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This is a demonstration version of the presentation given at the Tranz-Arabia I Conference in Cairo in

March 2013. It is provided for information purposes only and is intended for use by delegates at the conference for their own personal means. The

accompanying transcription may differ slightly from the actual presentation as the script was not adhered

to word-for-word during the presentation.

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Tranz-Arabia I Conference in Cairo in March 2013 are free to view and discuss the content but are

not permitted to display or present it without written permission from the author.

Disclaimer. The content of this transcription and the accompanying PowerPoint presentation are

based on reliable sources. Except where shown, all quotes, examples and texts have been sourced by the author. The characters named in Slide 34 are fictitious although the accompanying quotes are genuine. The fictitious tag lines (slogans) used in

Slides 46-47 are intended to demonstrate linguistic weaknesses and are not a statement on the quality

or standard of the products named and do not represent the author’s personal views.

Nigel Saych Cairo 30 March 2013

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translating a message or

concept, not just the words

Light blue touch paper and retire immediately

translating a message or

concept, not just the words

the ‘message’ depends on the source language and on the quality of the text

rubbish in = rubbish out

translating a message or concept, not just the words

the person writing the source text knows exactly what he or she means and is able to express this accurately and correctly

the person translating the source text knows exactly what the writer means and can express this in another language

the person reading the translated text understands all the words in his or her own language

what has been achieved? Does the person reading the translation understand the WORDS or the MESSAGE?

creative technicalmarketingadvertising

medicallegal

tourism

manuals and instructionsentertainment

contracts

real estatejournalism

politicseducation

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school reports

Michael has plenty of energy and likes to be involved.Hyperactive child who can’t sit still for two minutes.

Jane takes an interest in many things.Interfering child who should mind her own business.

Peter receives a lot of support from home.Pushy parents who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Mary needs to concentrate on developing her social skills.Horrible child who needs a good kicking from the other kids.

Translation or Transcreation?“Transcreation is about taking a concept in one language and completely

recreating it in another language – it is normally applied to the marketing of an

idea, product or service to international audiences. The language, therefore,

must resonate with the intended audience.” Christian Arno, Lingo24.com

Do you agree with that statement? Should the translator be engaged with communicating language or communicating concepts?

How much is it about knowing the language and how much about knowing the mindset – or maybe both?

How is it possible to compare a 25,000 word technical manual to a commercial slogan of just a few words – and can the same

translator be expected to do both?

?

a good reason to charge by the hour and not by the word…

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the language of localization

dealing with different requirements for different cultures

…a quiet and peaceful campsite

…un camping tranquille et paisible

…ein ruhiger und friedlicher Campingplatz

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how unusual formats of source text can make your life a misery,

but can still be a challenge

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machine translation –it’s here to stay…

machine translation 2010

“We would like to welcome you here today, in the hope that you will be stimulated to explore new boundaries in the field of translation and will return home with a wealth of new ideas and techniques.”

Vi vil gerne byde Dem velkommen her i dag i den håber, at de vil blive stimuleret til at udforske nye grænser i forbindelse med oversættelse og vil vende hjem med et væld af nye idéer og teknikker.

Gostaríamos de receber hoje aqui na esperança de que elas serão incentivados a explorar novas fronteiras em ligação com tradução e vai voltar para casa com uma riqueza de novas ideias e técnicas.

Mi lesz, mint itt kapnak a mai napon a reményben, hogy azok ösztönözni kell a kutat új határok kapcsolat fordítási és vissza fog haza a vagyon az új ötletek és technikák.

What will be, as here will be given on today's date, the hope that they should be encouraged the hunt for new border link translation and back home will be the property of the new ideas and techniques.

“We would like to welcome you here today, in the hope that you will be stimulated to explore new boundaries in the field of translationand will return home with a wealth of new ideas and techniques.”

Vi vil gerne byde Dem velkommen her i dag i den håber, at de vilblive stimuleret til at udforske nye grænser i forbindelse med oversættelse og vil vende hjem med et væld af nye idéer ogteknikker.

Gostaríamos de receber hoje aqui na esperança de que elas serãoincentivados a explorar novas fronteiras em ligação com traduçãoe vai voltar para casa com uma riqueza de novas ideias e técnicas.

Mi lesz, mint itt kapnak a mai napon a reményben, hogy azok ösztönöznikell a kutat új határok kapcsolat fordítási és vissza fog haza a vagyon azúj ötletek és technikák.

What will be, as here will be given on today's date, the hope that they should be encouraged the hunt for new border link translation and back home will be the property of the new ideas and techniques.

machine translation 2013

We would like to welcome you here today, in the hope that you will be stimulated to explore new boundaries in the field of translation and will return home with a wealth of new ideas and techniques

Vi vil gerne byde dig velkommen her i dag, i håb om at du vil blive stimuleret til at udforske nye grænser inden for oversættelse og vil vende hjem med et væld af nye ideer og teknikker

Nós gostaríamos de recebê-lo aqui hoje na esperança de que você será estimulado a explorar novas fronteiras em tradução e vai voltar para casa com uma riqueza de novas idéias e técnicas

Szeretnénk Önt ma itt, abban a reményben, hogy lesz arra ösztönzik, hogy új határok a fordítás, és haza, rengeteg új ötletek és technikák

We want you here today in the hope that you will be encouraged to develop new frontiers of translation, and home to a wealth of new ideas and techniques

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machine translation 2013

We would like to welcome you here today, in the hope that you will be stimulated to explore new boundaries in the field of translation and will return home with a wealth of new ideas and techniques

Vi vil gerne byde dig velkommen her i dag, i håb om at du vil blive stimuleret til at udforske nye grænser inden for oversættelse og vil vende hjem med et væld af nye ideer og teknikker

Nós gostaríamos de recebê-lo aqui hoje na esperança de que você será estimulado a explorar novas fronteiras em tradução e vai voltar para casa com uma riqueza de novas idéias e técnicas

Szeretnénk Önt ma itt, abban a reményben, hogy lesz arra ösztönzik, hogy új határok a fordítás, és haza, rengeteg új ötletek és technikák

We want you here today in the hope that you will be encouraged todevelop new frontiers of translation, and home to a wealth of new ideas and techniques

Search Engine Optimization“Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines. In general, the earlier and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine's users.”

OR

Higher rankings on Google

More easily found on internet

Higher sales

Maximum returns

‘The advantages of SEO’: 11,900,000 search results

3 to 6 months delay

Restriction in source content

Restricts translation style

‘The disadvantages of SEO’: 2,200,000 search results

More duplication in text

how to deal with source texts not written by native speakers

Today’s sports activity: Archery. Please bring your own Arch

If this is your first visit to Russia, you are welcome to it.

Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.

Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.

Instructions for use are printed on the backside

I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and from my wife’s bottom (source: “I always get my Sin.”)

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The Tourist Office is not responsible for the information in this brochure, all of which has been

supplied by the relevant organisms (organisations).

The chairman of the board has been accused of sexual harassment. This is pure phallacy (fallacy).

...will have a very impotent (important) effect on your health.

Van Gogh is best known for his paintings of local pheasants (peasants)

the advantages and risks of a creative approach to translation

THE ADVANTAGES:

you are doing the job you really enjoyyou have artistic freedom to express yourselfyou can charge a realistic rate for your workyou do not have to conform to so many rulesyou are helped, not threatened by technology

the advantages and risks of a creative approach to translation

THE RISKS:

two different clients but with similar needs

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the advantages and risks of a free and creative approach to translation

A consultancy providing psychometric reports for Human Resources departments in commerce and industry

An educational research bureau providing reports for expatriate children moving to another country

1 2

the advantages and risks of a free and creative approach to translation

George Johnson, 45 years of age, applying for the position of CEO at a multinational software development company

Danny Robinson, 6 years of age, about to move with his family to an International School in Hong Kong

Two different people being tested by two different experts. Even so, similar personalities start to emerge. As a

translation bureau we can only translate what we are given. The problem is, they are so very much alike

They are both ‘very nice people’ but:

- both can be bullies if under pressure and this needs to be translated well…

- both are ambitious and will do anything possible to get what they want…

- both think everyone likes them, but their interpersonal skills are lacking…

we translate the reports carefully…

‘He smokes heavily when under stress and has admitted to having a weakness for fast cars…’

‘He is not always aware of his behaviour and has often had to stay in at playtime for kissing the girls…’

many of the comments are similar…but there are a couple of exceptions…

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so what if we get the reports mixed up...

He smokes heavily when under stress and has admitted to having a weakness for toy cars…

He is not always aware of his behaviour and has often had to stay in at playtime for kissing the girls…

beware the spelling check

it can sometimes make changes that

you were not aware of….

Vincent’s hairline

Vincent’s airline

Vincent van GoghVincent van GoghVincent van GoghVincent van Gogh

a good eye for colour…

…but no ear for music

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beware of over-used slogans

check it out to make sure

someone has not used it before

Sure we can!

yes we canyes he can

toilets 500mtoilets 500 miles

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'Ich bin ein Berliner'

‘I am a donut’

Berlin 1963

'Ich bin Berliner'

bringing oil

to your shores

… not all it’s

cracked up to be

we’ll make YOU richer

Airbus A380

Your information is safe with us

as natural as a as natural as a as natural as a as natural as a

mountain streammountain streammountain streammountain stream

Sit down. Shut up.

how is it possible to combine the

two skills?

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how is it possible to combine the

two skills?

NOif you only have one style of translating.

if you are quite happy working the way you do

if you think translators should stick to what they do best

if you think it would reduce the quality of your work

if you are not prepared to take the occasion risk in life

YESif you can think and work flexibly

if you would welcome more variety in your work

if you think translators can always learn something new

if you can take risks AND ask for help

if there is a bit of an ‘entrepreneur’ in you…

“Entrepreneur? The French don’t even have a word for entrepreneur.”

George W. Bush

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