Debunking 5 misconceptions about translation by Slavistix Translation Services

1. Brought to you by:
5 MISCONCEPTIONS
ABOUT
TRANSLATION
DEBUNKED
2012 | Rotterdam | The Netherlands

2. ABOUT SLAVISTIX TRANSLATION SERVICES
 Slavistix Translation Services is a young and dynamic translation
agency from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, that works with
professional, experienced translators, native speakers of different
Slavic languages.
 We are specialized in translations from Dutch/English to Slavic
languages such as
Russian, Ukranian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Slovak, Slovenian, Cz
ech, Polish, Serbian, Croatish, Bosnian and Macedonian and
vice versa.
 Feel free to comment! Let us what you think about this
presentation and follow us on:

3. CONFUSED ABOUT TRANSLATIONS? HOPEFULLY
THIS SHORT PRESENTATION WILL CLEAR THINGS
UP!

4. MISCONCEPTION #1:
ANYONE WHO SPEAKS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
CAN BE A TRANSLATOR
 A translator must have in-depth knowledge of at least two
languages: a foreign language and a mother tongue. So the
above statement must be true?!
 But it is not. Translating is a skill. Some even consider it as a
form of art. You must be able to write well and have a great
command of the nuances in both languages.
 Spoken language is very different from written language, so just
because you are able to have a conversation in a certain
language, doesn’t mean you are able to write in that language.

5. MISCONCEPTION #2:
TRANSLATING IS EASY
 It is actually very hard. Translation can be very complicated work.
Having to concentrate on two different texts at the same time is a
mentally grueling task.
 This is because a translator is continuously moving between two
languages. A translator must first read and register source
information then manage to digest it and present it accurately in
the target language.
 It means having an excellent vocabulary, focusing on and
converting intention, tone, figures of speech, phrases, and the
like all at the same time.

6. THIS ONE IS TRUE: IT IS BAD BUSINESS TO GET
LOST IN TRANSLATION

7. JUST TWO LETTERS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opened her first talks with
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by giving him a present
meant to symbolize “press the reset button” on U.S.-Russia
relations.
 Instead of “reset” (перезагрузка – perezagruzka) the word on
the box meant “overcharge” (перегрузка – peregruzka).
 We are glad both of them could laugh about it, but this simple
example indicates why it is so important to hire professional
translators to avoid misunderstandings.

8. MISCONCEPTION #3:
TRANSLATIONS CAN BE DONE BY COMPUTER
 Absolutely. Absolutely wrong! There are so many factors to take
into consideration in a translation that a machine can miss such
as grammar, punctuation, style, consistency, cultural variances.
 The translation tools presently available are only able to translate
a sentence word for word. Since they cannot understand
context, they cannot distinguish between different meanings of
the same word.
 In addition, they simply copy the word order of the source
language, which often leads to very awkward, even unintelligible
sentences in the target language.

9. MISCONCEPTION #4:
TRANSLATORS CAN ALSO INTERPRET
 Maybe they can, but interpreting and translation are different jobs
with very different skills involved. Interpreting involves being very
quick on your feet to be able to render messages from one
language into another immediately.
 Translation on the other hand is written, and translators have
many resources and tools that they can use. Interpreters need to
have all their research done before hand, be quick, alert, and
have a great memory.
 A rule to remember: a translator works with the written word. An
interpreter handles the spoken word.

10. MISCONCEPTION #5:
THERE IS ONLY ONE POSSIBLE TRANSLATION FOR
EVERY TEXT
 Language is not an exact science: there never is just one correct
answer or one way to translate a text. Ideas and thoughts can be
phrased in different ways.
 Ask a hundred translators to translate the same paragraph and
you will get a hundred different translations which are all correct.
 But! Some translations may be more appropriate for the context
and the target audience than others, which is why it is important
to hire a professional translator who is familiar with the context
and target audience.

11. A SUMMARY OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS
 Misconception #1: Anyone who speaks a foreign language can
be a translator. Wrong! You must be able to write well and have a
great command of the nuances in both languages.
 Misconception #2: Translating is easy. No, it is very hard and
can be a mentally grueling task.
 Misconception #3: Translations can be done by computer.
False! There are so many factors to take into consideration in a
translation that a machine can miss.
 Misconception #4: Translators can also interpret. Maybe. But
interpreting and translation are different jobs with very different
skills involved. It is not the same!
 Misconception #5: There is only one possible translation for
every text. Not true! Language is not an exact science: there
never is just one correct answer or one way to translate a text.

12. HOPEFULLY WE CLEARED THE MENTIONED
MISCONCEPTIONS.
Thank you for watching!