| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Translating into UK English Thread poster: conejo
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AniseK 
Malaysia
Local time: 02:31
Japanese to English
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| For a non-native English speaker | Jul 19, 2008 |
Natalia Potashnik wrote:
UK English differs from US English and it is not just spelling. English is not my native language. However I lived 9 years in Australia where they speak British English before the fate brought me to the US. Switching to American English was a painful process. I will give you a few of examples.
French fries (US) - chips (UK)
Meal to go (US) - take away (UK)
Gas (US) - petrol (UK). If you say 'gas' meaning "gasoline" the British will think that you talk about natural gas. And so on and so forth.
If you do not know these things then you will not suspect that 'gas' must be replaced with 'petrol'.
I've experienced the same thing, and I agree with all other posts, switching US English to UK English is more than setting your spellchecker to UK English. In the UK, they even phrase things differently:-)
| | | | Gemma Collinge
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:31
Member (2007)
Japanese to English
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| casey
United States
Local time: 14:31
Member
Japanese to English
| That's an interesting one | Jul 19, 2008 |
I'm glad to have gotten acquainted with this difference.
Sometimes clients ask me to do this, too. I just change the spell checker to UK English, watch where I place quotation marks (or "inverted commas") and tell them that's the best I can do. They continue to send me the stuff, so I assume someone is editing the files later.
| | | | Anthony Lines (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:31
French to English
| Two countries seperated by a "common" language. | Jul 19, 2008 |
As an English resident in France, and ex Royal Air Force officer, it would appear to me that the French have a better understanding of the differences between English and "American" than most English-speakers. Their military language school offers courses in both languages.
My wife is French but has been speaking English well for the last 30 years. When we watch DVD's of American films in their original versions, she always asks for the sub-titles to be displayed as an aid to compre... See more As an English resident in France, and ex Royal Air Force officer, it would appear to me that the French have a better understanding of the differences between English and "American" than most English-speakers. Their military language school offers courses in both languages.
My wife is French but has been speaking English well for the last 30 years. When we watch DVD's of American films in their original versions, she always asks for the sub-titles to be displayed as an aid to comprehension.
The only American I have ever read who writes in English is Bill Bryson. If you can attain his standard then you should accept work to be translated into UK English ... otherwise, steer well clear! ▲ Collapse
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juvera
Local time: 19:31
English to Hungarian
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| Well, yes... | Jul 21, 2008 |
Anthony Lines wrote:
The only American I have ever read who writes in English is Bill Bryson. If you can attain his standard then you should accept work to be translated into UK English ... otherwise, steer well clear!
He spent half of his lifetime (so far) in England.
| | | | blacksake
Mexico
Local time: 12:31
Spanish to English
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This issue has happened to me too. I think it has to do a lot with some of the grammatical distorsion that American vs British English has. There are some of exception that British people tend to do when treating certain situations and also modisms. There's also the standarization of English that intervienes with the problem.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:31
Member (2008)
Italian to English
You should only ever translate into your mother tongue. If American English is your mother tongue you should only translate into American English. Same goes for British English.
The differences are not just matters of spelling.
| | | | | mother tongue only | Sep 11, 2008 |
If I'm working with a new client, I always emphasise the fact that I am only prepared to translate into my mother tongue, which is British English. Given the number of cook books I've worked on, as both a translator and an editor, in this genre I can guarantee that the two versions of English are worlds apart. As translators, we should only ever be translating into our mother tongue and I think that rule applies here as well. Switching on the spell checker is one thing, knowing the nuances of a ... See more If I'm working with a new client, I always emphasise the fact that I am only prepared to translate into my mother tongue, which is British English. Given the number of cook books I've worked on, as both a translator and an editor, in this genre I can guarantee that the two versions of English are worlds apart. As translators, we should only ever be translating into our mother tongue and I think that rule applies here as well. Switching on the spell checker is one thing, knowing the nuances of a language is another. ▲ Collapse
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