ENGLISH - SPANISH GLOSSARY OF TRANSLATION INDUSTRY TERMS

Author: Richard Pérez-Mongard
Creation Date: 12/Aug/2013

Registered Court Interpreter
Interpreter positions in court interpreting for which there is no certification exam.
Spanish: intérprete inscrito en la nómina de peritos (Ch)

Retranslation
When a translation is so bad that the translator must return to the source text and start from scratch.
Spanish: retraducción

Reverse translation
Translating a target text back into its source language. It is a common mistake to believe that you can verify the quality of a translation translating it back into its source language. In fact, the opposite is true; the worse the translation (the more word-for-word it is), the closer the back translation will adhere to the original, as is the case in automatic machine translation. Synonym: Back translation
Spanish: retraducción inversa

Reviewing
Writing a critical evaluation of a text (Books) or other work of art, product or service. In translation, it’s a monolingual examination by a person other than the translator, who recommends changes in grammar, punctuation and style. Very sensitive texts might go through various reviewing stages. Synonym: Copy-editing, Editing. See Editing, Copy-editing, Proofreading, Revising.
Spanish: revisión monolingüe

Revising /revision
Stage in the writing process where the author reviews, alters, and amends her or his message, according to what has been written in the draft. In translation, bilingual examination for the existence of errors, specially errors in meaning, inconsistent terminology, untranslated segments and transfer of untranslatables, by comparing the source and target texts, by the translator or someone else (self-revision, other-revision). Sometimes called bilingual proofreading, bilingual editing.
Spanish: revisión bilingüe

Rewriting
When a text is used as a basis for writing another but similar text in the same or another language.
Spanish: reescritura

Segmentation
This usually refers to the process by which CAT tools divide a text into text segments so they are used as translation units. CAT tools use formal markers (commas, full stops, exclamation marks, etc.) for segmenting a text, and in some cases can be configured by the user of the software.
Spanish: segmentación

Self-revision
Changes made to a translation by the same translator.
Spanish: autorrevisión

Shift
Observed difference between the two sides of a bitext. Departures from formal correspondence in aligned texts.
Spanish: faltas de concordancia

Shift of semantic perspective
The grammatical category can remain the same but the one object is seen from a different perspective: “shallow” is thus rendered as “peu profond” (not very deep), and “No Vacancies” becomes “Complet” (Full). Synonym: modulation.
Spanish: cambios de perspectiva semántica

Simplified English
A set of writing rules and a dictionary of controlled vocabulary aimed at improving the readability of technical documentation. Developed by the Association of European Airlines (AEA). Also used to write texts for translation using machine translation tools.
Spanish: inglés simple

Source language
Language of the text that needs to be translated. The language of the original text.
Spanish: idioma de partida- IP, idioma fuente

Source text
The text to be translated. The original text.
Spanish: texto fuente, texto de partida

Spell checker
Software which checks the spelling of words. Microsoft Word has a spell checker that as well must be checked for its spelling mistakes.
Spanish: corrector ortográfico

Standard language
The version of a language that has acquired a formal or official status through a variety of means, but mainly by linguistic institutions that define its rules from public uses and acceptance (by the dominant classes). In non-English speaking countries, the versions accepted by the Académie française, Real Academia Española, etc. In English speaking countries and regions inside the UK, the standard is very elastic and made George Bernard Shaw comment: “It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him“.
Spanish: lengua estándar, dialecto estándar

Subtitling
Writing the dialogues of a video or film at the bottom of the image for reading purposes by viewers that can’t hear or understand the audio. Currently subtitling is done with software and translation can be performed while writing the subtitles as if the translator were interpreting, but in writing. When subtitling technical videos and due to QA requirements it is advisable to translate in a CAT tool and edit the subtitles once the final translation is produced.
Spanish: subtitulado

Supporting material
Documentation relating to the subject matter of the source text for a translation (articles, books, manuals, linguistic discussions, etc.). Translators use this background information to determine terminology, meanings and context, and make linguistic decisions.
Spanish: material de apoyo

Sworn translation
A translation sealed and authorized by a sworn translator, which is valid as an official document.
Spanish: traducción jurada, traducción realizada por traductor oficial (Ch)

Sworn translator
A sworn translator is a translator authorised by local regulations, usually for certifying official documents or for court interpretation. Some jurisdictions only require self-declared competence. In other jurisdictions a sworn translator only relates to testimony in court and the term “certified translator” (not requiring official appointment) is preferred. In Chile official appointment is only required for official documents. The translation of private documents for use in court can be performed by any translator, as long as all parties accept the translations. Interpreting in Chilean courts requires appointment by the courts of appeals. See certified translation.
Spanish: traductor público, traductor jurado, traductor oficial (Ch), perito intérprete (Ch)