Translate Spanish into Success

Why a Good Translation isn’t a Literal Translation

It’s not a really good idea to approach a conversation by asking “How do I say this in French?” A better approach would be to say “How would a French person express this?” or better still, “How would my particular French self express this?”He describes the idea of getting into character, of creating another self that speaks the other language. Instead of matching up words from one language to the other, you think about how your other self would express the same idea.This, essentially, is what translation is all about. A literal or word-for-word translation isn’t necessarily more accurate, because it may not be the most natural way to express an idea in the other language. It might end up being nonsensical or — even worse — convey the wrong meaning.So the translator’s job is to take in all the details of what is being said in one language and how it is being expressed, and then find the best way to express the same idea in the other language. A translator doesn’t just know multiple languages. As Coates would say, a translator has multiple selves.
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Translation in the News: The Damage of an Inaccurate Translation

I recently came across this shocking story about an inaccurate—and discriminatory—translation:For the past year, Spanish-speaking parents in Milford, Delaware, who brought their children to the playground facilities near the Lulu M. Ross and Mispillion elementary schools were greeted by a sign that warned them of possible police action if they attempted to use the playground without the proper permit.That might have been fine, if not for the fact that the English version of the same sign required no such permit from visitors, only adequate parental supervision.

Here are a few tips to avoid ending up in the same situation:Start with a professional: Always use an experienced, professional translator to ensure that the translation carries the same message (in both meaning and tone) as the original.Check the context: When reusing a translation, make sure that the original text that it is based on hasn’t changed and that the translation is being used in the same context as before.Review the translation: If you want to reuse a translation in a new context, include a translation check before you use it. You may not have to have the text re-translated, but an experienced translator can perform a review or a full edit to make sure the translation is accurate and effective in that context.Test the translation: When in doubt about a translation, do a test run with your intended audience. Have native speakers look at both the original text and the translation, and make sure they agree about what it means. Your audience will be the ultimate judge of a translation’s effectiveness!
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American Translators Association 53rd Annual Conference

The American Translators Association is holding its 53rd annual conference (Oct. 24-27) in San Diego this year! I was super excited when the location was announced a couple of years ago, while I was living in San Diego. Sadly, I have since moved across the pond to Germany—and now I won’t be able to attend. I feel even worse about it when I see the great lineup of events and presentations at this year’s conference.

There are plenty of sessions for Spanish translators (you can find a list of them in the ATA session schedule), although I did notice that there aren’t as many sessions oriented toward Spanish to English translators. But if you attend the Preconference Seminars, you can work with Marian Greenfield on Translating Financial Analysis (Spanish>English) and with Thomas West on Advanced Spanish>English Legal Translation. I’m sorry to be missing those!

If you are a bit of a technology nerd like me, you will also be interested in hearing what the Language Technology Division has planned for ATA 2025:
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META-NET: Information and Resources on Language Technology in Europe

The ATA Language Technology Division recently shared an informative lecture about the use of language technology in European institutions. The lecture was presented last year at the META-FORUM 2025 in Budapest, a conference about technology solutions for multilingual Europe. (More videos from this conference are available online at META-FORUM 2025.)

I didn’t know much about META (Multilingual Europe Technology Alliance), so I took a peek around their website. I came across some interesting information and resources:

META-NET Language White Papers - These white papers discuss the language technology support for specific European languages, considering the particular needs of each language. I am particularly interested in the white papers on Spanish and English, although there is a long list of papers in the series.

META-RESEARCH - This section is specifically focused on research in machine translation. There are limited materials available on the website right now, but at a time when many translators fear and misunderstand machine translation, I think it is worth keeping an eye on how this research goes.

Language Technology World - This is the META knowledge portal. There is a lot of information here, including links to other information sources, language tools, commercial products and services, and other language technology projects.