Metaglossia: The Translation World

Translator David Bellos and author James Geary debate the challenge of metaphor, while novelists Anjali Joseph and Nikita Lalwani discuss writing about foreign countries...

Publishers say it would take too long to 'fix the text' of historian's interview-based book on Stalin's Russia...

For the modern American reader, few lines in French literature are as famous as the opening of Albert Camus’s “L’Étranger”: “Aujourd’hui, maman est morte.” Nitty-gritty tense issues aside, the first sentence of “The Stranger” is so elementary that even a schoolboy with a base knowledge of French could adequately translate it. So why do the pros keep getting it wrong?

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2012/05/camus-translation.html#ixzz1v8egmJOo

Monográfico Evaluación de la traducción I nfo T rad 16 de mayo de 2012 Adewuni, Salawu “Evaluation of interpretation during congregational services and public religious retreats in south-w...

The high profile and emotional Canadian murder trial of 8 year old Tori Stafford is over. Michael Rafferty has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

During a session held on "Evaluating translation in Iran", Ehsan Abbaslou reviewed the different periods of translation in Iran saying unfortunately these days some translators render a book concurrently without knowing about one another's work.

The act of translating or interpreting may require a certain invisibility in the moment. But when it comes to marketing, language specialists need to stand out from the crowd, according to George Rimalower, president and founder of ISI Translation Services ( www.ISItrans.com ).

Rimalower will share marketing insights with translators and interpreters from around the country, at the American Translators Association event this Saturday in Seattle. Attendees will learn how they can become the kind of professionals with whom Language Service Providers (LSPs) prefer to work.

Twelve years ago, Vladimir Grigoriev left Vagrius (the publishing house he founded in 1992) to join the Russian Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communication, or FAPMC. Much has changed in the country's book market since then.

...

How about the translation quality of Russian titles?

A lot needs to be done in terms of ensuring quality translation of Russian literature into foreign languages, and we should start with teaching the proper translation methodology. Half a year ago, the Institute of Translation was established through the cooperation of several major universities, national libraries, and foundations, such as the Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University, Yeltsin Foundation, and Mikhail Prokhorov Fund. To further motivate translators and publishers, we are handing out translation awards starting this June in three categories: for poetry and for pre- and post-1980 classical Russian literature. The first prize winner will get 5,000 euros. In addition, there have been a large number of translation symposiums in recent months as well as translation courses offered at linguistic centers and institutes. The Moscow State Linguistic University, for instance, held a two-day international translation symposium last December. Such programs must be encouraged and supported for the future of Russian literature in translation.

Intellectuals are brainstorming on the need to produce a unique anthem for Cameroon.

A special edition of "Mercredis des Grandes Conferences" of the Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences of the University of Yaounde I held in the university on Wednesday April 4. The special edition that came on the eve of celebrations to mark 50 years of the reunification of Cameroon had as theme "Towards the Harmonisation of the Cameroon National Anthem."

The lecture was chaired by the Secretary General of the University of Yaounde I, Professor Jean Emmanuel Pondi. The speakers were Professors Gervais Mendo Ze, Samuel Efoua Mbozo'o and Dr. Thomas Theophile Nug, all of the University of Yaounde I. The objective of the lecture was to seek ways of harmonising the National Anthem that currently has two versions in French and English. The different speakers pointed out that the National Anthem of Cameroon has the same melody in both French and English, but the lyrics are different.

"Nos pidió que evitásemos las imágenes religiosas y que neutralizáramos el género del protagonista de las canciones porque las suyas no son las típicas letras de «chico ama a chica» o viceversa. Nos pidió que en ese aspecto tratemos de ser confusos o directamente gay." Así cuenta Sebastián Rubin la devolución que tuvo de su trabajo como traductor para Los Campos Magnéticos del mismísimo Stephin Merritt, creador de los originales The Magnetic Fields. Pero antes que nada expliquemos un poco más.

"Alvy, Nacho y Rubin interpretan a Los Campos Magnéticos es el resultado de un singular proceso de investigación y traducción sobre las formas y los modos con que Stephin Merritt construyó un repertorio de canciones de amor universales desde una plataforma musical sorprendente, que sumerge tanto la pluma en ABBA como en Gershwin." Así explican los tres músicos (Alvy que es Singer, Nacho que es Rodríguez y Sebastián que es Rubin) en su página oficial el espíritu de éste, su proyecto musical en torno a la obra de Merritt y sus Magnetic Fields, que comenzó casi de casualidad en 2009 y que pasado mañana completará un ciclo al presentar en vivo el álbum que compila los dos discos grabados hasta aquí, con el nombre de Vol. 1 y Vol. 2.

"The NLT was published in 1996 by Tyndale Publishers. Few Christians realize that there have been over 200 new Bible translations published just within the last 30 years. It's blatantly obvious that this evil is the result of much greed and love for money (1st Timothy 6:10). The NLT is based upon Kenneth N. Taylor's corrupted Living Bible (1971). His perverted Living Bible sold over 40 million copies in North America alone. Taylor died in June of 2005 at age 88. It is wicked to corrupt the Word of God (2nd Peter 3:16). Now comes the damnable New Living translation. Although the NLT preface claims that 87 scholars were involved in the word of translation, I have to seriously wonder if any of them really loved Jesus Christ. 1st Peter 2:7 reads, "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious..." How could any professed Christian who loves Jesus be involved in a bible translation that perverts the Word of God. The fact that dozens of different ecumenical groups were involved in the work of translation speaks volumes as to the Devil's attempt to water down the Word of God. Increasingly, modern bible translations must be more politically correct in order to sell at high volumes. So as the world plunges further into the depths of wickedness and apostasy, new translations must follow along if they are to sell. Take a look at The Book For Teens bible, which is based upon the New Living Translation, not one mention is made of the blood of Jesus in the section on "Salvation through Jesus Christ" (Page A47). The blood of Jesus is a taboo subject nowadays amongst many pseudo-Christian groups, thanks to heretics like John MacArthur."

Hace unos días, Antonio Piñero y yo recibimos un correo electrónico del traductor de la obra de Diarmaid MacCulloch comentada en algunos de mis posts anteriores. Este traductor solicitaba –entre otras cosas que Vds.

Wycliffe Bible Translators has agreed to an independent review by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) of its policies on translating terms such as "God the Father" and "Son of God" after complaints about how the terms are presented in some non-English...

En conversación con Avelino Martínez Herrero, biblísta y miembro de las Asambleas de Hermanos y del Consejo de Dirección de la Sociedad Bíblica de España, el profesional habló acerca de las decisiones que deben tomarse al enfrentar una traducción bíblica.

TEC members decided to put together this study after a significant number of people at the January workshop voiced strong concerns about the NIV 2011, the translation that the TEC recommended using in WELS publications at the 2011 convention. Wendland says the TEC wants to continue the discussion given the concerns expressed. “Conversation has more centered around the NIV and its merits and lack of merits,” says Wendland. “This will focus our attention differently—if not the NIV, then what?”

The committee also recently learned that Northwestern Publishing House, through fair-use laws, will be able to use the NIV 1984 in most of its publications longer than it expected, giving WELS more time to systematically evaluate other viable translations. “If a study like this is carefully made, I think it will give everybody a feeling of comfort and peace when the final decision is made that we really looked at this very carefully and everyone has had a chance to think it through,” says Wendland.

The study is scheduled to be completed in August.

The districts will be voting on which translation to use in the synod’s publications at the 2012 district conventions in June using a ballot prepared by the synod president and vice presidents. With the support of the Conference of Presidents, they are considering an option on the ballot to delay the decision until the 2013 synod convention. A two-thirds majority is required for any translation to be selected; otherwise the issue will go to the 2013 synod convention.

La traduction est aussi une affaire de querelles. Nombreuses sont les batailles qui ont émaillé le cours des siècles ; plus encore d’ailleurs que sur des mots ou des expressions, mais opposant de véritables conceptions esthétiques et linguistiques. Les affrontements entre traducteurs n’ont pas toujours eu grand chose à envier à ceux, pourtant plus habituels, entre littérateurs. Au XVIIe siècle finissant, la traduction de Tacite fournit un exemple de ces combats qui se sont parfois déroulés aux termes de round et de propos peu amènes. L’un des traducteurs de l’historien romain, Perrot d’Ablancourt, dont on disait de ses traductions qu’elles étaient de belles infidèles, fut vertement attaqué dans son travail par un collègue : Amelot de la Houss....

"She claims that in her research she discovered some significant issues with our English Bible translations of Proverbs 31."

Our annual translation issue returns this month with poems that span several centuries and continents.

Part 4 of our 10 part blog series on ensuring translation quality - measuring quality during the translation process workflow.

Comentarios crítico-humorístico-codornicescos y pelín cínico-coñones, de acontecimientos que surgen en el devenir de los días.

Part 4 of our 10 part blog series on ensuring translation quality - measuring quality during the translation process workflow.

Editor's note: Steven James is the author of more than 30 books, including "Flirting with the Forbidden," which explores forgiveness. By Steven James, Special to CNN (CNN) -- The Bible is a gritty book.

...

God’s message was not meant to be run through some arbitrary, holier-than-thou politeness filter. He intended the Bible to speak to people where they’re at, caught up in the stark reality of life on a fractured planet.

Dozens of Psalms are complaints and heart-wrenching cries of despair to God, not holy-sounding, reverently worded soliloquies. Take Psalm 77:1-3: “I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted. I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help” (New Living Translation).

We all know that good translation is desirable in any situation. But perhaps we don’t realize how badly things can go if good translation is not present.

Part 3 of our 10 part blog series on ensuring translation quality - the importance adhering to industry standards and vendor certification.

After working many years for a number of good translation companies, I have frequently been asked to evaluate other translator’s jobs.