I’m always looking for glossaries, dictionaries and other resources that can help working professionals. Thanks to a Venezuelan colleague, in her blog La Traducción al descubierto, I discovered Invertext.com -a dictionary that covers different business areas. It has around 100 terms in English and Spanish with definitions that are constantly updated. All are welcome to contribute. The dictionary is free.

The dictionary covers the following subjects:

• Banking
• Stock Markets
• Accounting
• Money and Currencies
• Corporate Banking
• Retail Banking
• Money-Laundering
• Retail Banking
• Money-Laundering

Readers interested in professional translation  services may find this website useful : Business Translation Spanish.

The Royal Spanish Academy and the Association of Spanish Language Academies present a New Grammar for Spanish Language. This is the first time the academy produces a grammar book since 1931.The two volumes, and a third one being published soon, is a result of eleven year of work from the twenty-two academies of Spanish Language. The new grammar books seeks to unify Spanish language. This is the first time the grammar at an academic level covers all varieties of Spanish Language.

As I promised here’s the last part of the glossary of Neutral Spanish terms, which I shared with you in previous posts.

quitar (take off, take out)
rabo (tail)
rasurar (shave)
refresco (soda,”coke”)
refrigerador (fridge)
renta (rent)
retrete, excusado (toilet)
rosquillas  (donuts)
sabroso (tasty, yummy)
sala (living-room)
salchicha  (hot dog)
sanitario (lavatory, w.c., bathroom)
sofá (couch, sofa)
sortija (ring)
sostén (bra)
sudar (sweat, perspirate)
sujeto (guy,chap)
tienda (store, shop)
tienda (de campaña) (tent)
tina (bathtub)
tocino (bacon)
tontería (silly thing)
traje de baño (swimsuit, bathing suit)
trasero, nalgas (butt, bottom, bum, buttocks)
trozo (piece, bit)
tubo, tubería (pipe, pipes)
velada (evening/night)

I’d like to remind you once more that this glossary was created mainly for subtitling and voice over. Although it’s a useful guide, some terms are debatable.

In the US, when a transcript contains a translation of conversations spoken in a foreign language, a qualified witness must authenticate and verify the translation. See United States v. Llinas, 603 F.2d 506, 509-10 (5th Cir. 1979).

A party who wishes to challenge the accuracy of a translation is responsible for presenting another translation. The jury may then choose which version to believe. United States v. Rosenthal, 793 F.2d 1214, 1238 (11th Cir. 1986) (citing Llinas, 603 F.2d at 509).

For more information, please visit:

http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20091124124

There are many variants in the Spanish language and one is not better than the other. In some fields, such the movie industry, it would be recommendable to reach some sort of agreement regarding the most common used words (all those in the Dictionary of the Spanish Language of the Royal Spanish Academy). That was the idea behind this Neutral Spanish Glossary.

This third part of the glossary (just one more left) is a continuation of my previous posts. Below are words from letter F to P.

falda (skirt)
fontanero  (plumber)
fregadero  (sink; kitchen)

fresa (strawberry)

frijol (bean)
gafas, lentes (glasses)
galleta (cracker, cookie)
gaveta (drawer)
golpiza (beating, thrashing)
goma de mascar (chewing/bubble gum)
grifo (faucet, tap)
guapo, apuesto (good-looking, handsome)
guisado (stew, casserole)
guisante (pea)
hornear (bake)
hule (rubber)
jalar (pull)
junta (meeting)
la semana entrante (next week)
lanzar (throw)
lavandería (laundry room)
letrero (sign, post)
litera (bunk = built-in bed)
lodo (mud)
lunático (crazy, mad)
mantequilla (butter)
marcharse/largarse    (go, leave)
matrícula    patente (license plate, license number)
mejilla (cheek)
melocotón (peach)
moteado (spotted)
mujerzuela (whore, prostitute)
niña, muchacha, joven (girl)
niño, muchacho, joven (boy)
obsequio    (gift, present)
ocurrir, suceder (happen, occur)
palabrotas (profanity)
paleta (lollipop)
panecillo (muffin, cupcake, bun, roll, etc.)
papel tapiz (wallpaper)
parque (square, park)
pastel (pie, cake)
patata (potato)
pequeño (small, little)
periódico    (paper, newspaper)
perro caliente (hot dog)
piña (pineapple)
piscina (swimming pool)
plátano (banana)
pluma (pen)
preparatoria (high school)
prisa (hurry)
prisión (prison, jail, gaol)

(To be continued, and ended, in the next post. Until next time.)

Spanish is the second most-common language in the United States. There are 45 million Hispanics who speak Spanish in the United States, making it the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking community. German, Italian, Polish, Russian and Greek are also spoken among older generations of immigrants. Also spoken are Tagalog, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. And let’s not forget that there is also a small population of Native Americans who still speak their native languages.

However, it may surprise you to learn that the United States does not have an official language, even though the majority of the population speaks English. According to an ACLU briefing paper, the proposal was “rejected as undemocratic and a threat to individual liberty” by the Continental Congress. Needless to say, the proposal of any official language in the United States is simply out of the questions.

This is part 2 from the previous post. Included here are terms in Neutral Spanish from letters C to E. I’d like to remind you that this list is specifically for subtitling and voice over; there may be different options. Feel free to leave your comments or suggestions to add to the list.

cabello (hair)
cafetería (coffee shop, café, cafeteria)
calcetines   (socks)
calle  (block)
camarero  (waiter)
cantinero  (bartender)
carretera (route)
cartera (wallet, billfold)
club de desnudistas (strip joint/bar)
cojín (cushion)
col (cabbage)
columpio   (swing)
computadora (computer, PC)
condón (condom)
conducir (drive)
consentir (pamper, spoil, mollycoddle)
costoso (expensive, costly, dear)
cubo (bucket)
chaqueta, abrigo (jacket)
chispas de chocolate (chocolate chips)
demorar (take long)
deprisa, velozmente  (quickly)
derramar  (spill)
desdichado (miserable)
desnudista (stripper)
detener, detenerse (stop)
dinero (money)
dulce (candy, sweet)
ebrio (drunken)
económico, poco costoso (cheap)
echar de menos, echar en falta (miss)
el biquini   (bikini)
elevador (elevator, lift)
emparedado (sandwich)
enfadado  (angry, upset)
enseñar/mostrar (show)
enviar (send)
escoger (choose, pick)
escuela (school)

(To be continued…)

An additional note on Neutral Spanish. I’d like to share with you the first part of a list of neutral terms (not exclusive), complied for the use of the movie industry, mainly for subtitling and voice over. As I mentioned in a previous article, these terms are only a standardized version, that is, the translation most commonly used by the largest amount of people. There are other possible translations.

Some terms might sound strange and you might think that “yours” is the better word. In other cases, you’ll think it strange that you already use what’s considered to be “neutral”. Whenever you need to translate into Neutral Spanish, you should look for a term that has the same meaning for an Ecuadorian, Uruguayan and Hispanic speaker in the United States and Spain. Even if a word sounds more lindo, chulo, mono, majo or rico than the other, you should choose el más bonito (the “prettier” one).

This list can help you with this task. Here’s the first part (letters A and B):

acera  (sidewalk, pavement)
adinerado  (rich)
afortunado  (lucky)
aguacate  (avocado)
aguardar  (wait)
alardear  (brag)
alcalde  (Mayor)
amar  (love)
amarrar  (tie, tie up)
anciano  (old person)
apartamento  (apartment, flat)
apenado  (embarrassed)
apodo  (nickname)
apresurarse, darse prisa (hurry)
arete  (earring)
atemorizar (to scare)
ático, desván (attic)
atrapar, sujetar, tomar, asir  (catch, grab, hold, take)
automóvil  (car, automobile)
autobús  (bus)
ayuntamiento  (city hall)
barbacoa  (barbecue)
barbilla  (chin)
barniz de uñas  (nail polish, nail barnish)
batería  (battery)
beber  (drink)
biberón (bottle [baby])
blusa  (blouse, shirt)
boda  (wedding)
boleto  (ticket, plane ticket)
bolos  (bowling [game])
bolso  (purse, handbag)
bonito  (pretty, cute, nice)
bragas  (panties, knickers)
brincar  (jump)

We’ll continue with this later.

Remember the Telephone Game? Most of you probably remember it from childhood. You would whisper a short sentence into someone’s ear and so on until it went full circle. When the message reached the last person it was totally different from the original and it had everyone laughing out loud. You’re probably thinking, “Yes, I remember that game. But what does it have to do with Machine Translation?” Machine Translation is playing a fast-growing role in the translation industry. Some companies admit that it’s only partially effective (some say 70%); I beg to differ. Let’s play the Telephone Game and see what happens after 10 consecutive translations of the same text.

If you have a text you need translated, we recommend professional translation services from our comapny, Trusted Translations.

To wrap up my previous post, I’d like to make a brief comment on this subject.

A translation targeted towards different Spanish speaking regions or countries should be translated into “Neutral Spanish”. As I mentioned before, it’s very important that the client be aware of this. What we’re talking about is a standardized version of Spanish, especially in terms of vocabulary, so that all Spanish speakers can understand its meaning. We already established that there is only one Spanish language, but it’s spoken differently throughout the world. Grammar -the syntax itself will be basically the same regardless of any variations. But the choice of certain terms and idioms (phrases, loanwords, sayings, idiomatic phrases, etc.) will need to be adapted in order to reach a middle ground. The use of the RAE Spanish dictionary (Royal Spanish Academy) is essential. This is the bible and guide for translators in search of what Wikipedia defines as “a version that tries to avoid terms that may be identified with specific countries (“ordenador” is most used in Spain while “computadora” in turn is used in America) or linguistic regional phenomena (the Latin American voseo)…”.

Can anyone stop the ever growing Spanglish movement in the U.S.? After all, Spanglish is not a language but rather people who speak English and Spanish badly. The North American Academy of the Spanish Language (ANLE, for its initials in Spanish) has taken on this challenge. Seen by some as the “language police”, the Academy has teamed up with the U.S. government to improve and standardize the use of Spanish particularly in government public service communications. Their mission is to help implement the use of correct Spanish for the 40 million Hispanics living in the U.S.

For more information, please visit: www.nydailynews.com/latino/2009/05/14/2009-05-14_academy_to_become_spanish_inquisitor_.html

It is commonly believed that any bilingual person can translate. However most fail at written translations. This is because such informal translation is oral, not written. For an informal translator, any translation which communicates the main idea of the message suffices. But in a professional translation, the original document must be understood thoroughly and accurately. There are professional standards which a translator needs to follow. And while bilingual interference may not be as important in an informal translation, it is a serious problem in professional translation. Later I’ll continue on the subject by talking about the importance of Consistency.

Will the web ever be internationalized? Yes, the web as we know it will change forever by mid 2010. The net regulator ICANN will be introducing web addresses using non-Latin characters, which will allow the use of domain names written in Asian, Arabic or other scripts. ICANN has said that this will be the “biggest change since (the web) was invented 40 years ago”.

For more information, please read

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8326241.stm

In a previous post, Justin had mentioned that there are language differences in countries where English is the official language (e.g. in England, the Unites States, Australia and Canada). There are also differences in countries where Spanish is natively spoken, for instance Spain, Latin America, and even Spanish speakers in the United States.

Although a large part of the Spanish language is shared by its speakers (what we call “Neutral Spanish”), there are many words, phrases, idioms, and mannerisms that are not found in all linguistic varieties.
Before we begin translating a text (novel, document, web page, etc.), it is important for the client to define the target audience in order to localize the product for that specific market, by accounting for the differences of each market.

What does localization mean?

One word can be used to talk about the same thing in different parts of the world. For example, peanut can be maní in South America, cacahuate in Mexico, or cacahuete in Spain. Although the national varieties of a term may be understood, even if it sounds odd, some may not recognize the term or will find it to have a negative or offensive connotation, which leads to a misunderstanding of the text. A translator who is a native Spanish speaker or a specialized translator will identify the difference and know which version to choose in order to produce a translation adapted to that target audience without losing the meaning or the tone of the original. However, if you want to cover a broad spectrum of Spanish speakers, a neutral version of Spanish is the solution. But we can continue to discuss that some other day.

DTP is an acronym used to refer to Desktop Publishing. But what is Desktop Publishing? Its meaning has been redefined since it was first invented over 20 years ago (In 1985, PageMaker was developed for Macintosh computers, the first “desktop publishing” application). Desktop publishing in the 21^st century refers to the way people use specific desktop publishing software as well as the software itself. In a nut shell, desktop publishing can be defined as:

“…the use of the computer and software to create visual displays of ideas and information. Desktop publishing documents may be for desktop or commercial printing or electronic distribution including PDF, slide shows, email newsletters, and the Web.” (about.com)

Desktop publishing is not only about appearance and making documents look prettier; it is also important because it enhances visual communication and helps ensure that your documents clearly streamline the information you are communicating. Some desktop publishing software is best suited to print publishing. Some software is more suited to on-screen or electronic distribution. What are your desktop publishing needs?

Certain processes require a certified translation, meaning that the translation must be accompanied with a notarized translation certificate of authenticity and accuracy. This may include an Apostille, a signed certificate from a sworn translator, or a host of other requirements. If you are having a document translated, it is extremely important that you know if certification is necessary! You don’t want to waste time and money on a translation only to learn later that it is not good enough.

So when do you need a certified translation? Well, you should always double check with whoever is requesting or will be presented with the translated document. They are most often required:

• For government agencies

• In legal proceedings (depositions, Court transcripts, etc.)

• For immigration processes (Green Cards, Visas, INS documents, etc.)

• Official Certificates (School Diplomas, transcripts, Marriage Certificates, Death Certificates, Divorce Records, etc.)

Note that these are just a few of the possible cases. Always make sure you have all the details and find a respectable translations company that can provide you with a certified translation.

There is no question that the Internet has brought people from around the globe closer (virtually) than ever before, but there are still quite a few barriers to be conquered when one is looking to market  software internationally. English is the unofficial “computer language” of the 21st century, but what if your menus and code were originally written in Mandarin? Or you have software in English but really want to attack the Japanese market? Translating your software is a surefire way to truly take your product global.

A software translation may seem like a daunting task, but I’ve compiled a list of 5 questions to ask before you give a translation agency your project.

1)Will the finished product be tested in-house?

2)Will the translation hinder customer functionality in any way?

3) How will layout and design be affected? This is especially important when translating software into or out of the Roman alphabet.

4)Will the software be globalized, localized, internationalized?

5)Will the translation include things like software manuals, license agreements, warranty agreements and disclaimers?