Translation types

1. Advertising translations
The translation of advertising copy is indispensable for trade between countries which do not
share the same language. For example if the U.S wants to promote his products in Spanish-
language markets.
The problem in this type of translation is the use of cognates words and the cultural roots
that have to be taken into account such as jokes and double meanings. For these reasons,
the translation must be done by a native speaker of the country concerned and a draft must
be tested in a representative sample group to ensure that there are no errors and everything
is correct.
In the spanish language, for instance there are many subgroups within the language, so it is
subdivided into four major groups since each of them have a different name for certain
things.
Being an advertising translator is a very difficult job because they have to deal with
numerous problems because apart from the translation, they also have to take into account
the layout of the product and be aware of the legal implications, that is to say, the information
that must be compulsory on some products depending on the country.

2. Academic translations
In this case the difficulty of the work lies in the confusion regarding the equivalence of
academic terms in different countries because each of them have a different grading system.
For example the Spanish word “colegio” does not correspond to the English word “college”
which refers to a university-level institute. There is also a lot of ambiguity within academic
terms. For instance let’s consider the term “curso”. This term can refer to several things, it
has a variety of meanings such as: a single university “course”, a related sequence of
courses, an academic years… etc
Another aspect of the academic translation that varies greatly from country to country is the
translation of grades. The equivalent term for the word “sobresaliente” is “outstanding” or
“excellent”, whereas the equivalent for “notable” is translated as “very good”. But there is a
grading system which is quite confusing when translated into Spanish, that is “the letter
grade system” which the translator may have to explain the difference between the “A, B, C
and D grade”.

3. Medical translations
It also has several difficulties. The translator must be especially careful with cognate terms
because medical terminology has quite Latin and Greek roots but many other words does
not have it, and the translator can fall into the trap of false cognates.
An extra issue is the extensive use of folk medicine which is not recognized by the doctors.
This can lead to a problem because the patient will use incomprehensible words to explain
his/her symptoms to the doctor.

4. Business and Commercial Translation

In business and commercial translations, the translator should use the equivalent stock
phrases concerned in each language rather than literal translation. This will avoid any trace
of humor, lightheartedness or emphasis on personal relationships. In addition, the translator
should explain that some changes in the translation are necessary to maintain the impact
and tone of the letter.
Regarding government correspondence there are some protocols to be followed. For
example, official slogans must be placed before the signature block and should be translated
 between quotations marks. In commercial transactions in Latin America, it is mandatory the
use of official stamped paper.
In Spanish we have some special letters which can be confusing for the translator. For
instance, some composed letters such as “ch”, “ll”, “rr” are considered to be single letters.
And also the use of the double of patronymic-matronymic surname can contribute to
confusion to the translator.

5. Legal translation
The translator must be aware of the translation of numerous legal documents such as court
decisions, birth and marriage certificates, contracts… He/she must proceed with care and an
understanding of the legal system of the country concerned. Frequently they will work across
two legal systems: the “case law”, prevalent in the United States, and the “code law”
prevalent in Latin America.

6. Especial problems of Translating Poetry and Dramatic Works

There is the continuing debate about whether to translate poetry and Dramatic works or not
because in poetry for example we are dealing with double translation; poetry in the source
language and the deep meaning of the poem. The problem is that to translate poetry into
poetry, the translator must be a poet too. Therefore is a rather complicated issue.
Another matter is the inevitable trade-offs: the translator can highlight the rhythm, the deep
meaning and the physical structure but it never be exactly as in the SL.
It can also happen that the translated poem is better than the original poem as it happens
with the poem “The Raven”.