Aldus Issue 2 - Web Version

Murray N unnall y the most powerful curses have to do with sex, body parts, or God. I once translated a very vulgar novel that was filled with swear words. In order to have the same effect in English, I had to switch the references to phrases containing God. The author, whose English was not very good, was very upset to see all those “gods” in his novel! With practice, a translator learns what sort of changes are required in order to capture the style and tone of the work without staying awkwardly close to the original.

It helps to ask someone who doesn’t know the original language to read the translation in draft. They’ll be able to see if something doesn’t sound like English.

I love the fact that you discovered teenage blogs can be a great resource for translators. Even if the slang word in question isn’t specifically defined, it ‘s possible to figure out the meaning by seeing how kids use the word in conversations.

S: If you can figure out the texting abbreviations used in other languages, that is!

T: I know what you mean. It can be challenging to keep up with changes in the language! At least these days we have the advantage of communicating with experts and authors via email. And the Internet is such a good resource for specialized terms and vocabulary. I don’t have to resort to my horticulture books as often because now I can find entire websites devoted to certain Nordic plants--usually with a picture. And that’s important, since Scandinavian novels are filled with so many plants and flowers. As the translator, I have to make sure I use the correct English name for all of them.

139