+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Measure units

 
  1. #1
    Senior Member Veronica's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Argentina
    Posts
    806
    Rep Power
    471

    Default Measure units

    I was wondering, when you translate a text into Spanish and you don't have any specific instructions, do you always convert the inches into meters, and other units? Like gallons, and pounds.
    I was thinking maybe the best way is to write the English and the Spanish in brackets like XX inches (XX cm).

  2. #2
    Contributing User
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    170
    Rep Power
    271

    Default

    Hi Veronica!
    If absolutely no instructions are given, I would do what you said, place the English next to the Spanish in parenthesis. But, I think it's always very important to ask the client what's the target audience. If by chance they are US Hispanics, then, they stay the same.
    Best to you!

  3. #3
    Senior Member Hebe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Caracas- Venezuela
    Posts
    1,202
    Rep Power
    3759

    Default

    Hi veronica ….. I would do exactly what you suggested in case of free translations. Yet, in the case of legal certified translations (which are normally subject to stricter rules of accuracy) I would just use the unit originally indicated in the text, without stating any equivalency, since the inclusion of an equivalent unit may lead to the wrong interpretation that both units appear in the original text.
    Regards


    Truly, my dear young friends, you are a chosen generation. I hope you will never forget it.
    Gordon B. Hinckley

  4. #4
    Senior Member Julio Jaubert's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    276
    Rep Power
    1210

    Default

    I agree with In-House: always ask to the client at the beginning of the translation. You must take a look on the translation before start it. If you have the problem now, and you can't ask to the client, you can use the solution you propose.

    Anyway, there are some kind of translations in wich you obviously must proceed in certain way by default.

    For example, in a technical translation about machinery, you must let "tuerca de 3 pulgadas"... never translate "tuerca de 7.62 cm"!

    If the translation is related to meteorology and you know the text is directed to Latin America, you must say "el huracán se encuentra a x kilómetros", because it is more clear for the readers.

    And so on, if you can't ask, you must take decisions, but always taking into account the public.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Veronica's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Argentina
    Posts
    806
    Rep Power
    471

    Default

    Thanks everyone! You've been so helpful! :-)

+ Reply to Thread

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Do you charge more when you have to convert units of measurement?
    By andreap in forum Other Translation Forums
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-14-2011, 01:49 PM
  2. Translation Units (TU) length
    By gentle in forum Other CAT Tools
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-10-2010, 03:33 PM
  3. hard to measure
    By kaud in forum General English to Spanish Translation
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 08-14-2009, 11:51 AM
  4. Best MEASURE UNIT to use in Translation Jobs
    By TopNotch in forum Other Translation Forums
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 08-03-2007, 01:48 PM
  5. Units of measure
    By Nadia D in forum Localization
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 02-13-2007, 04:19 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •