Translation - art & business » Translation Theory and Practice »
How do you approach trademarked sentences?
Thread poster: Susana Galilea
Susana Galilea
Susana Galilea  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 11:43
English to Spanish
+ ...
Jul 14, 2003

Whenever I have encountered trademarked sentences in the past, I have always alerted the client/agency that the trademark is only valid in the original language. I trust this is the correct thing to do, but would like to have it confirmed.

I recently encountered a trademarked phrase for a website, with a play on words that was impossible to render in my language. I came up with a comparable play on words, and let the client know the original pun could not be conveyed in Spanish. I j... See more
Whenever I have encountered trademarked sentences in the past, I have always alerted the client/agency that the trademark is only valid in the original language. I trust this is the correct thing to do, but would like to have it confirmed.

I recently encountered a trademarked phrase for a website, with a play on words that was impossible to render in my language. I came up with a comparable play on words, and let the client know the original pun could not be conveyed in Spanish. I just took a look at the website in question, and the client has used the translated phrase followed by the original trademarked sentence in parentheses. In this particular case, this seems appropriate as the target audience is U.S.-based Spanish speakers who are likely to know English and will be able to get the pun.

I was wondering if there is a general rule as to how trademarked sentences should be conveyed in translation. Is it appropriate for the original phrase with TM symbol to appear next to its translated version? Should only the translation without TM symbol appear?

Lastly, should this sort of catchy proprietary sentence be considered a slogan and charged accordingly?

Any insight you may be able to provide will be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Susana Galilea
Accredited Translator, EUTI
[email protected]
www.accentonspanish.com


[Edited at 2003-10-31 22:05] ▲ Collapse
 
Bianca Adriaensen
Bianca Adriaensen  Identity Verified
Local time: 18:43
English to Dutch
+ ...
My clients decide themselves Jul 16, 2003

Susana Galilea wrote:

Whenever I have encountered trademarked sentences in the past, I have always alerted the client/agency that the trademark is only valid in the original language. I trust this is the correct thing to do, but would like to have it confirmed.

[Edited at 2003-07-14 18:58]


The way I do it: I translate the trademark sentences within the margins the client has set on first contact, put it in an audio file and resend it. The client then decides which sounds best.

Good luck!!
 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Maria Castro[Call to this topic]
Nawal Kramer[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

How do you approach trademarked sentences?







Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »
TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »