistance without latex gloves.

3. STEPS TO PREVENT ALLERGIC REACTIONS FROM ALLERGIC PATIENTS.

a. Specific protocols for each service (urgencies, ICU -intensive care units-, surgeries, birth rooms, hospitalization, external services, and health transport) that include:
· Material without latex components.
· Latex-free environment.
· Specially trained personnel.

Up to now, only few health centers have introduced specific measures to treat latex-allergic patients. Not only do these measures provide safe service to allergic patients, but they also prevent the origin of new cases among health workers. However, these measures are small parts of a health network which is not effective and should improve as soon as possible.

About me

As an English teacher and future translator I’m always interested in reading the latest news on translation,languages and other relevant issues like using computer tools effectively. This is why, I have access to daily language industry articles brought from around the world and good updated programs. I also like to know where to find terminology sources in different subject matter areas and and how to handle certain complicated translation issues.To do so, I use a directory of a wide variety of resources: tools for language professionals, glossaries and dictionaries, translation organizations, translation blogs, I contact colleague translators and language education companies and select good translation related web-sites. Moreover, I’m an independent professional translator who hands in dead lines on time and can negotiate reasonable prices with clients.