 |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||
Writing for translation Keeping your message consistent in any language
by Paul Paquet SOME MISTRANSLATIONS are famous. In China, the slogan "Coke adds life" became "Coke will bring your ancestors
back from the dead." The Chevrolet Nova sold poorly in Latin America, probably because "no va" means "won't run" in Spanish Cornerstone has written articles for Canadian Scene, a news service
available in twelve languages to Canada's ethnic media. Part of our job is to create documents that won't lose their message no matter which language they are translated into. Ironically, we've found that the best way
to make sure a document will be translated well into Punjabi is to first make sure that it has been rendered well into English. A vague document with long sentences and too many subordinate clauses, or with a
dependence on the passive voice, is more likely to be misunderstood by readers and translators alike. In particular, avoid compound adjectives and noun clusters. Once you have a clear English document, you can fine
tune it to control the following, all of which risk confusing translators
Cornerstone is a writing and editing firm that uses marketing and PR principles to create "words you can build your business
on." Call us from anywhere in the world for rush work.
|
|||