TRANSLATION October/November 2010 GETTING STARTED: Guide
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TRANSLATION October/November 2010 GETTING STARTED: Guide Prescription Drug ® Labeling and Translation How Documentation and Translation ® Processes Affect Each Other Native Speaker or Nonnative ® Speaker: That Is the Question 01 Cover#115TranslationGSG.indd 1 9/22/10 9:25:29 AM TRANSLATION Guide: GETTING STARTED Getting Started: Translation is a tricky business, prone to incite Translation both praise and despair from initiates and old hands alike. Critics such as author George Borrow Editor-in-Chief, Publisher Donna Parrish claim that “translation is at best an echo,” while Managing Editor Katie Botkin supporters such as Ralph Waldo Emerson contend that “What is really best . is translatable Proofreader Jim Healey — any real insight or human sentiment.” However, these really are different sides of the same News Kendra Gray Illustrator Doug Jones coin. While translation may be an echo of an original, it is nearly always possible to make this Production Doug Jones, Darlene Dibble echo take on the same pitch, timbre and sense as the original, particularly if you have decent Editorial Board help. George Rimalower, Kit Brown-Hoekstra and Roberta Fischer Malara all offer help on this Jeff Allen, Ultan Ó Broin, Arturo Quintero, front to anyone interested in learning more about translation. Jessica Roland, Lori Thicke, Jost Zetzsche The Editors Advertising Director Jennifer Del Carlo Advertising Kevin Watson, Bonnie Hagan Webmaster Aric Spence CONTENTS Technical Analyst Curtis Booker Data Administrator Cecilia Spence Prescription Drug Labeling and Translation Assistant Shannon Abromeit Subscriptions Terri Jadick George Rimalower page 3 Special Projects Bernie Nova George Rimalower founded Interpreting Services International, Inc. (ISI) in Advertising [email protected] 1982. ISI was one of the first to address the special linguistic and cultural needs www.multilingual.com/advertising of both non- and limited-English-proficient communities of the United States. 208-263-8178 Subscriptions, customer service, back issues [email protected] How Documentation and www.multilingual.com/subscribe Translation Processes Affect Each Other Submissions [email protected] Editorial guidelines are available at page 6 Kit Brown-Hoekstra www.multilingual.com/editorialWriter Kit Brown-Hoekstra, principal of Comgenesis, LLC, is an associate Reprints [email protected] fellow for STC, speaks regularly at conferences worldwide, and has authored many articles on a variety of technical communication and localization topics. This guide is published as a supplement to .VMUJ-JOHVBM, the magazine about language technology, localization, web globalization and international software development. It may be Native Speaker or Nonnative downloaded at www.multilingual.com/gsg Speaker: That Is the Question page 10 Roberta Fischer Malara Roberta Fischer Malara is the former head of the Aermacchi (now Alenia Aermacchi) translation department. She has been a freelance translator, technical communicator, writer and editor since 1992 and contributed to the development of STE (ASD’s Simplified Technical English). THE WORLD IS YOUR ØSTERS* LINGOTEK’S COLLABORATIVE TRANSLATION PLATFORM Lingotek enables massive amounts of content to be translated in a rapid, trusted and cost effective way using sophisticated translation technologies, workflow management and community collaboration. Try Lingotek free for 30 days: www.lingotek.com/multilingual *Oyster in Norwegian. See, we’ve got you translating already. page 2 The Guide From MultiLingual 02 TOC GSG.indd 2 9/22/10 9:26:42 AM TRANSLATION GETTING STARTED:GuideTRANSLATION Prescription Drug Labeling and Translation GeorGe rimalower he state of California is currently con- their medication reduces mistakes that at a more sophisticated level than is ideal 5sidering Senate Bill (SB) 1390, which, can be life-threatening. for the target audience. The result is that among other provisions, would re- While the long-range objectives are some percentage of the audience simply quire that pharmacies consider “the needs achieving and maintaining good health won’t get it. of patients with limited English proficien- for patients, the short-term objective is • Imprecise writing: Typing errors, inac- cy” when labeling prescription drugs. The to create an informed patient population. curate punctuation and/or sloppy word bill is receiving attention from health care Informed patients are much more likely to choice in the source document can change providers nationwide; it’s axiomatic that, follow the directives of health care per- the meaning of the original text in unin- as California goes, so eventually goes a sonnel, whether that involves taking pre- tended ways. Consider the phrase once a federal mandate. As the legislation notes, scription medications or adopting other day. That may be common enough, but it medication errors lead the list of medical recommended practices. happens that the spelling of the word once mishaps. Some 46% of American adults SB 1390 likewise makes good economic is the same as the spelling of the Spanish do not understand the labels on their pre- sense. In addition to the obvious health word that means eleven. scription drugs. The stakes are high, and benefits for patients, quality transla- • Inappropriate use of color: Colors SB 1390 offers an unprecedented oppor- tions help lower the overall costs associ- communicate, too, and different colors con- tunity for those who provide translation ated with health care. Patients who don’t vey distinct meanings to various cultural services to become part of the groups. While red conveys a solution. sense of danger or alarm to At the same time, arriving at North American English speak- useful translations can be a for- ers, for example, the color rep- midable challenge. Useful means resents a sense of happiness going beyond a literal transla- or good luck to other cultural tion of the text to express its true groups. meaning to the intended audi- • Representation of num- ence, and that involves taking into bers and dates: Language account a spectrum of language groups present numbers and and cultural sensitivities, espe- dates in different ways. In cially in a nation that hosts liter- the United States, a date is ally hundreds of languages and usually written in month/day/ dialects. When health and wel- year format; elsewhere, the fare are at stake, localization is day/month/year format pre- the soul of effective translation. vails. Announcing an upcom- According to the 2000 Census, ing health screening using the nearly 18% of the US population US format may inadvertently over the age of five speaks a lan- lead to confusion and under- guage other than English, and Accurate translation of drug labels is crucial. mine the effectiveness of the there’s every indication that the effort. It is better to spell the 2010 Census will record an even bigger understand the instructions that accom- numbers out in words or to follow the num- number. That’s why it’s incumbent upon pany their prescription drugs might bers with the spelled-out words within professional translators to assist health require multiple and wholly preventable parentheses. care providers in ensuring compliance office visits or perhaps find themselves • Cultural and religious sensitivities: with Title IV of the Civil Rights Act. And it’s in the emergency room. That’s true not Using anatomical terms that might be why SB 1390 is sound public policy. only for prescription drug labels, but for offensive to certain cultural groups can the entire range of instructional and edu- affect the ability or willingness of group Good translations make good sense cational health care materials. members to grasp the material. For health care organizations and those Five issues consistently undermine the of us who serve them, the overriding accuracy of many translations, putting Seizing the challenge imperative is to achieve positive outcomes health care providers at serious risk of To address these and other critical for patients. There’s simply no room for miscommunication: issues for the health care market, it’s error in health care communications. Help- • Literacy and educational levels: Fre- important to have systems in place. Start ing people better understand how to take quently, texts to be translated are written by developing a style guide or glossary for October/November 2010 • www.multilingual.com/gsg page 3 03-05 Rimalower #115 GSG.indd 3 9/22/10 9:29:16 AM TRANSLATION Guide: GETTING STARTED Your Company’s Spanish Translators Language Division Spanish Express, a US company based in Latin Next Generation without Borders America, has been providing top quality transla- tion and localization services from English into of MT Software Translators without Borders is an independent Spanish for over 15 years. Our staff is comprised • New hybrid rule-based and statistical MT registered nonprofit association that assists of professional, experienced translators who • New languages in a very short timeframe non-governmental organizations (NGOs) reside in the country they linguistically represent • Built for enterprise use by providing free, professional translations. (Mexico, Argentina, Spain and so on). 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