This document provides information about general translation and examples of where it is used. It begins by defining general translation as the most common type of translation, which involves ordinary day-to-day speech and does not require specialized expertise. However, professional translators with postgraduate backgrounds in the target language are still recommended. General translations include documents like newspaper articles, emails, letters, CVs, brochures, and reviews. The document then provides more details on translating different types of newspaper articles and headlines, including differences in style between English, American, and Polish headlines. It also discusses techniques used in headline writing like omitting verbs and abbreviations.
2. What Is General Translation
and Where Is It Used
One of the most common types of translation and the one that is
most used today is general translation. This is the simplest type of
translation as it implies only ordinary, day to day speech.
This type of translation does not usually demand a specific
expertise or a specialized background for a translator. However, to
do this type of translation, a translator still needs to be an expert in
linguistics, the local market, and the customs. Professional
translators who have postgraduate background and who reside in the
area where the target language is used are the best choice.
Moreover, general translations are about translating documents and
texts that are not technical.
https://www.usatranslate.com/types-of-translation-i-what-is-general-translation/
4. Types of Newspaper Articles
News articles: inform readers about things that are happening in the world or in
the local area.
Feature articles: these explore news stories in more depth. They may be
triggered by a story that has been in the news for a while. The purpose of a
feature is not just to tell you what has happened, but to explore or analyse
the reasons why.
Editorials, columns and opinion pieces: these are pieces by 'personality'
writers. They might be there to inform (because the writer's expert opinion is
valued), or they might be there to entertain (because the writer has a comic
or interesting way of describing everyday life).
Online article: pay additional attention to the interactive aspects (hyperlinks)
SKOPOS: Remember - all writing tasks are about understanding genre, audience,
purpose, and style).
5. Translating Articles
Translating newspapers presents its own unique challenges. Much of it has to do with the
fact that newspapers are made up of different sections and types of articles, each
with their own style and language. What works for one section or article may not
work for all of them. Here are the most challenging things about translating
newspapers:
1. Style
Every newspaper, no matter what country it comes from or what language it is published in, is made
up of different sections. To translate everything in a newspaper effectively, each of
different styles needs to be considered and used.
2. Terminology
Each country has its own slang and different types of jargon that is used only in certain contexts.
When used out of context, these words might not even make sense. The target culture may not
include this political concept, either, so an explanation or footnote might be needed.
3. Cultural context
The context of each newspaper is the country where it is published and circulated. The information
presented may not be complete or very clear to someone who hasn’t been keeping up with the
news in the area, and that is exactly the point. This presents a huge challenge for a
translator, however, as they have to make sure they are educated and informed on the topic
and provide any necessary clarification and explanation without bulking up the article too
much or straying from the subject.
6. Headlines
In English and American press a special style of newspaper
headlines was formed which has a characteristic feature of
great expressiveness of lexical and grammar means.
The headlines are usually written in "telegraphic language",
i.e. they are written maximally brief and laconic phrases
where all the semantically inessential components are
dropped.
At the same time, for the aim of securing of maximal
understandability headlines are constructed on the basis of
common lexis and the simplest grammar means.
http://antario.kiev.ua/en/main/5/8
9. Words to Capitalize in Titles and
Headings
1) All words of four or more letters, no matter
what or where the words are;
2) The first word of the title and of the subtitle;
3) The last word of the title;
4) ALL OTHER WORDS except conjunctions
(and, or, but, nor, yet, so, for), articles (a, an,
the), and short prepositions (in, to, of, at, by,
up, for, off, on).
http://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2010/02/words-to-
capitalize-in-titles-and-headings.html
10. Decide What to Capitalize (AmE)
1) made to stick: why some ideas survive and others die
2) the story factor: inspiration, influence, and persuasion through the art
of storytelling
3) fierce conversations: achieving success at work and in life, one
conversation at a time
4) a funny thing happened on the way to the boardroom: using humor in
business speaking
HINT: Remember, first you can capitalize any word of four or more letters. Then
capitalize the first word of the title and the subtitle, and the last word of the title.
Then you have to think about whether the remaining short words are
conjunctions, articles, or prepositions. If they are, they are lower case.
1) Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (to is a short1) Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (to is a short
preposition; and is a conjunction)preposition; and is a conjunction)
2) The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the2) The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the
Art of StorytellingArt of Storytelling
3) Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One3) Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One
Conversation at a Time (one is capitalized because it is an adjective)Conversation at a Time (one is capitalized because it is an adjective)
4) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Boardroom: Using4) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Boardroom: Using
Humor in Business SpeakingHumor in Business Speaking
11. Headlinese
An abbreviated form of news writing style used in newspaper headlines.
Because space is limited, headlines are written in a compressed
telegraphic style, using special syntactic conventions, including:
Forms of the verb "to be" and articles (a, an, the) are usually
omitted.
Most verbs are in the simple present tense, e.g. "Governor signs
bill", while the future is expressed by an infinitive, with to followed by
a verb, as in "Governor to sign bill".
conjunctions are often replaced by a comma, as in "Bush, Blair
laugh off microphone mishap" [more common in North American than
British publications]
Country names are often used instead of their adjective forms, e.g.
"Russia fires warning shot at Turkey boat", rather than "... Turkish
boat".
Individuals are usually specified by surname only, with no honorifics.
12. Headlinese
An abbreviated form of news writing style used in newspaper headlines.
Because space is limited, headlines are written in a compressed
telegraphic style, using special syntactic conventions, including:
Forms of the verb "to be" and articles (a, an, the) are usually
omitted.
Most verbs are in the simple present tense, e.g. "Governor signs
bill", while the future is expressed by an infinitive, with to followed by
a verb, as in "Governor to sign bill".
conjunctions are often replaced by a comma, as in "Bush, Blair
laugh off microphone mishap" [more common in North American than
British publications]
Country names are often used instead of their adjective forms, e.g.
"Russia fires warning shot at Turkey boat", rather than "... Turkish
boat".
Individuals are usually specified by surname only, with no honorifics.
13. Headlinese
Organizations and institutions are often indicated by metonymy:
"Wall Street" for "the financial industry", "Whitehall" for the UK
government administration, "Madrid" for "the government of Spain",
"Davos" for "World Economic Forum", and so on.
Many abbreviations, including contractions and acronyms, are
used: in the US, some examples are Dems (for "Democrats") and
GOP (for the Republican Party from the nickname "Grand Old
Party"); in the UK, Lib Dems (for the Liberal Democrats), Tories (for
the Conservative Party). The period (full point) is usually omitted
from these abbreviations, though U.S. may retain them, especially in
all-caps headlines to avoid confusion with the word us.
Lack of a terminating full stop (period) even if the headline forms a
complete sentence.
Some periodicals have their own distinctive headline styles