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How to do a transcreation
Thread poster: Nick Brisland, BA (Hons)
LilianNekipelov
LilianNekipelov  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:06
Russian to English
+ ...
No, no, no--this is not what I meant. Jun 11, 2014

Even if you are translating a manual, you cannot leave the same word oder in a sentence, or translate one word into one word. You have to convey exactly the same content into another language, so it is a creative process as well. You may have to use different tenses, sometimes, and a certain style appropriate for manuals.

"Bit of information", yes, but no every word, or grammatical structure.

I have a feeling that the term "transcreation" was invented by som
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Even if you are translating a manual, you cannot leave the same word oder in a sentence, or translate one word into one word. You have to convey exactly the same content into another language, so it is a creative process as well. You may have to use different tenses, sometimes, and a certain style appropriate for manuals.

"Bit of information", yes, but no every word, or grammatical structure.

I have a feeling that the term "transcreation" was invented by some people who did not realize that translation was mostly creation, anyhow.


[Edited at 2014-06-11 13:32 GMT]
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Miguel Carmona
Miguel Carmona  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:06
English to Spanish
A matter of degree Jun 11, 2014

LilianNekipelov wrote:

Even if you are translating a manual, you cannot leave the same word oder in a sentence, or translate one word into one word. You have to convey exactly the same content into another language, so it is a creative process as well. You may have to use different tenses, sometimes, and a certain style appropriate for manuals.

"Bit of information", yes, but no every word, or grammatical structure.

I have a feeling that the term "transcreation" was invented by some people who did not realize that translation was mostly creation, anyhow.


I agree.

There is always creation, so probably it is a matter of degree according to the nature of the text being translated.

Translating poetry (literature in general) requires the highest degree of creation. Also marketing and advertising materials require a high degree of creation.

But even the driest of legal, accounting or technical texts require a certain amount of creation when being translated, for the reasons already explained by Lilian, above.


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 15:06
French to English
Did you read what I wrote beyond the word "no"? Jun 11, 2014

LilianNekipelov wrote:

Even if you are translating a manual, you cannot leave the same word oder in a sentence, or translate one word into one word. You have to convey exactly the same content into another language, so it is a creative process as well. You may have to use different tenses, sometimes, and a certain style appropriate for manuals.

"Bit of information", yes, but no every word, or grammatical structure.

I have a feeling that the term "transcreation" was invented by some people who did not realize that translation was mostly creation, anyhow.


[Edited at 2014-06-11 13:32 GMT]


Translating word for word is translating badly.

Finding the right words and grammatical structures is translating properly. Of course there is an element of creativity, you need a certain amount of flair to produce text that flows properly, find the exact word that reflects the author's thinking, get the right tone of voice, but you're restricted left and right and down the middle to what the author has actually said.

Changing the pitch, appealing to different senses, leaving vast swathes of text out and completely reworking the rest, twisting things round, adding new ideas or playful puns where the author remained completely serious, or using poetic devices such as alliteration even though the author hasn't, simply because you know your target audience will relate to it, throwing in references to target culture, to the point of your text no longer resembling the source at all, that's not translation. I'd have had my knuckles rapped at translation school if I'd done that, yet I get away with it all the time when the client has ordered a transcreation.

And it takes creativity in translation to a whole new level and breaks lots of translation rules, hence the need for a new term.

And as Nicole so pithily put it, it must not be watered down. So please don't.


MollyRose
Oana Moisuc
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 15:06
French to English
Sure, but it's not transcreation. Jun 11, 2014

Miguel Carmona wrote:

But even the driest of legal, accounting or technical texts require a certain amount of creation when being translated, for the reasons already explained by Lilian, above.


If the text requires a certain level of expertise then that is your ticket to commanding a decent rate. In marketing, fashion, tourism etc., you don't need the same level of expert knowledge, since anyone can understand it, so people tend to try to beat your prices down. However it's not because anyone can understand it that anyone can write it. This type of creativity is deceptively simple, yet the translator who goes the extra mile to produce flawless text that appeals to the target consumer deserves to be paid more than the one who simply expresses all the author's ideas in a decent style.

It's the same difference as between the secretary who can write a decent letter describing a new product to a client they know well and who already wants to buy it, and the advertising agency producing a beautiful text that will have people who've never heard of the company racing to the shops.


MollyRose
 
xxLecraxx (X)
xxLecraxx (X)
Germany
Local time: 15:06
French to German
+ ...
exactly Jun 11, 2014

Texte Style wrote:


If you're translating a contract, you need to stick clearly to the original. You can't go changing the salary according to the going rate in the target language country, or removing a clause that would be illegal there.

What you're describing is just translation.


Exactly. Translating word by word and keeping all the grammatical structures is everything, but not professional translation.

'Transcreation' , however, means something else. Please read the wikipedia article linked in Nicole's comment.


 
Nick Brisland, BA (Hons)
Nick Brisland, BA (Hons)
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:06
Member (2013)
German to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you very much ... Jun 11, 2014

... to everyone for all your replies! Very helpful and interesting.

 
Miguel Carmona
Miguel Carmona  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:06
English to Spanish
... Jun 12, 2014

Marcel G. wrote:
Translating word by word and keeping all the grammatical structures is everything, but not professional translation.


I am sorry, I do not understand that.

Are you saying that a nickel (5 cents) is not worth more than a dime (10 cents) any more?


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 15:06
French to English
. Jun 13, 2014

Miguel Carmona wrote:

Marcel G. wrote:
Translating word by word and keeping all the grammatical structures is everything, but not professional translation.


I am sorry, I do not understand that.

Are you saying that a nickel (5 cents) is not worth more than a dime (10 cents) any more?


I read what Marcel put to say "anything but professional translation"


 
xxLecraxx (X)
xxLecraxx (X)
Germany
Local time: 15:06
French to German
+ ...
... Jun 13, 2014

Texte Style wrote:

Miguel Carmona wrote:

Marcel G. wrote:
Translating word by word and keeping all the grammatical structures is everything, but not professional translation.


I am sorry, I do not understand that.

Are you saying that a nickel (5 cents) is not worth more than a dime (10 cents) any more?


I read what Marcel put to say "anything but professional translation"


Yes, please read it like that


 
jill sinclair
jill sinclair
United Kingdom
Spanish to English
Transcreation Jul 22, 2019

I too was searching for a description of trans-creation and I found the following a very good description with good visual aids of how it is different, although I understand why many of the comments say all translation is the same.
trans-creation seems to be very related to translating advertisements so I imagined it requires an in depth understanding of the culture of the audience it is targeting as well as the language, and also a way with words, and creative literary ability.
... See more
I too was searching for a description of trans-creation and I found the following a very good description with good visual aids of how it is different, although I understand why many of the comments say all translation is the same.
trans-creation seems to be very related to translating advertisements so I imagined it requires an in depth understanding of the culture of the audience it is targeting as well as the language, and also a way with words, and creative literary ability.

https://www.franklyfluent.com/lets-be-frank/transcreation-a-users-guide
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How to do a transcreation







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