So, you think you can translate?
I am sure that you have seen Margaret's frequent comment: "Good one! ... is that in the phrasebook?"
Not everyone can translate their expression from one language to the other. As well as accepting submissions for the phrasebook, suggestions are also accepted. But the suggestions then require translating ... a daunting task when piled on one or two members.
What do you think of looking at the list awaiting a translation and selecting say maybe one a week to translate?
Consider it a game or a challenge. You may not see any points or votes for your efforts but it could still be a learning tool. And just think, who can name anyone that helped build Alhambra or the Taj Mahal but they sure are works of art!
I wanted to mention this for a while but Foxluv and Mountaingirl inspired the action.
6 Answers
I personally think that the phrasebook (which will probably be a work in progress for some time) is going to be an excellent tool for all of us. I worry about the phrases that have no 'exact' translation but I probably worry too much, I guess many times there just cannot be an exact translation of idiomatic sayings. And then there is the fact that we have so many different countries and even areas of countries where they say something that would be unintelligible somewhere else. A case in point, right now in the Forum someone has asked 'how do I translate 'my true love'?' and honestly the translations provided are not ringing correctly with me but I have hesitated to comment because, what do I know, maybe that is common phraseology somewhere and I'm not aware of it.... So.....
También, más simple, "(mejor) no toquemos ese tema" (Gekkosan's accepted response/post to my question how do you say.
= "Let's not go there"? (Used quite frequently in England, sometimes with humour, when suggesting to others that it would be better not to continue exploring that line of thinking....but to move on !)
or "No vayamos a tocar ese tema." courtesy of JulianChiv
Great idea. I do go to the phrasebook to see if I can translate some submissions. It's a fun exercise.
I don't know if it will be found here, but I thought I'd bring up an idea I had that seems relevant to this topic. A lot of people put things in the phrasebook and just fill in the two phrases, and none of the other information. Their contributions are very helpful, and we would dissuade people from contributing if we made filling everything in mandatory (in some cases some of the fields don't apply to a particular phrase) but the phrasebook would be more complete if others could go in and reopen their phrases and add in the other information, like the type of phrase, the literal translation, the region in which it's used, etc. What do you guys think of being able to edit phrasebook phrases?
There has been a post from the translators about putting in the translations. link text
Woosh. Okay, I've done one. What a barbarous task. I have newfound greater appreciation of the phrasebook admins, now. Thanks, guys!
