Professional Translation Portfolio Assignment Sample

Written communication to the client

To: orders@dukeupress.edu

Cc:

Subject: “EN/FR Translation Project: Academic review of Donna Haraway’s book Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene”

To

The team members of Duke University Press,

In the name of Jasper Translation & Co., I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the scope to take part in the creation of this project. I was able to contribute in a meaningful way.

I just cannot wait to get started on this project so that I can put my previous experience to good use. However, in order for me to continue with the translation, I need certain questions that I have about the translation brief to be answered.

Due to it would prohibit the original meaning from being given through the translation, a completely literal method of translation would be difficult to achieve. This is due to the nature of the problem. In point of fact, when it comes to grammar, the French language makes use of longer words and phrases than the English language does. In addition, the French language provides a version of the same statement that is more explicit than the English language does. A translation that is more flowing would be more beneficial as a result of this, and it would also transmit the content of the ST in its original form without making reading it more challenging.

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In addition to this, I would appreciate some further details outlining the objectives of this translation. Would it be published in a scholarly journal in the same way as the original text or in a different format? If this is the case, I would assume that the audience is already familiar with the technical vocabulary that is used in the ST and that they do not require any kind of explanation because of this. I would base this assumption on the fact that they have previously seen the ST.

The method of translation that would be used would be different (exegetical translation), and the process would also take longer because I would need to conduct considerable research on the terms that are used in the ST. This would be the case if the target audience of the translation is not familiar with the academic terminology that is used in the text.

In order to successfully complete this assignment at Translation Level 3 level, it is required to perform the following three distinct categories of work: translating, proofreading, and linguistic reviewing. As someone who was born and bred in France, it is going to be me who is in charge of translating the document and determining how well it is written in French. A member of my team who is also proficient in French will be responsible for editing and proofreading this paper once it has been written. Because completing each one of the three activities calls for a different set of skills and a different length of time, the associated costs for each one are distinct from one another, which is something that you are probably already aware of.

These clarifications are required so that working conditions and rights, as well as deadlines and billing may be established.

The following is a list of the prices that Jasper Translation & Co charges for its services:

- Translation service cost: 0.20€/word

- Proofreading cost: 0.02€/word

- Linguistic review cost: 28€/hour

To complete the task, it will take us approximately seven to eight days; however, the precise amount of time required will change based on the objectives of the translation and the people who will be reading it.

As soon as additional information concerning the project has been clarified, I will gladly send over our contract to you via email. Attached to this email is a sample translation contract that is used by our company.

I am looking forward to hearing from you, and if you do find that you require my support in any way, please know that I will be available to you.

Sincerely,

Agatha Lewis and the Jasper Translation team.

Analysis of the Source Text

During the process of performing an analysis of the source text (ST), the primary focus will be focused on the genre of the text, the vocabulary of the text, and the audience or readers of the original, with the intention of ensuring that these aspects are translated effectively in accordance with the client's brief. The ST is considered to be an academic document since it is a book review that was published in a scholarly publication. This aspect contributes to the document's status as an academic document. Because of this, it is assumed that the audience is familiar with both the basic terminology of the book and the more complex vocabulary that is used in the discussion.

This piece of writing about a book review fulfils the purpose of being both descriptive and analytical at the same time. The text devotes a sizeable section of itself to presenting a synopsis of the book's chapters as well as an explanation of each one of them. This section makes extensive use of language that is dense with specifics and makes an effort to be as objective as is humanly possible. The translator is able to stick to the client's brief by adopting a literal and close translation of the vocabulary and verbs that are used. This is possible due to the relatively close origins of English and French in terms of the vocabulary and the meaning of the language. The use of post modifiers in the ST, a grammatical trait that is often associated with academic writing, would be a stylistic feature that would benefit from being adequately represented in the translation. In point of fact, even though adhering to the client's request to translate the text word for word rather than focusing on its style would be consistent with the brief, the use of postmodifiers in the translation implies a certain degree of reading that is consistent with the type of audience to which the material will be appealing. In other words, the postmodifiers imply that the material will appeal to an audience that is similar to the audience to which the material will be appealing.

During the in-depth analysis of the ST, it will be helpful for the accuracy of the translation to do research and make use of a corpus of French academic papers on subjects that are analogous to those of the ST, such as anthropology, feminism and eco-cultural studies. This will assist ensure that the ST is accurately translated into French. After doing these supplementary tasks, it will be possible to have a more in-depth understanding of the vocabulary and terminology that is used in the French context. This will be feasible because of how these tasks will be completed. Latinate will be used in the ST (autopoiesis, Mixotricha paradox, etc.), and it will also be used in the French translation. This is due to the fact that Latinate is used in scholarly publications that were initially written in French.

The fact that the initials "SF" appear so frequently in the first text, representing a variety of ideas like "Science Fiction," "Speculative Fabulation," "String Figures," "Speculative Feminism," "Science Fact," and "So Far," may create difficulty to readers. "So Far" is also denoted by the initials "SF." This can be demonstrated by the fact that the initials appear in both the book review and the real book. The most sensible option would be to engage in some form of imaginative thinking. In French, "Science Fiction" is referred to as "Fabulation Spéculative," "Féminisme Spéculatif," and "Fait Scienttique." On the other hand, if all of the terms can be translated literally into English, the initials for some of the other titles would be "FS." The phrase "Science Fiction" can also be found written out in French. The idea of String Figures is something that is discussed in the book that I'm currently reading, and there is a connection between that and the game Cat's Cradle.

In order for a French audience to be able to appreciate the relevance of both the book review and the original book, it is important to provide the game with a new cultural context. This is because the original book was written in French. The board game known as "Jeu de ficelle" is the one that resembles "Cat's Cradle" and "String Figures" the most closely. It is possible that the problem with the text could be fixed by applying a method known as "foreignizing" in order to translate these initials. This would be an alternative method. Because the bulk of these concepts has translations in French, the translator will most likely keep the English term that was used in the ST even though there is a French counterpart. A foreignizing strategy, on the other hand, would be incapable of resolving the cognitive and cultural issues that are brought about as a result of the application of String Figures and Cat's Cradle in this setting. When the word "Jeu de ficelle" will be applied in French, the use of the ST initial will be completely lost in translation; yet, this loss is necessary in order for the message to be transmitted.

If the translation is to fulfil the client's brief with as much precision as is humanly possible, the style of the translation must take a back seat to ensure that the translation accurately conveys the intended meaning of the numerous specialist words and vocabulary. Because of this, assurance can be given that the translation will be as precise as it possibly can be. As an academic piece of writing, however, the translation must also convey a sense of scholastic rigour by sticking to the same tone and level of formality as the source text (ST). This is required in order for the translation to be considered successful. In general, the translation will do an excellent job of appropriately highlighting meaning, considering both the specific guidelines that were supplied and the communicative setting of the publication.

Relevant engines, tools and databases

To effectively complete the project, the utilization of various IT devices, including office software such as Word and Excel, alongside computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools, would be beneficial in facilitating the translation process. There are some essential tools such as SDL, Trados, MemoQ and many more. By following this approach, it is possible to achieve a translation that is both efficient and accurate, while also meeting the client's specifications. Conducting a literature review of pertinent scholarly articles in fields such as eco-cultural studies, critical theory, and anthropology, among others, would be a valuable initial step in utilizing technology to facilitate the translation process, with a focus on both French and English contexts. The preliminary analysis will be beneficial for scrutinizing the lexicon and nomenclature employed in the aforementioned materials. This will culminate in the creation of a translation that is highly precise, both in its terminology and in its ability to convey the intended meaning. Furthermore, it can be noted that Tom Cobb's "Complete Lexical Tutor" and its concordance tool are potentially valuable resources for locating instances of language used within a native context. The website's features may prove beneficial in this regard. This will facilitate a deeper understanding of the collocational connotations of the lexicon employed in the book critique.

Upon concluding the preliminary linguistic analysis, it will be determined that the software application known as MonkeyLearn is a highly valuable resource for providing a comprehensive sentiment analysis. Converting the ST file, a PDF document, into an Excel file is imperative for optimal utilization within the MonkeyLearn application. The utilization of a Text Extraction tool powered by Machine Learning can aid in the identification of specific information within a given text, such as keywords, features, and entities. Utilizing this text analysis tool will provide me with a proficient analysis service, allowing for the production of a suitable translation within the agreed-upon timeframe with the client. Through the utilization of the tool for conducting an analysis of the source text (ST), I am capable of focusing my attention on the examination of specific terminology in terms of its significance and implementation in French literature.

The language utilized in academic texts such as the ST tends to be highly specialized and specific. This is due to the inherent characteristics of the text. There exist a number of lexical items that have yet to cross my path, and I am eager to acquire knowledge of them. Due to this identical rationale, the preliminary tasks that are completed prior to commencing the translation process are deemed indispensable. The subsequent step in this preliminary undertaking involves the utilization of terminological databases, which will be preceded by familiarizing oneself with the specialized terminology via the use of a substantial corpus of texts and corpus-based technologies. The issue at hand was resolved through the utilization of the online platform MagicSearch, accessible via the URL https://magicsearch.org. MagicSearch is a search engine that utilizes a diverse range of sources, such as Word Reference, Linguee, IATE, and numerous others, to retrieve information.

The utilization of the Computer Assisted Translation tool, Wordfast Pro, enables the completion of the translation process. The computer-aided translation (CAT) software is relatively user-friendly and can be tested at no charge by accessing the demo version. Wordfast Pro is a computer-aided translation (CAT) tool that enables translators to import and export Word documents as translation memories, thereby facilitating the translation process. The utilization of Wordfast as a translation memory database is expected to result in enhanced translation quality and increased efficiency while also enabling resource optimization. To enhance the efficacy of the translation process, it is recommended to integrate prior research findings with Wordfast Pro and utilize thesauri such as Meriam-Webster or Word Reference. Ensuring maximum accuracy is imperative in achieving a precise translation.

Upon completion of the book review translation, I utilized Wordfast Pro to conduct a proofreading process, employing a formatted version of the target language. Fellow professionals who possess the capability to utilize Wordfast Pro and are engaged in the undertaking can conveniently modify the translated content during the process of reviewing, thereby simplifying the task for all parties concerned.

Upon completion of the final proofreading process to ensure accuracy, the translation can be rendered into the client's desired format, specifically a Portable Document Format (PDF), and subsequently furnished to the customer.