Post on 14-Aug-2015
transcript
Yael Sela-Shapiro, Hebrew-English Translation & Editing,
Content & Public Talks Yael@transela.com www.TranSela.com
The translators invest their mind and soul into the translation
The editors enter this minefield, armed with nothing but a pen…
The pen is also metaphorical…
Mortal Enemies?
Editors and Translators are freelancers working from home
They may not know each other at all
Clients often keep them divided and separate and avoid establishing on-going teams
No long-term relationship = no mutual trust and / or respect
The Customary Divide and Conquer
Translation
Editing
Proof-reading, Typesetting, Printing
The Translators receive the final text, and their hearts sink…
The Customary Editing Process
Translators get to know the text better than anyone, sometimes even the writer
Translators’ in-depth understanding of the text leads to some overall choices:
Relative registers
Lexical choices that are not obvious
Translating in light of implicit context
Translators 101
Editors read with fresh eyes, like the end user
Translators, often too “caught up” in the source text, may translate literally, ambiguously or just wrongly. Editors are there to save us from our mistakes.
Editors have meta-considerations
Client dictates, constraints, terminology
Target audience considerations (age, culture, background, previous knowledge)
Editors 101
Poor grasp of source language
Ignorance of the subject matter
Over-literalism / “translationese”
Raising register / over-unification of source
Awkward / ambiguous phrasing
Overlooking allusions / wordplay / alliteration
Not adapting translation to target audience
You dare call yourself a Translator?! Some common translator faults
Poor grasp of source language
Ignorance of the subject matter
Over-literalism
Raising register unnecessarily
Over-unification of multiple-voice source
Overlooking intertextuality
You dare call yourself an Editor?! Some common editor faults
Define guidelines / style-guide, terminology, expectations, target audience, constraints
Convey the above to both translator and editor
Introduce translator and editor
Arrange to send edited translation to translator
Arrange for the translator and editor to communicate regularly and with mutual respect
Project Manager / Publisher, Pre Translation:
Explicitly explain in general and specific comments:
Reasons for picking register / term / idiom
Reasons for picking a non-obvious solution
Point out literary vehicles (alliterations, allusions, quotes, parallelisms etc.)
Point out implicit context / constraints
Translator
Ask translators how they perceive the text, what were their concerns in translating it
Use Track Changes
Make a short editing “sample”
Discuss sample with translator to formulate a mutually-acceptable “editing policy”
Return edited text to translator for review before submitting to client
Editor
Review edited text, even if you’re not getting paid for your time
Your translations are your portfolio; have them represent who you really are
Avoid editor mistakes being attributed to you
Respect your editors: they make your text better for your sake as well as your client’s
Do not get emotionally attached to your text
Notify PM or publisher if editor sucks
Translators, Please Note:
Respect translators: they often cherish their work.
Communicate with translators regularly
Don’t be judgmental; act diplomatically
Give translators some credit: what looks like a mistake may in fact be a well considered choice
Make your inquiries ordered and to the point
Notify PM or publisher if translator sucks
Editors, Please Note: