13 Translation Rule Known To Translators And Interpreters

I remember more than once that others say I am a comparative smarter guy. But I feel a little bit sorry for those who are considered to be foolish. Because I spent more than 10 years to get to know that I am only suitable for office work, doing chores. In fact, I believe that I think human is much smarter than in reality. Thus, I think following many a translation rule are not only for translators, but also for interpreters as well.

Translation Rule — Knowing A Language Doesn’t Mean You’re Able To Do The Translation

Translation and interpreting are unique skills. It needs bulks of relating and study with cost of bunches of time and efforts. Because translation and interpreting are not sets of life-long skills, the translators and interpreters need to study and enhance themselves continuously. While in majority of occasions, a well-trained translator and interpreter can possibly turn the target language into the mother tongue. But it is not as what you think regarding to the opposite. It is the first translation rule that all clients should take notice.

Why Do I Say So?

I’d like to say that not everyone who can speak Chinese can teach others well. To understand one issue is one thing. But to make the issue clear by speaking is another thing. To be good at one foreign language is one thing, but translation and interpreting is the process of “understanding-restructuring-expression”. Even if you understand the foreign language, but perhaps you can’t make yourself clear. Some are good at commenting other’s interpreting and translation, but that is easier. But if you give them opportunities to go to the platform to do it, maybe he can’t do better.

Translation Rule — Not All The Translators Can Speak Clearly

Usually, one translator and interpreter can convert one language to another, while a bi-directional translator and interpreter can hardly do the conversion well. It doesn’t even mean that all translators or interpreters can make themselves clear using fluent and clear verbal methods. If a translator or an interpreter says that he or she can translate or interpreter, maybe it is only referring to the translation from English to Chinese or to other languages. It, as a matter of fact, doesn’t mean that he is good at translation or interpreting from Chinese or other languages to English.
Most of the translations have their own specialties because different texts need different major backgrounds. In fact, most of the professionals majoring in languages study don’t work with the translation and interpreting.

Experience=Quality?

We always encounter some experts or technicians within one industry with good command of foreign languages, but don’t think their translation can be submitted. They’re not the one majoring in foreign languages, so there must be some misunderstandings on the source materials. And the grammar mistakes are also unavoidable. Moreover, due to non-professional training on translation and interpreting, there are always some mistakes on details. But one thing should be praised, which is the translation and interpreting on technique and terminology. This is another translation rule that clients should pay attention to.

The Reality

Different life experience and various major backgrounds shape various translators and interpreters within the translation industry. Some are full of legal texts and terms while some translate the poems and lyrics. But advertisement translation and interpreting refers to its creativity, innovation and creative mindset. If you try to master all the industries, it is easy for the beginners to loss themselves. But of course some masters and professionals are really respect-worthy because they almost can do everything.

Translation Rule — Translation Of Novel Is Much Harder Than Other Types Of Texts

The strangest thing in China is that to all the translators and interpreters, the price of translating novels is much lower than translating other types of texts. The feature advertisements’ translation and the attractive slogans can get higher payment. But seen from globe, the translations on this part have the lowest quality. This is the third translation rule we mentioned in this post. Please keep in mind that the translation of novel is probably the most difficult job. So please kindly pay more to the freelancer translators who translate novels.

Translation Rule — Interpreting Is The Real Interpreting

A great interpreter doesn’t mean he or she is a good translator. Similarly, a good translator doesn’t have to be a great interpreter. A well trained interpreter or business assistant within a company usually can leave better impressions to foreigners. This is mainly due to the knowledge of specialty and profession.
Everyone has its own specialty. Thus, you can’t expect a translator can do interpreting jobs well. Similarly, you can’t either expect an interpreter can translate files with great quality.
What’s more, an interpreter is actually interpreting the meaning of the language flows, not a single word. If an interpreter conveys the overall meaning of the source material with no neglects, then he or she is a qualified one. Don’t think the interpreter doesn’t interpret word for word, and then he or she is an unqualified one.

Translation Rule — Word-To-Word Translation And Equality Of Words Are Impossible

The modern translational theory does admit such point of view. The nightmare of translation is usually spoken by the client “only this sentence”. To clients these are just several words, but to translators and interpreters, it’s a conversion from one language background to another. It is much like that clients need to eat 6 hamburgers to get full, but they do not want to eat the prior 5 hamburgers. If just translate based on the dictionary, then the world doesn’t need any translators or interpreters.

Translation Rule — Translating Numbers Is Also A Conversion From One System To Another

To Chinese Mandarin or traditional Chinese, 87 are just 87. But to French, they’re like 4 20s and one 7. Yes of course, the numbers of French are much better.

Translation Rule — Subtitles Have Their Own Productive Rule

The translators and interpreters engaged in translating subtitles are the groups of demanding most concise languages. They will also have to consider the possible receivers or spectators that will view the subtitles, let’s say the deaf and mute.
Moreover, they have to get skills on manipulating the subtitle-editing software. The subtitling work is an energy-consuming job. Because the translator has to view and check frame by frame. The time line has to be exactly in line with the captions. Beside the technical issue, the quality of translation is another essential point. The most reputational subtitling software for novices is the Camtasia Studio.

Translation Rule — Machine Translation Can’t Replace The Function Of Translation

Unless in some limited fields and language background, machine translation can’t substitute those professional translators and interpreters. For instance, the google translation and baidu translation can do nothing about the advertisement translation. Even you have a relative that study in the target language’s country; he or she can’t help you with translation possibly.
In the past several months, some free translation platforms online are increasing rapidly. For those who usually reply on, this is of course good news. But the new system can’t be perfect. As the continuous upgrading, these errors will be gradually disappearing. But some mistakes for the neuro-translation system are still confusing.

Example

For instance, if you input some Thai words in to the search box, the google will show some strange translations. Regarding to the professional translations like in technical translation, financial translation or legal translation, any little errors are not acceptable. Hence, if the machine translation really wants to replace human translation, there still a long way to go. Because human beings have to examine, check the machine translation and rectify its output results.

Translation Rule — The Localization Of Feature Words

As we all know that some things or names or even traditional customs need localization. It is to say that you need spend more time understanding the language culture, custom and nicknames named by others. Localization can promote customers but also it can destroy the clients. This is the same to the translators and interpreters.

Translation Rule 10 — Translator Is Not A Dictionary, Either A Teacher, Nor A Word Changer

Besides the complicated sentences or phrases, even a very simple sentence that needs coping with, the translator acts more like a complicated computer. The translator needs to use complex algorithm and option. He or she also needs to pay attention to multiple language issues and focus more classes.
Some clients feel strange that our translators and interpreters check up dictionary from time to time. They wonder that why you don’t even understand and know this as an interpreter and a translator?

Debate On It

I want to ask the client that as a Chinese, do you know all the Chinese words. To be in one industry for long time, maybe you know the industry well. But you can’t expect an interpreter or a translator to know it without having the work experience before. Maybe the translator and interpreter just a student graduated from university. The ultimate state of a translator and an interpreter is “knowing something about everything”. But during the process of interpreting, you can’t expect more on the interpreter and suppose the interpreter knows everything. The interpreter just masters the core skills that are needed to rapidly transfer to another or any industry. The fact is that the interpreter is not an all-talent, but he or she has the potential to be one.

Translation Rule — The Translator Is Difficult To Be Humorous

We have to respect those who translate much more humorous than the original texts. But usually the translated version can’t reach that point often. Sometimes, the translation and interpreting is called “dancing with the shackles”. See how vivid such metaphor is. If this is acceptable, then I’d like to say “the translators and interpreters are those who dance with shackles”. On hand, they have to convert the source accurately. On the other hand, they have to convey the taste and flavor of source materials.

The Translation Rule — The Texts Are Too Poor To Be Translated

If the source material is too poor in quality and the meaning is too messy and confused. Then it is too difficult to translate or interpret. To be loyal to the author or loyal to him or her, but the translator will be mocked and judged anyway.

Regional Dialect In Interpreting

Usually, the biggest challenge to interpreters is the listening. If the interpreter can’t receive the source audio well, then he or she can’t even understand it. Then how is it possible to interpret and convey the meaning to the clients? Thus, fostering well the listening skills is the most important part in the whole process of interpreting.
For most Chinese interpreters, maybe the most difficult accent is the Indian English. One of my friends used to interpret the single word of “countries”, but he only understands it untile 5 days after.

Conclusion

All the translation industry involvers should get to know from the fist translation rule to the last translation rule, and get some insights about the translation and interpreting industry. Mutual respect and mutual understanding are the necessities to clients and translator and interpreters.

If you want to read more, I’d like to recommed you to read posts with the title Find a Chinese interpreter — Best Manual, Where To Find A Chinese Interpreter and How To Be A Freelancer Translator & Interpreter.

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