HOW TO TRANSLATE 2

SECOND
We come across translations every day and we are sometimes faced with the need to translate something. In those moments, we fear that we are not going to be made ourselves understood because we lack training in translating or interpretation. Nevertheless, there are some tips that could help you make a nice, reader-friendly translation when you need it.

First and foremost, remember this: KISS. KISS is the acronym for Keep It Short And Simple. If you don't need to translate a literary text, where translating is a little bit more difficult, then this is the acronym that you should keep in mind. What I mean is that you can transform very long sentences into more simple ones. In some languages, talking and writing using long sentences is a custom. In others, it is not. If your language uses more short sentences, then divide the sentences you need to translate into shorter ones. You need to make your translation be as natural as possible, so use your language properly.

Be aware of false friends. No matter how much you think you know about the language you are translating, take a look in the dictionary every now and then. Do not take it for granted that if a word resembles your own language then it has a similar meaning.

Look for words in more dictionaries. Do not rely on just one dictionary when translating. If you see that the meaning of a word does not fit the context, then look in other dictionaries and always have at hand an one language dictionary.

If you cannot find the word in any dictionary, then you can use the internet and search for the word. But do not try to find it in the translated form. Use "define: word" to look for definitions of the word in the language or try to find the word in other documents. Usually definitions of words or phrases or techniques can shed more light on the meaning of the word you are looking for.

Look for pictures of the word. Sometimes, when I could not find words in any dictionaries, I tried to find a picture of the word. Of course that there were more images of the word than I would have imagined, but then I had a more clear image of what the word means. I usually do it for plants and animals, which are not always translated in different types of dictionaries used.

And of course, do not forget to use the kind of language the text needs you to use. Try to use slang when slang is used and technical language when you translate technical texts.

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