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Williamson United Kingdom Local time: 05:49 Flemish to English + ...
Nov 14, 2003
I am translating a text full of typical American Stock-Exchange jargon which cannot be translated into the target-language. So, I have added a short explanation of the meaning in Italics between brackets. What do you prefer : this method or using footnotes?
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Pilar T. Bayle (X) Local time: 06:49 English to Spanish + ...
:-) I am a lazy woman...
Nov 14, 2003
short explanation of the meaning in Italics between brackets. What do you prefer : this method or using footnotes?
So, beside all considerations for style, I prefer to see the meaning in brackets. After having read plenty of books wasting my time with footnotes and endnotes, I have developed a blindness for footnote markers. I simply don't see them any longer. Also, since what you insert in brackets relates to what's just before, and it is not a bibliographical note, I prefer to read clarifying meaning without having to scan the page.
Best regards,
P.
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on what your target language is; some languages prefer brackets and some prefer footnotes. Endnotes are also a possibility. It also depends on the text type and function. Perhaps the best thing would be to look at texts in the target language that are of a similar nature and see how they deal with it (they could be translated or written in the target language). I hope that helps. Aisha
Note added: It also depends on your target audience and what you assume or the text as... See more
on what your target language is; some languages prefer brackets and some prefer footnotes. Endnotes are also a possibility. It also depends on the text type and function. Perhaps the best thing would be to look at texts in the target language that are of a similar nature and see how they deal with it (they could be translated or written in the target language). I hope that helps. Aisha
Note added: It also depends on your target audience and what you assume or the text assumes that they may already know about the subject. Giovanna's suggestion of adding a glossary is a pretty good one!
I think that the meaning in brackets would work if the jargoon words were limited to a small number, otherwise your text will turn out to be a mess. My suggestion is to add a page (before the text translated) containing a small glossary, or if you prefer, an appendix for the notes. Footnotes are useful as a reference to a bibliography, quotations... Hope to be exhaustive
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JoGunn Local time: 04:49 English to Icelandic + ...
ask your client
Nov 14, 2003
Why not ask your client how he/she wants it done? That way you won\'t get complaints after you turn in the translation. If it\'s being left up to you and you have to explain a lot of terms, I think having a glossary would be a good idea. You could then italicise the words in the text as a reference to the glossary. If it\'s just a few words, I think your solution of using brackets is just fine.
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