Translating terminology: finding the best resource

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Translating terminology finding the best resource

• Sue Muhr-Walker
• (met dank aan
• Michel Verhagen, AVT-TD_at_ Minbuza.nl)

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What are terms?

• linguistic expressions of concepts which are
  typically used within a particular knowledge
  domain, by particular members of the linguistic
  community, and in particular situations
• (Martin Van der Vliet)
• Language for Special Purposes
• (cf Language for General Purposes)

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Resources for the terminology translator

• What resources are available?
• What are the and - - of each resource?
• What is the role of the domain expert?
• Other constraints?
• Which translation resource is best?

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Term selection criteria

• TL terms should
• Be exact equivalents of SL terms
• Be authentic to the domain ( reliable)
• Be correct, current appropriate
• Meet requirements of client (opdrachtgever)
• Be easy to find

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Knowledge Domain

• Development Cooperation
• (Ontwikkelingssamenwerking)

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What is Development Cooperation?

• Development is not only about the supposedly
  predictable interaction between concepts such as
  good governance, macroeconomic stability and
  participatory strategies. It is also largely
  about the messy world of politics
• (Bert Koenders, Minister for Dev Coop, 2006)

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Complex

• Today, development economics is a field on the
  crest of a breaking wave with new theories and
  new data constantly emerging (Todaro, 20009)

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Relevant

• The Netherlands does more than any other rich
  nation to improve lives in developing countries
• 2008 Commitment to Development Index, by the
  Centre for Global Development (CGD)
• (News item, 8 December 2008, MinBuZa website)

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1. Available resources?2. and - -?

• General Dictionary Van Dale N-E (digital, 2002)
• Specialist dictionary ??
• In-house term database MultiTerm
• Translation memory e.g.Trados
• In-house glossary Min BuZa
• Online glossaries Jargon Verklaard
• EurLex
• IATE
• Google
• Domain Expert(s)/Terminologist gt
• T-L DOMAIN CORPUS

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3. The domain expert

• Ideally, translator is a domain expert!
• If not, consult domain expert/terminologist for
  conceptual and linguistic information about
  domain
• - Directly (e.g. by phone)
• - Indirectly (via reliable resource)
• Translator acquires conceptual and linguistic
  domain knowledge

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4. Other constraints

• In-house requirements (e.g. hierarchy of
  preference check i-h glossary first, translation
  memory second etc.)
• Time
• Translators motivation (esp. affinity with
  domain)

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Example text

• b. De Parijse agenda voor effectieve hulp de
  noodzaak van politiek leiderschap en minder
  bureaucratie
• De noodzaak om op effectievere wijze hulp te
  geven wordt al lang onderkend. De Verklaring van
  Parijs uit 2005, waarin OESO/DAC-landen
  verregaande afspraken hebben gemaakt over
  afstemming van beleid, eigenaarschap en
  meerjarige financiering, was in dat opzicht een
  mijlpaal. De ontwikkelingslanden beloofden op hun
  beurt ook beterschap met betrekking tot beter
  bestuur en het beheer van financiën. Er werden
  afspraken gemaakt over grotere betrokkenheid van
  parlementen en het maatschappelijk middenveld bij
  het opstellen en uitvoeren van ontwikkelingsbeleid
  .
• (Bron Een zaak van iedereen Beleidsnotitie
  Ontwikkelingssamenwerking 2007-2011.
• http//www.minbuza.nl)

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De noodzaak om op effectievere wijze hulp te geven

• Van Dale N-E to assist to give aid
• MultiTerm (i-h) ------
• Transl. memory (i-h) ------
• Glossary (i-h) to provide aid
• EurLex to give assistance
• IATE ------

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meerjarige financiering

• Van Dale N-E ------
• MultiTerm (i-h) ------
• Transl. Mem.(i-h) multi-year financing
• multi-year funding
• Glossary (i-h) multi-year financing
• EurLex multiannual financing
• distribution of financing over several
  years
• to fund on a multiannual basis
• IATE ------

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ontwikkelingslanden

• Van Dale N-E developing countries
  underdeveloped countries
• MultiTerm (i-h) developing countries
• Transl.mem. (i-h) developing countries
• Glossary (i-h) developing countries
• EurLex developing countries developing
  states
• IATE developing countries developing
  states

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beloofden ook beterschap met betrekking tot
beter bestuur

• gt goed bestuur
• Van Dale N-E ------
• MultiTerm (i-h) better government
• Transl.mem (i-h) to promote good governance
• Glossary (i-h) to improve governance
• EurLex better public management
• better
  governance
• improvement in the
  quality of management
• to govern better
• IATE -------

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het maatschappelijk middenveld

• Van Dale N-E --------
• MultiTerm (i-h) civil society
• community-based
  organisations
• Transl.mem. (i-h) civil society
• community-based
  organisations
• Glossary (i-h) civil society
• EurLex civil society
• civil society
  organisations
• social
  partners
• IATE civil society
• community-based
  organisations

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5. Which is the best resource?

• Quantity? Quality?
• Van Dale N-E 2/5
• MultiTerm (i-h) 4/5
• Transl.mem.(i-h) 4/5
• Glossary (i-h) 5/5
• EurLex 5/5
• IATE 2/5
• TARGET-LANGUAGE DOMAIN CORPUS

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Conclusion

• Many available resources
• Check with domain expert / professional
  terminologist
• Best resource is
• Authoritative
• Corpus-based
• Comprehensive
• Regularly updated
• User-friendly
• Translator always learning!