ANTECECENTS

Translating a book allows others, who would otherwise be isolated by language,

to better understand other cultures. A book reflects the values, thoughts, and
ideas of the author and possibly the community in which he or she lives. We are
living in the digital age, and this has allowed us to globalize all aspects of life.
That is why it is necessary to have people who can understand two languages
and convey ideas clearly. Translators must be like an invisible link able to
connect the realities of two diverse cultures.

María del Carmen Gómez Lasso was born on July 4, 1992, in Panama City,
Panama. Daughter of José and Denia, she grew up in a family atmosphere of
unity and love for reading thanks to the influences of Tita, her maternal
grandmother. Since she was a child, she showed particular interest in writing
stories and creating fictional stories based on her dreams and what she came
across in her surroundings, crediting her with several awards in her school
years when it came to Spanish, writing and spelling contests.

In 2016 she got the creative spark to write her first book "Como un granito de
mostaza" (supported by the self-publishing label Caligrama in Spain), based on
her experiences as a teenager while she was part of the Youth Ministry of her
parish. This book was inspired by a "blog" with the same name that Maria had
started in 2014 to share spiritual reflections in the digital world.
Currently, Maria is a digital strategist, speaker, TEDx Speaker, writer and
founder of the digital evangelization project "Como un granito de mostaza" and
her podcast on Spotify "Granito de mostaza express". She works in the
marketing department of a technology company and is preparing 3 books in
parallel to publish in the coming years.

Como un granito de Mostaza,145 Pages, CALIGRAMA EDITORIAL (March 11,

2016), España.
This book looks to bring young people closer to Christ to save them from the
vortex of modern life, and it does so in a pleasant and colloquial language.
Never have young people been exposed to vices and temptations, attitudes and
circumstances that can lead them astray on paths that often have no way back.
Getting closer to Jesus, to faith, to his light and to his example, can be the
solution to create, from young people who are confused, full and happy adults.
This is the main thesis of this book, born from a blog, which is a call for children
to open their hearts and let the love of the Lord enter them.

The author touches on important issues that concern and worry teenagers
around the world: self-esteem, stress, dating and love disappointments, self-
respect and insecurity, search for identity and even current issues such as
social networks and their effects are addressed in this unique book, explained in
simple, fresh, friendly words, expressed with someone young enough to
understand all these concerns, and to know that, in Christ, is the path to
spiritual growth. "If you have a little faith, no more than a grain of mustard seed,
you will say to the tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and the tree will
obey you."
-Lk 17:6

Its purpose is to connect the spiritual insights I was able to gain in my younger
years to inspire others to find themselves and love themselves. Through prayer
and with Jesus at the center, we can find a path of hope and peace in the face
of so many storms that beset youth.
 1.2JUSTIFICATION of THE PROJECT

I have spoken English since I was a child, and I always had the dream of seeing
this literary project materialize in English. In addition, this book has an
especially important emotional value for me because it was the trigger to
continue exploring the literary world as a writer.

This translation is important to me because, as a student at Universidad Latina,

I was able to increase my vocabulary and broaden my understanding of my
native language. The translation also honed the skills I need to develop reading
comprehension and emotional intelligence, among others. Moreover, it is the
last step towards my goal of successfully completing my studies and becoming
a graduate.

I will be the beneficiary of the translation of this book. As a translation student,

translating books opens windows to other perspectives and ways of seeing the
world, which awakens my curiosity, empathy, and other social skills to develop
effective communication. This translation also requires my skills in working with
data, which in this case are words to understand and translate and to help me
understand what it would be like to put this type of translation into the work
environment.
 1.3. Objectives of the Project

1.3.1 General Objective

To translate from Spanish into English the pages 1 to 50 from the book “Como
un Granito de Mostaza” written by Mariee Gómez.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives.

1. To implement 7 translation techniques from the source language of the book

“Como un granito de Mostaza” written by Mariee Gómez into the target
language, in this case is English.
2. To demonstrate effective use of the mechanics of writing in the target
language: punctuation, capitalization, coherence, and unity.
3.To analyze the structure of the target language so the syntax and pragmatics
of both languages are identified and properly translated.
4. To interpret the cultural and sociological aspects that may determine the
translation of the source text.