O olhar humano - WordPress.com...On the whole, I find inept translators' work to be much worse than [the work of] Google Translate. “De um modo geral, considero o trabalho dos tradutores

O olhar humanono processo da tradução

©2017 Allison Wright — #TransLisbon2017 — Aptrad & FCSH Universidade Nova de Lisboa — 17 de Junho de 2017

All comments are intended for readers who do not know Portuguese.Sometimes, in addition to translating the slide into English, I have supplied the originally underlying English text, or simply commented to include points made (but not written down) during the Portuguese presentation.

The human eyein the translation process

1

As considerações básicas

que as máquinas não fazem.


Basic considerations that machines do not take into account.

2

As perguntas essenciais

Para que serve o o documento original?

Para que servirá a tradução?o

Qual é o motivo para o texto e qual é o o

objetivo? (As vezes são diferentes.)

Quem o vai ler?o

Onde? (online ou em papel, ou ambos)o


The essential questions translators must ask before translating:- What is the original document used for? What is its function?- What will the translation be used for? What is its function?- What is the motivation behind the text, and what is its objective (Sometimes these are two different things.)- Who is going to read the text?- Where? (online or on paper, or both)

3

São perguntas a fazer antes de começar cada

trabalho de tradução

ou, então, antes de mandar um orçamento.


These are questions you ask before you begin translating every single job,and even before you submit a quotation to do the job.

4

São perguntas que as máquinas não podem

fazer antes de começar cada trabalho

de traduçãode onde vem a ideia que o «post-editing» vai

aumentar a qualidade. Uma problema com esta tese é que…


These are questions which machine [translation tools] can't ask before beginning each translation job, hence the idea that "post-editing" improves quality.One problem with this theory is that...

5

On the whole, I find inept translators' work to be much worse than Google Translate.

—Jayne Fox


A pause for dramatic effect.Those attending the presentation were informed that Jayne Fox had indeed given me permission to quote this sentence of hers, which formed part of a private conversation we had had.I also informed the audience said that another colleague, who is in a revisor-translator arrangement with Jayne, told me that Jayne (whom I know to be an excellent translator) makes one actual mistranslation error every 3 months or every 6 months = hardly ever. I also said that this was the standard which should be expected of everybody - and also reason enough always to have a revisor.

General observation: It was quite telling that many in the audience were aghast regarding real error rate; their expressions told me that they make countless more within a similar period. Slide 19 shows the extent of incompetence when a translator (a) cannot distinguish between language variants, and (b) ignores evidence of the right way to say quite simple things which are easily found in the real world.

6

On the whole, I find inept translators' work to be much worse than [the work of] Google Translate.

“De um modo geral, considero o trabalho dos tradutores inaptos bem pior do que o do Google Tradutor” ̶ J

No geral, acho que o trabalho de tradutores incompetentes é muito pior do que o do Google Tradutor ̶ A

“De modo geral, consider o trabalho de tradutores ineptos muito pior do que o Google Tradutor.” ̶ K

“De modo geral, considero o trabalho de tradutores incapazes bastante pior do que o do Google Tradutor.” ̶ G

“Em geral, acho o trabalho de tradutores incompetentes muito pior do que o do Google Tradutor.” ̶ S

No geral, acho o trabalho dos tradutores ineptos ser muito pior do que o Google Translate. ̶Google Translate ©2017 Allison Wright — #TransLisbon2017 — Aptrad & FCSH

Universidade Nova de Lisboa — 17 de Junho de 2017

The Jayne Fox quotation with [parsing help] in square brackets.These 5 translations into Portuguese were kindly done by colleagues at my request.The first two are by experienced translators. The second translator cancelled her first translation and sent me a second, tweaked, version.The third is by a fully bilingual English native. Two things are interesting here: the audience (I asked) could not tell that this translation was done by a non-native of Portuguese; and, strangely, as an English native, this translator had failed (as did Google Translate) to pick up on the deep structure of this sentence.The fourth translation is by a brand-new newbie who sought clarification from me regarding "much worse than Google Translate" before being able to translate with any degree of certainty. (With experience, and improved knowledge of source, this will cease to be a problem.) The fifth translation is by a very talented younger translator, and in terms of rhythm and elegance, rivals - and perhaps surpasses - the quality of the first translation.Google Translate got the verb form wrong for "to be", and, despite being "neural MT", stuck hopelessly to a word for word rendition which tripped it up on the deep structure of this utterance.

7

O que fazer?Como, quando e com que frequência?


Given the ineptitude of a lot of translators, who are the same ones, by and large doing the post-editing of MT, what should we do?How, when and how often should we do it?

8

Aumentar competências em tradução

Aprendizagem contínua e

conhecimentocada vez mais profundo nas

áreas da especialização

Aumento e amplificação do seu estilo escrito:

fazer “ginástica” diariamente.

Conhecimento cada vez mais profundo das

línguasadequadas


Improve your translation competence:- Continuous deepening of your knowledge of your translation languages (source and target)- Continuous improvement of (and deepening of) your knowledge in your areas of specialisation.- Improvement and development of your writing style (in your target language): do mental gymnastics daily: translate every day; write in your mother tongue every day.

9

Conhecimento cada vez mais profundo das línguas adequadas

Como, quando e com que frequência?


- Continuous deepening of your knowledge of your translation languages (source and target)A few words were said about the importance of doing this to develop one's linguistic competence, and translation competence.The "how, when, and how often" phrase was not commented on, but left there for the audience to think about.

10

Aprendizagem contínuae conhecimento cada vez mais profundo nas

áreas da especialização.Como, quando e com que frequência?


- Continuous improvement of (and deepening of) your knowledge in your areas of specialisation.I stressed that this was just as important as improving one's translation competence and that the two complemented each other.I also stressed that this has nothing to do with CPD, but has to do with one's private programme of reading widely and in depth in one's subject field(s), keeping abreast with developments, and doing so regularly, year after year.

11

Conhecimento em áreas da especialização faz parte da nossa

conhecimento de uma língua.

Conhecimento em áreas da especialização ultrapassa as

línguas.

O dóminio de um assunto é essencial para ver os erros nostextos de partida e de chegada.


This slide was a lot of fun, because it revealed to me how few translators had thought of the points made here:- Knowledge in your area of specialisation is part of your knowledge of a particular language.- Subject field knowledge/specialist knowledge transcends the borders between languages, i.e. knowledge is not confined to one language in particular; knowledge is of itself. ("You either know it or you don't." I wish I had said that during the presentation but I did not.)- Mastery of a subject is essential to be able to see errors in both source and target texts.An aside not mentioned in the presentation: The little drawing of Zorf, the alien, is mine. He does not have human eyes.

12

Aumento e amplificação do seu

estilo de escrita: fazer “ginástica” diariamente.

Como, quando e com que frequência?


- Improvement and development of your writing style (in your target language): do mental gymnastics daily: translate every day; write in your mother tongue every day.I mentioned that this could take many forms.It could be private, or more formal in translator-revisor pairs, so that one learns from one's peers.I also felt obliged to make reference to the Aptrad mentoring programme.

13

Complementaridade: relação com o cliente

Guiar o clienteno processo da

tradução, e oferecer jóias de

conhecimentocomo soluções.

Têm que criaraquela confiança

– só possível…

Transmitir a ideia das vossascompetências e conversar com

os clientessobre o

trabalho.

Tradução dos comentários originais em inglês da Miranda Joubioux, tradutora Fr-En.


This slide is a summary translation of what Fr-En translator Miranda Joubioux wrote in a comment in a translators' forum on 14 June 2017:"So how do you get the message across that you are a good translator? You work on educating your clients constantly. You discuss things with them. You bring them into the whole translation process. You offer them little gems of knowledge, sometimes free, that help them get round their client problems. You create that trust. To get back to the phrase that is so shocking: The competence and abilities of a translator or interpreter don't count for anything. They do count for something and it is up to us to show the client why."

Although what I wrote on this slide is somewhat simplistic, my spoken rendition followed the content of Miranda's comment more closely.My slide: By way of complementing your efforts to improve translation competence, you need to work on your relationship with your client:- Communicate the idea to clients that you are a competent translator, and speak to the client about the work that you do for them. (So-called "client education".)- Guide the client through the translation process; offer them gems of knowledge as solutions in their business (for free, sometimes)

14

- You need to create a relationship of trust with your client. This is only possible...

14

…quando nós aumentamos as nossas competências em tradução

Aprendizagem contínua e

conhecimentocada vez mais profundo nas

áreas da especialização

Aumento e amplificação do seu estilo escrito:

fazer “ginástica” diariamente.

Conhecimento cada vez mais profundo das

línguasadequadas

A repetir:


... WHEN we improve our translation competence.

The diagram is a repetition of the one on Slide 9:Improve your translation competence:- Continuous deepening of your knowledge of your translation languages (source and target)- Continuous improvement of (and deepening of) your knowledge in your areas of specialisation.- Improvement and development of your writing style (in your target language): do mental gymnastics daily: translate every day; write in your mother tongue every day.

15

Vamos ao ginásio…


Let’s go to the gym!

16

Capacidades inadequadas da tradução automática – palavra por palavra

Source SDL Be Global Community

Google Translate Human draft translation

Kann mehr, als mandenkt.

Dies ist ein Gerät der American Lawn MowerCompany, die seit 100 Jahren Rasenmäher baut.

May be more than youthink.

This is a device of the American lawn mowercompany, since 100 yearslawnmowers builds.

Can do more than youthink.

This is a unit of the American Lawn MowerCompany, which has beenproducing lawn mowersfor 100 years.

Capable of more than meets the eye.

This reel push mower is from the American Lawn Mower Company, which has been making lawnmowers for 100 years.


Descrição do produto numa loja online.

Example of MT ability being inadequate to the task. Word for word still requires the problem of lexcial choice to be resolved.With regard to this product description from an online shop, I spoke about the varied uses of the German verb "können", the translation of which changes depending on the context, as does "das Gerät".I mentioned that the description is accompanied by a picture of the item in question (which MT does not look at), and contemplation of that image informs translation choices.

17

Capacidades inadequadas da tradução automática – palavra por palavra

Source SDL Be Global Community

Google Translate Human drafttranslation

Mitseinem pulverlackiertenGestänge ist der Handrasenmähermitnichten einLeichtgewicht undversiehtklaglos seinen Dienstbei verschiedenenRasentypen.

So ist er sogar wiesentauglich undmäht präzise,

WithThe powder-coatedlinkage is the handlawnmowers by no means a light-weightand providesHarmless his service in various types of lawn.

He is even suitable for rejected and mowsprecise,

WithIts powder-paintedlinkage is not a light-weight moverWithout complaint.

Thus it is even remotelycontrollable and mowsprecise,

The manual mower with its powder-coated frame is certainly no pushover when it comes to doing the job of cutting various types of lawn without complaint. It even manages more unruly patches of grass and mows evenly, and quietly, thanks to precision technology and workmanship.


Descrição do produto numa loja online.

Continuation of previous slide.Here I pointed out that SDL BE Global Community had gotten a touch confused with "klaglos" a word that appears in boilerplate disclaimers.I also noted how Google Translate has replicated a human typo ("mover" for "mower") and left untranslated a whole chunk of text (between "mover" and "Without").I spoke about "adaptation" of a text, and was careful to stress that this is not the same as transcreation. I also mentioned that "free translation", or adaptation, is only possible if you know what the source text is saying, have mastery of the subject matter, and have clear answers to the essential questions asked before you begin translating.

18

Revisão de uma tradutora jurídica de um documento feito por alguém que não faça a mínima ideia. Utilização errada dos termos brasileiros em vez dos termos habituais em Portugal.

EN (source text) PT (machine translation tool) PT (human translator)

For further information on why and how your personal

information is processed by us and with whom it may

be shared,

vossas informações pessoais são processadas por nós e

com quem ele poderão ser compartilhadas

Para mais informações sobre como e por que é que os

seus dados pessoais são processados por nós, e com

quem poderão ser partilhados

personal information such as your name, company,

title, phone number, email address

informações pessoais tais como o nome, empresa,

título, número de telefone, morada de e-mail

dados pessoais como o seu nome, empresa, cargo,

número de telefone, endereço de e-mail

such as your contact information, occupation, tais como informações para contacto, vossa ocupação como dados para contacto, profissão

applies to personal information we collect from visitors aplica-se às informações pessoais que colectamos aplica-se aos dados pessoais que recolhemos dos

visitantes

If you want to stop receiving marketing materials from

us, please tell us.

Se quiser parar de receber materiais de marketing de

nós, por favor, diga-nos.

Caso não pretenda receber mais material comercial,

contacte-nos.

Our employees, agents and contractors must have a

business reason to obtain access to your personal

information.

Nossos funcionários, agentes e contratados deverão ter

uma justificativa empresarial

Os nossos funcionários, agentes e empresas contratadas

têm de ter um motivo comercial para obter acesso aos

seus dados pessoais.

the administration, judging and prize fulfilment aspects

of contests and promotions.

os aspectos de adjudicação e premiação para concursos

e promoções

nos aspectos administrativos, de avaliação e atribuição

de prémios em concursos e promoções.


When translating into European Portuguese, inept translators often mistakenly use terms taken from Brazilian Portuguese, as shown here. I counted 13 mistranslation errors here, and then reminded participants of Jayne Fox's reputed mistranslation error rate of once every three to six months, and reinforced once again the need to "up one's game" in the competence and specialisation arenas.

19

Google rules OKSOURCE GOOGLE TRANSLATE MY REVISION COMMENTS

She died peacefully in bed, with her daughter resting her head on her shoulder as she took her last breath.

Murió pacíficamente en la cama, con su hija descansando la cabeza sobre su hombro mientras tomaba su último aliento.

Murió pacíficamente en la cama, con su hija descansando la cabeza sobre su hombro mientras tomaba su último aliento.

As with most of the document, GT did just fine. Clearly it’s seen some good translations on this subject.

Wxx resided for many years in Richmond, Texas with her daughter, “Trixie” and her son-in-law, Benjamin Gxx.

Wxx residió durante muchos años en Richmond, Texas con su hija, “Trixie” y su yerno, Benjamin Gxx.

Wxx vivió durante muchos años en Richmond, Texas con su hija, “Trixie” y su yerno, Benjamin Gxx.

I haven’t seen “residir” very often, sounded odd.


Fonte dos exemplos: Steven Marzuola, tradutor e intérprete.

As these examples of En-Es translation provided by Steven Marzuola show, Google Translate often does produce acceptable results (because it uses data containing the excellent translations done by humans).A minor hitch: During the presentation, I discovered that just prior to the presentation, I had accidentally deleted the next slide, with more examples. The point of the deleted slide was that the comments by the translator were very interesting for they served to support the idea that it is the human eye which is able to identify the problem areas, and use discernment to fix them.

20

Erros públicos de terminologia

insolvent debtthe insolvent debt


Terminological errors on published professional websites. Example of the kind of nonsense which can be found on the websites of Portuguese law firms which smack of two things: An inept translator's over-dependency on Google Translate, coupled with a severe lack of subject knowledge.I came across this example while trying to verify a procedural detail in Portuguese insolvency law.The literal translation here of "massa" as "mass" in English is terrible on numerous counts. This versatile Portuguese word (which means, variously, dough, pasta - as in spaghetti, etc., paste, lump or mass of a wide range of substances) easily lends itself to make some very derogatory jokes in Portuguese. As one can see, the English term, insolvent debt (unlike the Portuguese on both counts), is in the singular, and does not contain a lexical element corresponding directly to the Pt "massa".

21

Elementos gráficos


Graphics elements as a consideration when translating.

22

VisibilidadeDois moços dos mais ágeis, então, dançavam a pírrica, erguendo vasos à maneira de escudos, e brandindo, como lanças num combate, os tirsos de mirto e rosas. Depois o cântaro enorme de vinho era arrastado para o meio do terreiro, coroado de flores – e todos, de mãos dadas, rapazes alternando com as moças, a força entremeada à graça, bailavam, ao som triunfal das flautas e dos crótalos, a coreia sagrada, gritando: «Iacos! sê connosco!»

—Eça de Queirós, Santo Onofre, Últimas Páginas(de «Adriano Ramos Pinto: Vinhos e Arte» livro editado só na versão portuguesa.)


Consideration of graphic elements such as size and placement of text (e.g. double-page spread, billboard side of a milk carton) is also important, the idea being that the more "visible" your text, the smaller the margin for error.

23

"Two agile young men then danced the Pyrrhic dance, raising vases as if they were shields and brandishing the thyrsi of myrtle

and roses as if they were lances in battle. The huge kantharos full of wine and crowned with flowers was then dragged into the middle of

the yard – and, hands held, the lads alternated with the lasses, strength and grace

intermingled, and to the triumphant sound of the flutes and zills danced the sacred dance,

shouting: Iacchus! Be with us!…”

—Eça de Queirós, Santo Onofre, Últimas Páginas(Translation Alexandra Andersen Leitão, revision Allison Wright,

from unpublished: Adriano Ramos Pinto: Vinhos e Arte)


The English translation which required two pairs of eyes: the translator's and mine, and several drafts.

24

"Two agile young men then danced the Pyrrhic dance, raising vases as if they were shields and brandishing the thyrsi of myrtle and roses as if they were lances in battle. The huge kantharosfull of wine and crowned with flowers was then

dragged into the middle of the yard – and, hands held, the lads alternated with the lasses, strength

and grace intermingled, and to the triumphant sound of the flutes and zills danced the sacred

dance, shouting: Iacchus! Be with us!…”

—Eça de Queirós, Santo Onofre, Últimas Páginas(Translation Alexandra Andersen Leitão, revision Allison Wright,

from unpublished: Adriano Ramos Pinto: Vinhos e Arte)


O olhar humano:revisão com imaginação e pontuação

The literal rendition of 'kantharos of wine' presented problems in English'. While absolutely correct (since a kantharos was a Greek vase that had other uses apart from holding wine), the translation needed one more word to convey wanton extravagance which would link it to the final invocation to Bacchus, the god of wine.That word was a simple one: "full".That, and the subsequent agonising over punctuation, took me 20 minutes.Post-presentation comment:While MT might quite correctly say "two of the more agile young men", human judgement sacrifices strict translation accuracy for rhythm to match the context.The overall context is a big illustrated book on wine and art being published by a famous wine house. The quote is from a famous writer, and printed on a double-page spread.The human eye apprehends all this. And the machine? The machine did not do so well in this case.

25

Conclusão:As máquinas ajudam.O que vale sempre é o

olhar humano.


Conclusion:Machines help.But true value always comes from the human eye.

26

Qual é a sua tradução?

Obrigada pela vossa atenção e participação!


What would your translation be?Thank you for your kind attention and participation.

27

Documents

O olhar humano - WordPress.com...On the whole, I find inept translators' work to be much worse than [the work of] Google Translate. “De um modo geral, considero o trabalho dos tradutores