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Poll: Are there words you try to avoid using in your translations because you don't like them?
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Sep 2, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Are there words you try to avoid using in your translations because you don't like them?".

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Mónica Algazi
Mónica Algazi  Identity Verified
Uruguay
Local time: 03:46
Lid 2005
Engels naar Spaans
Specific acronyms Sep 2, 2018

For example, there is an acronym in English that sounds like "disgust" in Spanish, so instead of reproducing the acronym, I write the full name of the scientific society and the acronym in brackets.

svetlana cosquéric
 
Katia Perry
Katia Perry  Identity Verified
Brazilië
Local time: 03:46
Lid 2007
Engels naar Portugees
+ ...
Anglicisms Sep 2, 2018

I avoid using anglicisms, even when they are acceptable in my target language, unless there isn't another word to be used or it's the term used by professionals in the field of the document I'm working on.

Veronika Malíková
Platon Danilov
Jan Truper
Helena Mas Boillat
ipv
svetlana cosquéric
Marcos Carou Balado
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 07:46
Lid 2007
Engels naar Portugees
+ ...
Yes Sep 2, 2018

I translate exclusively into European Portuguese and like others have said I avoid using foreignisms and undefined acronyms and abbreviations. I also avoid using new or modern words just for the sake of it. I deeply dislike words like “implementação” and “alocação”…

ipv
Apolonia Dermit
Linda Miranda
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazilië
Local time: 03:46
Lid 2014
Engels naar Portugees
+ ...
Several Sep 3, 2018

There are several words I avoid using in both languages I translate into. There is always a synonym or a different way to construct the sentence to avoid these words. I can't think of any specific word right now, but my answer is "Yes, several of them" for sure.

Rosthie Celis
Margarida Ataide
Veronika Malíková
Linda Miranda
 
Jennifer Forbes
Jennifer Forbes  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:46
Frans naar Engels
+ ...
In memoriam
Yes, several Sep 3, 2018

For example, "impact" as a verb, "build" as a noun and other such modish and unnecessary formulations.

neilmac
Mario Freitas
 
Jan Truper
Jan Truper  Identity Verified
Duitsland
Local time: 08:46
Lid 2016
Engels naar Duits
yes Sep 3, 2018

Some words in German contain three of the same letter in a row (Schifffahrt, Balletttruppe, schneeerhellt, helllila, grifffest, etc.).
Eventhough it makes sense, I think it's ugly and I try to avoid them.


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denemarken
Local time: 08:46
Lid 2003
Deens naar Engels
+ ...
Concrete, except as a building material Sep 3, 2018

I had a wonderful text to proofread once, about urban oases and improving concrete green areas one by one as funds were available.
What's wrong with particular or specific?

There are others, but that is the first I can think of.


 
Linda Miranda
Linda Miranda  Identity Verified
Portugal
Frans naar Portugees
+ ...
"I deeply dislike" Sep 3, 2018

Like Teresa, I also avoid using a number of new or modern words. I don't like “empoderamento” for empowerment and never would use “realizar” for "becoming fully aware of"...

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Agustina Cossia Colagioia
 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denemarken
Local time: 08:46
Lid 2012
Engels naar Deens
+ ...
No, Sep 3, 2018

not that I can think of right off hand, but now that the issue has been mentioned, I'll pay attention to it in future.

 
Victor Lage de Araujo MD IFCAP MSc
Victor Lage de Araujo MD IFCAP MSc
Brazilië
Local time: 03:46
Lid 2018
Engels naar Portugees
+ ...
No “no-words” Sep 3, 2018

There should be no “no-word” for translators except for those that are not correct or somehow not indicated on a given language (the word “pode-se = pódice” comes to my mind in that context). Meaning, as a translator I should not avoid any valid word (such as not writingg “God” just because I am an atheist). Translation should be neutral and impartial.

Kaisa I
Antonio Tomás Lessa do Amaral
Agustina Cossia Colagioia
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
Frankrijk
Local time: 08:46
Frans naar Engels
Irregardless Sep 3, 2018

Irregardless!

Although I think I spend more energy on fitting words in. Words I particularly like, or that I have just learned, or whatever.

For example I have a translation on my plate for this week about coaching. The function of a coach is basically to empower people. "empowerment" is not a concept that exists in French*, so the text talks about it without actually mentioning it. I kind of think not using it would be rather weird for English speakers, yet I haven't
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Irregardless!

Although I think I spend more energy on fitting words in. Words I particularly like, or that I have just learned, or whatever.

For example I have a translation on my plate for this week about coaching. The function of a coach is basically to empower people. "empowerment" is not a concept that exists in French*, so the text talks about it without actually mentioning it. I kind of think not using it would be rather weird for English speakers, yet I haven't yet managed to find a place to fit it in. Fitting it in somewhere will probably make at least a third of the text redundant, so I need to tread carefully.



(*si un francophone me lit et connaît un terme approprié, je suis preneuse!)
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Christine Andersen
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
Verenigde Staten
Local time: 23:46
Lid 2003
Spaans naar Engels
+ ...
Yes -- many! Sep 3, 2018

One word that I used to avoid but have given up on is the abbreviation of the Latin American Center for Perinatology, Women and Reproductive Health, which is 'CLAP' in both Spanish and English. I can't tell you how many times it has elicited titters. I try to avoid anything that will distract the reader's attention.

Besides that, I have too many pet peeves to begin to list them. That's one reason (of many) why I don't like to "proofread" other colleagues' work. I keep telling mysel
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One word that I used to avoid but have given up on is the abbreviation of the Latin American Center for Perinatology, Women and Reproductive Health, which is 'CLAP' in both Spanish and English. I can't tell you how many times it has elicited titters. I try to avoid anything that will distract the reader's attention.

Besides that, I have too many pet peeves to begin to list them. That's one reason (of many) why I don't like to "proofread" other colleagues' work. I keep telling myself, "Just because I wouldn't use that word doesn't necessarily mean that it's wrong."
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neilmac
neilmac
Spanje
Local time: 08:46
Spaans naar Engels
+ ...
Yes Sep 3, 2018

Quite a few. For example, in academic papers with an international readership, I tend to avoid using "since" to mean "because", just in case it gives rise to any confusion. I won't use "impact" as a verb. And I don't use the "for + -ING" construction across the board, only judiciously, in cases where I think fits. I probably have several other little foibles like this, but these are some that spring to mind.

"Dematerialization" is another one I'm not keen on using to refer to e-busi
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Quite a few. For example, in academic papers with an international readership, I tend to avoid using "since" to mean "because", just in case it gives rise to any confusion. I won't use "impact" as a verb. And I don't use the "for + -ING" construction across the board, only judiciously, in cases where I think fits. I probably have several other little foibles like this, but these are some that spring to mind.

"Dematerialization" is another one I'm not keen on using to refer to e-business or e-invoicing, as the French do. As I see it, in English, dematerialization refers to securities or stocks and shares rather than simple invoices ("Dematerialization (DEMAT) is the move from physical certificates to electronic book keeping. Actual stock certificates are slowly being removed and retired from circulation in exchange for electronic recording").

[Edited at 2018-09-03 11:08 GMT]

It's actually just cropped up in a translation I'm starting right now, and I'm thinking about the best way to render it in the contxt.

[Edited at 2018-09-03 11:09 GMT]
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Amir Arzani
 
Tássia Rafaela Montanheiro Rodrigues
Tássia Rafaela Montanheiro Rodrigues  Identity Verified
Spanje
Local time: 08:46
Engels naar Spaans
+ ...
Yes Sep 3, 2018

I deeply dislike using unnecessary anglicism. There is also some words I don't like to use, so instead I use synonyms.

 
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Poll: Are there words you try to avoid using in your translations because you don't like them?






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