Parque de El Buen Retiro

English translation: Parque de El Buen Retiro (El Buen Retiro Park)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:Parque de El Buen Retiro
English translation:Parque de El Buen Retiro (El Buen Retiro Park)
Entered by: Taña Dalglish

19:57 Nov 26, 2006
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Tourism & Travel
Spanish term or phrase: Parque de El Buen Retiro
Hi
This is more of question about style than a translation.

Are there guidelines about translating the names of places in cities mentioned in a tourist guide - for example, "Parque de El Buen Retiro "... do i translate that as "El Buen Retiro Park" or "the Parque de El Buen Retiro Park", or even"The Good Retreat park" (I think not to the latter)?

Another example is: "Puerta de Alcalá" - I feel it might be misleading to translate it to "Alcalá Gate" without leaving the original in there, as tourists will be wandering around the city not knowing that "Puerta" is Gate... yet, we do talk of "The Brandenburg Gate", not whatever it is called in German.

A third example is "Real Jardín Botánico" - this is "The Royal Botanical Gardens", but as "brand name", it seems wrong to translate it - rather like translating someone's name, say "Roberto" to "Robert".

Talking of names, what is the convention on Kings? Is it "Felipe" or "Philip"??? I would be very interested in knowing what the best practice on this is...all very confusing, but I know you guys will know - coz you always do! :-)

Thanks very much!
Comunican
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:48
Parque de El Buen Retiro (see below)
Explanation:
I suggest that you leave alone, or depending on the client's needs/requirements, you could leave the official name and place an "unofficial" translation in brackets (or that has been my experience). A case in point, is that I have had a client request an "unofficial translation" from me for the sake of an absolutely non-English speaking person, i.e. Spanish Town Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale del Villaggio Spagnolo); Strawberry Hill (Colina de Fresas), etc. etc.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2006-11-28 01:35:57 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Gracias comunican! TD
Selected response from:

Taña Dalglish
Jamaica
Local time: 16:48
Grading comment
Thank you - I went for this approach in the end. that is: the full original, replcing the Spanish article for the English and then putting the English equivalent in brackets - eg:

....the Iglesia Arzobispal Castrense (Archbishop Castrense Church)

or:

... the Palacio de Abrantes (Abrantes Palace)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4Parque del Buen Retiro
Fabio Descalzi
5 +2"El Buen Retiro" Park
Kelly-Jane Wallis
5 +1Park "el Buen Retiro"
Rantes
4El Retiro Park
Sheilann
4Parque de El Buen Retiro (see below)
Taña Dalglish


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Park "el Buen Retiro"


Explanation:
al menos que haya una traduccion oficial los nombres se deben escribir en su idioma original

Rantes
Local time: 16:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  claudia estanislau
34 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Parque del Buen Retiro


Explanation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parque_del_Buen_Retiro
The Parque del Buen Retiro (Park of the Pleasant Retreat) is a large and popular, 1.4 km² (350 acre) park in Madrid city center, not far from the Prado Museum. Once outside the city, Madrid now entirely surrounds the park.

Fabio Descalzi
Uruguay
Local time: 18:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Elena Robles Sanjuan: Sí, y como se puede ver en Wikipedia, lleva el artículo "the"
3 mins
  -> Gracias Elena

agree  Manuel Rossetti (X)
39 mins
  -> Thanks Emily

agree  Mónica Algazi
14 hrs
  -> ¡Gracias!

agree  Rondina
15 days
  -> Gracias
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
"El Buen Retiro" Park


Explanation:
The park bit goes at the end like you had it.

About "Puerta de Alcalá" it should stay the same, and not "Alcalá Gate" but ofcourse the tourist has to know you're talking about a gate so do mention that.

And about Felipe or Phillip, at his and Leticia's wedding, prince Charles was reffered to as el principe Carlos....so its translated.

Thats my view on it all anyway, good luck comunican.


Thanks very much!

Kelly-Jane Wallis
Local time: 23:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Silvia Brandon-Pérez
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Silviantonia

agree  Christian [email protected]
6 hrs
  -> Thanks Christian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
El Retiro Park


Explanation:
I've lived in Madrid for nearly 40 years and it's usually referred to as el Retiro by natives. El Buen Retiro was its original name, but hardly used nowadays.
Puerta de Alcalá, I agree with Kelly-Jane. Same goes for Puerta del Sol.
Felipe I to Felipe V have always been translated as Philip in English (UK) history books. However, I've never seen the current Royal Family's names translated: King Juan Carlos, Prince Felipe, etc. Prince Charles of GB is usually translated though, in the same way as Diana de Gales, Reina Isabel II. No rhyme or reason, but that's the way it goes.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-11-26 21:47:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here's a link that might help you
http://www.red2000.com/spain/madrid/sight.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-11-26 21:52:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Carlos_I_of_Spain

Sheilann
Spain
Local time: 23:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 52
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Parque de El Buen Retiro (see below)


Explanation:
I suggest that you leave alone, or depending on the client's needs/requirements, you could leave the official name and place an "unofficial" translation in brackets (or that has been my experience). A case in point, is that I have had a client request an "unofficial translation" from me for the sake of an absolutely non-English speaking person, i.e. Spanish Town Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale del Villaggio Spagnolo); Strawberry Hill (Colina de Fresas), etc. etc.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2006-11-28 01:35:57 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Gracias comunican! TD

Taña Dalglish
Jamaica
Local time: 16:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 64
Grading comment
Thank you - I went for this approach in the end. that is: the full original, replcing the Spanish article for the English and then putting the English equivalent in brackets - eg:

....the Iglesia Arzobispal Castrense (Archbishop Castrense Church)

or:

... the Palacio de Abrantes (Abrantes Palace)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search