Turning direct quotes into indirect quotes Thread poster: Tiffany Hardy
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I was asked to do a paid test translation by an agency who was interested in me for doing regular press releases for them. In the test translation, which was approximately 1000 words, there was a rather long quote by someone.
In my translation studies, I learned that in general in news translation, direct quotes should be turned into indirect quotes. This makes sense to me. The person didn't actually utter the words in the target language but rather the source language and therefo... See more I was asked to do a paid test translation by an agency who was interested in me for doing regular press releases for them. In the test translation, which was approximately 1000 words, there was a rather long quote by someone.
In my translation studies, I learned that in general in news translation, direct quotes should be turned into indirect quotes. This makes sense to me. The person didn't actually utter the words in the target language but rather the source language and therefore quoting them is essentially misquoting them no matter how accurate the translation, hence the use of indirect quotes in the translation.
The client wasn't happy with my choice to turn the quote into an indirect one and seemed rather surprised when I explained my reasoning.
I'm wondering what others think of this. ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 01:06
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Whatever we think | Dec 17, 2014 |
"The customer (client) is always right. Even when they patently aren't. I usually just roll over and give them whatever they want, within reason.
| | | | | I agree with you in the overall | Dec 17, 2014 |
Turning direct speech into indirect speech is a basic transformation of a text, like turning a passive sentence into an active one. We translators are acquainted with these tools. Several reasons for turning a direct quote into an indirect quote:
1. Of course, quotes are often misquoted, so we should search for the right wording first; not that easy, especially if the person is not so famous.
2. Even having the right wording, translating them make them misquoted by definition.... See more Turning direct speech into indirect speech is a basic transformation of a text, like turning a passive sentence into an active one. We translators are acquainted with these tools. Several reasons for turning a direct quote into an indirect quote:
1. Of course, quotes are often misquoted, so we should search for the right wording first; not that easy, especially if the person is not so famous.
2. Even having the right wording, translating them make them misquoted by definition.
3. If we decide / have to translate them in direct speech, we should say in a footnote any suspicion about the wording in the source text or in our translation.
I don't understand your client's reaction, since you have justify you transformation. Probably he/she is not a linguist (I'm assuming he/she is a PM). This justification you have provided is enough for a client to recognize a good job. Anyway, if you are told to translate them in direct speech, you can do it and then add step #3 above.
Footnotes are a translator's best friend!
I hope you have not lost that client. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 01:06
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| In South Africa we retain the quotes as quotes | Dec 17, 2014 |
Tiffany Hardy wrote:
In my translation studies, I [was taught] that in general in news translation, direct quotes should be turned into indirect quotes. This makes sense to me. The person didn't actually utter the words in the target language but rather the source language and therefore quoting them is essentially misquoting them...
What an odd reasoning.
Even quotes in the speaker's original language are often somewhat different from what the person actually said. For example, we don't include ems and ahs. Or, as another example, if the paper's policy is to use no contractions, then a speaker who said "can't" will find himself quoted in the paper as having said "can not". And I rather doubt if the speakers they quote in the papers all speak in grammatically correct full sentences, as their spoken utterances are quoted.
In newspaper articles in the South African press (both the Afrikaans press and English press) speakers are often quoted in the language of the paper even if that person said the words in the other language. Sometimes you find proof of this when the same story is reported in two papers, and the speaker really didn't repeat what he said in both languages -- he said it in one language, and he is then quoted in whatever language the rest of the article uses.
For example, here is an Afrikaans newspaper report about an event in Canada, in which several people from Canada are quoted, in Afrikaans.
And in this news report (in English), the person quoted second is not an English speaking person, and it is likely that he spoke his words in Afrikaans, even though he is quoted in English. In fact, in this news report (in Afrikaans) about the same event, he is quoted as speaking those same words... in Afrikaans. And since these two language versions of the quotes are not direct, word for word translations of each other, we can be certain that the newspaper writers did not quote his literal, exact words, but changed it (even though they quoted it) to fit the style and layout of the article.
Susana E. Cano Méndez wrote:
Turning direct speech into indirect speech is a basic transformation of a text, like turning a passive sentence into an active one.
I agree. And the translator is free, in my opinion, to change direct quotes into indirect quotes in his translation, if he feels that the end product is improved by it.
If we decide / have to translate them in direct speech, we should say in a footnote any suspicion about the wording in the source text or in our translation.
I have never, ever seen this happen in a newspaper report, ever.
[Edited at 2014-12-17 17:49 GMT]
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Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 19:06
German to English
| Theory v. practice | Dec 17, 2014 |
Tiffany Hardy wrote:
In my translation studies, I learned that in general in news translation, direct quotes should be turned into indirect quotes.
You're right, but the customer wants something else. In cases like this, take the path of least resistance. You'll have fewer headaches.
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Susana E. Cano Méndez wrote:
Turning direct speech into indirect speech is a basic transformation of a text, like turning a passive sentence into an active one. I agree. And the translator is free, in my opinion, to change direct quotes into indirect quotes in his translation, if he feels that the end product is improved by it. If we decide / have to translate them in direct speech, we should say in a footnote any suspicion about the wording in the source text or in our translation. I have never, ever seen this happen in a newspaper report, ever. [Edited at 2014-12-17 17:49 GMT]
Thank you for agreeing upon the first part . On the other hand, a footnote may be intended only for the first step: an editor may delete it.
It's always a pleasure to discuss whatever with you
[Edited at 2014-12-17 18:14 GMT]
| | | | | I disagree with your teachers. | Dec 17, 2014 |
Tiffany Hardy wrote:
In my translation studies, I learned that in general in news translation, direct quotes should be turned into indirect quotes. This makes sense to me. The person didn't actually utter the words in the target language but rather the source language and therefore quoting them is essentially misquoting them no matter how accurate the translation, hence the use of indirect quotes in the translation.
Long quotes are often a good thing in press articles. They're more satisfying to read.
[Edited at 2014-12-17 20:52 GMT]
| | | | James McVay
United States
Local time: 19:06
Russian to English
+ ...
| Sure, the customer is always right, but… | Dec 17, 2014 |
I translated articles for the English-language section of a a Russian op-ed website for about 4 1/2 years. Virtually every article included a quote from a person who had spoken it in English. In almost every case, I was able to find the original quote, in English, in multiple English-language sources. I made it clear to the website editors at the outset that I intended to use the original language whenever possible, but I would use indirect quotes when I was unable to find the original. I felt t... See more I translated articles for the English-language section of a a Russian op-ed website for about 4 1/2 years. Virtually every article included a quote from a person who had spoken it in English. In almost every case, I was able to find the original quote, in English, in multiple English-language sources. I made it clear to the website editors at the outset that I intended to use the original language whenever possible, but I would use indirect quotes when I was unable to find the original. I felt that the choice was mine to make in this instance, not theirs. They were okay with that.
I might add that the research required to locate the original quote was often very time-consuming. It would have been quicker and easier for me to just translate the Russian into what would admittedly have been an unimaginative approximation of the original, and my best translation would have lacked the flavor, nuance and liveliness of the original, simply because it wasn't conveyed by the Russian translation of the original English.
In my opinion, indirect quotes should be used when you don't have the original. However, I will admit that translation for publication in countries with two or more official languages might have to take an exception to that rule. ▲ Collapse
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Tiffany Hardy
Spain
Local time: 01:06
Spanish to English
TOPIC STARTER | Thanks for your input | Dec 18, 2014 |
I appreciate the responses.
My view is also that the customer is always right and will of course do what they want. My intention with this post was more to know other translators' take from a theoretical point of view. In any case, I see it's a bit of a mixed bag and definitely not as cut and dry as I had thought.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 01:06
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| On translating translated quotes | Dec 18, 2014 |
James McVay wrote:
I translated articles for the English-language section of a a Russian op-ed website for about 4 1/2 years. Virtually every article included a quote from a person who had spoken it in English. In almost every case, I was able to find the original quote, in English, in multiple English-language sources. I made it clear to the website editors at the outset that I intended to use the original language whenever possible, but I would use indirect quotes when I was unable to find the original.
That is one option, yes. However, in the case where I would have to translate a translated quote, I would also check whether the original quote matches what the author of the news report was trying to say when he quoted that person.
After all, my loyalty as a translator lies with my source text, and not with the source text of my source text. Put it differently, what I translate is what my source text's author was trying to say, and not what my source text's source's source text was trying to say.
If the quote "works" well in its original format, then good, but otherwise I would translate the quote "back" into its original language, so that the quote still communicates the message that the author of my source text intended when he decided to use the quote.
| | | | Phil Hand
China
Local time: 07:06
Chinese to English
| This is why mistranslated quotes make me tear my hair out | Dec 18, 2014 |
James McVay wrote:
I translated articles for the English-language section of a a Russian op-ed website for about 4 1/2 years. Virtually every article included a quote from a person who had spoken it in English. In almost every case, I was able to find the original quote, in English, in multiple English-language sources...I might add that the research required to locate the original quote was often very time-consuming.
I do the same thing, and when the Chinese translator has mistranslated the original (or, equally likely, an editor meddled with it), it makes me want to scream. In the end you make a judgment depending on what kind of thing the client wants (are they trying to find out what Chinese media are saying about them, or are they translating Chinese media to use as marketing overseas?), but it's always dubious.
I had actually never heard of the turning-direct-quotes-into-indirect-quotes thing. It's an interesting idea, but not obvious to me that it gives any greater accuracy or purity to the translation. I've always done direct quotes as direct quotes.
| | | | James McVay
United States
Local time: 19:06
Russian to English
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| Samuel Murray's exception | Dec 18, 2014 |
Samuel Murray wrote: James McVay wrote:
I translated articles for the English-language section of a a Russian op-ed website for about 4 1/2 years. Virtually every article included a quote from a person who had spoken it in English. In almost every case, I was able to find the original quote, in English, in multiple English-language sources. I made it clear to the website editors at the outset that I intended to use the original language whenever possible, but I would use indirect quotes when I was unable to find the original. That is one option, yes. However, in the case where I would have to translate a translated quote, I would also check whether the original quote matches what the author of the news report was trying to say when he quoted that person. After all, my loyalty as a translator lies with my source text, and not with the source text of my source text. Put it differently, what I translate is what my source text's author was trying to say, and not what my source text's source's source text was trying to say. If the quote "works" well in its original format, then good, but otherwise I would translate the quote "back" into its original language, so that the quote still communicates the message that the author of my source text intended when he decided to use the quote.
I agree, Samuel. In translating articles for the Russian op-ed website I did encounter a couple of cases where the translation of an English quote was skewed. When that happened, I went the indirect quote route, even though I had found the original quote.
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