15. TRANSLATING A TEXT BY CHARLES DICKENS   Taylor’s concept of the “rolling” translation. It is first necessary to understand the historical and sociolinguistic context. Then it’s possible to start with a literal, word-for-word translation (or, nowadays, the first version could be produced by translation software). Then there are repeated redraftings until a final version is achieved.

8. This is not an exact equivalent, but surely this is what is meant? If translating from L2 to L1, for each translation unit you should ask yourself:   1. Does that sound right? 2. Would I use that expression if I were writing this as an original text? 3. Is this term appropriate given the formal/informal, technical/non-technical register? 4. I know this is grammatically correct, but do Italian people actually say this? 5. How is this concept expressed? I’ve heard is said or seen it written so many times! 6. There are several possibilities here, but which collocates best with the co-text? 7. This is much shorter/longer than the original, but that’s how it would be expressed, isn’t it? 8. This is not an exact equivalent, but surely this is what is meant? (Adapted from Taylor p. 160)

Since Christopher Taylor wrote Language to Language, another trick has become available to us to find out if an expression is actually used: put it in inverted commas and see how many examples of it your search engine gives. Be careful, however, search engines give you everything, including incorrect usages and language written by non-native speakers.

Today many professional translators make use of parallel corpora Today many professional translators make use of parallel corpora. For more information:   http://www.statmt.org/europarl/

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) Wrote 14 novels (and died before completing the 15th) plus short stories and non-fiction. He was brilliant at creating comic characters but his work also exposed the social evils of Victorian Britain (child labour, inhumane conditions in ophanages etc.) and on some occasions his novels had sufficient impact to convince Parliament to legislate to improve living conditions for the poor.

Martin Chuzzlewit was first published in serial form between 1843 and 1844. See the extract on pp 162 and 163 of Taylor.

Now turn to page 167 to start a rolling translation of the second part of the extract.   The first task is to break the text down into translation units.

FALSE FRIENDS 15   What do you remember about conjure and consistency/consistent? control (noun)/controllo control (verb)/controllare Often there is no problem with these words. However, the Italian words are sometimes used in the sense of verifica/verificare. In this case the translation should be check (noun and verb). The exception is Passport Control. In effect, this is where your passport is checked. convenience = comodità But marriage of convenience = matrimonio di convenienza (d’interesse) Also convenience foods = cibi surgelati, in scatola ecc. convenient = comodo, a portata di mano conveniente = good value for money, economically advantageous

THE DIARY OF A BRAVE TRANSLATOR VERILY IN LEG – PART 15 Recent statistics show that fewer young Italians are enrolling at university. More and more school leavers prefer to try to find a work (usually precarious work) instead of spending three or more years at university. That is not necessarily a bad thing. If a young person is not really cut for academic study, it is better if he or she chooses not to lose everyone’s time at university. And as my grandmother used to say, “Better a living donkey than a dead doctor.” Anyway, a university degree is not a reliable indication of intelligence. My nephew left school at 16 with no qualifications but he knows one more than the Devil and he makes more money than I do.

Recent statistics show that fewer young Italians are enrolling at university. More and more school leavers prefer to try to find a work (usually precarious work) instead of spending three or more years at university. That is not necessarily a bad thing. If a young person is not really cut for academic study, it is better if he or she chooses not to lose everyone’s time at university. And as my grandmother used to say, “Better a living donkey than a dead doctor.” Anyway, a university degree is not a reliable indication of intelligence. My nephew left school at 16 with no qualifications but he knows one more than the Devil and he makes more money than I do. Work in the sense of lavoro is uncountable. The countable alternative is job (posto di lavoro). If work is countable it means opera.   Casual work. Also non-contract work.  … not really cut out for academic study…  … chooses not to waste everyone’s time…  Untranslatable expression.  He’s as sharp as they come.