Methodology
I have been told that your English is very
good and that you want to translate some texts, but before we do that the most
important part about translating your texts is to understand your methodology
for translating texts
What is the way you approach your text?
Here is an example, please tell me how you
would approach it? What are the questions you ask yourself before you
translate?
Paris plein air
Traditionally a translator is forbidden from making any changes to a text. However, working at the tourist office, your job is not only to translate, but to sell
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
And so, when you are in dispute regardinga text, you should rather be on the 'phrase by phrase' side of translating than the 'word by word' side of translating.
What are the 5 main steps you should follow when approaching your translation?
1. What are you trying to sell?
2. Who are you trying to sell to? (who is your target audience?)
3. What is the cultural context?
4. What is the message?
5. What are the words that I need to choose?
And another example
Déjeuners
et dîners-croisière sur la Seine
Le
temps d’un déjeuner ou d'un dîner, laissez-vous porter par la Seine, à la
rencontre de Paris et ses monuments.
Vous
rêvez de découvrir les charmes de la capitale loin des voitures et de la foule
? Le temps d’un déjeuner ou d’un dîner, arrêtez le temps et oubliez tout
ce vous raccroche au quotidien. Laissez-vous porter par la Seine pour un voyage
hors du temps, à la rencontre de ce Paris intemporel et majestueux, qui vous
offre ses plus beaux monuments à admirer au fil de l’eau.
Virtually
all tourist text is divided up in to 3 main types of text
1.
– description (tourist texts, giving
general descriptions of a destination, a sight, type of holiday, including
destination description, e.g. countries, areas, regions; vacation descriptions,
e.g. beach vacation, sightseeing holiday; tour description, e.g. cruise,
excursion)
2.
- information (tourist texts, giving
practical information on facilities, appliances and services used and offered,
including hotel descriptions, cruise ship descriptions, excursion itinerary,
terms and conditions of service, visa and documents information etc)
3.
- professional communication (tourist
texts, used to communicate information between tourism professionals, including
price lists, application forms, reservation systems, ticketing terms and
conditions, booking manuals etc)
Then you need to ask yourself 2 main questions
1.
What is your target audience?
Younger people? Professionals? Tourists
2.
What is the purpose of the text?
Is it to
provide information to the existing tourist or is it to convince a new tourist?
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