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| User | Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff Poll: Do translators have the right to introduce a neologism? |
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 00:23
 Member (2009)
English to German
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Nicole Schnell wrote:
Oleg Osipov wrote:
Only writers, presidents and engineers are entitled to do that. |
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Catharine Cellier-Smart 
Reunion
Local time: 02:23
Member (2010)
French to English
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| | Rare language translation | Jan 24 |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne wrote:
If the tone of the source text is tongue in cheek, plays of words, then of course. |
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Not only!
I sometimes translate in a rare language combination (Reunion Creole>English) and I've occasionally had the situation where the Reunion Creole term does not exist in English and I've had to be creative.
That is, of course, after having done extensive research to make sure an equivalent term does really not exist in English.
(slightly off subject, but one of my gripes in pre-internet days was the fact the dictionaries are often very much orientated to temperate climates - trying to find translations for tropical plants and flowers was often a struggle).
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Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:23
 Member (2009)
Spanish to English
| | It has nothing to do with rights | Jan 24 |
The introduction of neologisms is an inevitable part language change. The Académie française and such institutions can try and stop it from happening in order to preserve the "purity" of a language, but you can't stop people from doing something which is often considered either necessary or desirable for whatever reason.
Translators and anyone else who produces written texts have always been a conduit for new linguistic features.
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Mario Chavez
United States
Local time: 18:23
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
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Since when do we need anyone's permission to invent, create or introduce a neologism? The ultimate authority of approval of a neologism rests with the usage of the people.
Some neologisms are an intellectual exercise that never sees the light of day (ie, never gets taken seriously or is never published), despite being correct. An example would be “nimbocomputación” (cloud computing in Spanish) simply because its register is a bit too high.
Some people have no business creating neologisms, however (ie, most journalists) because they lack the minimum amount of linguistic knowledge and intuition to do so.
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DianeGM
Greece
Local time: 01:23
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
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I believe I have the prerogative.
I think it necessary, rather than optional.
I have done so on a couple of occassions in English
I have never done in Greek which is ironic really considering the etymology of the term 'neologism'.
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Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 17:23
Member
English to Spanish
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Sure, if we deal with words and language situations every day, we have the right to introduce neologisms. Of course, every proposal should be well backed in order to have success.
Besides, I do not feel less than language academicians.
[Edited at 2012-01-24 15:46 GMT]
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Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira
Brazil
Member (2008)
English to Portuguese
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José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
Back on track... The word I coined years ago was buquitú (EN pronunciation boo-key-too). |
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But note that words ending in a stressed u have no accent mark, just as Botucatu, Bauru, urubu, cupuaçu, cururu, so it should be buquitu: http://www.portaldalinguaportuguesa.org/?action=acordo&version=1990 (base 8)
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| Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member for the following reason: Removal requested by poster. |
Gennady Lapardin
Russian Federation
Local time: 02:23
Member (2006)
Italian to Russian
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but sometimes you have no option. Now, in my current job, I have to create dozens of neologisms in the target language, while the source terms are more or less common in the source language (chemical nomenclature).
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Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira
Brazil
Member (2008)
English to Portuguese
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1. If the accent is not included, chances are the word will spread as "buquíto", losing touch with its origin.
2. A misplaced accent is actually expected in a translation by a "buquitú", isn't it?
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No for both.
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Thomas Kis-Major
Australia
Local time: 08:23
Member (2006)
English to Hungarian
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| | A somewhat absurd question | Jan 26 |
That this postulate is placed with a question mark, shows in my humble opinion the precarious standing of us translators as professionals.
Would physicians discuss whether they may apply a new medication? (Of course they do discuss whether a new medication is effective, whether its acceptance by the official bodies was sufficiently supported by evidence, etc., etc., that is not my point.)
Would engineers discuss whether they have a right to apply new methods? Otherwise what would have happened with the progress of technology/science?
We translators must discuss whether a neologism is useful or the best answer, etc., but it is our absolute right and need to create them.
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Yelena Fukalova
Russian Federation
Local time: 02:23
Member (Feb 2012)
English to Russian
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I think translators can do that only if the word in the source language is also a neologism, then one has to invent another neologism and it is the right thing to do.
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| Pages in topic: < [1 2] |
The translation workplace 
