2.2 Guidelines for Translating Forms

Bilingual staff at DCS may also be asked to translate forms. In this case, you would be translating a Spanish-speaking client’s responses on a form. Sometimes you may be asked to translate a client’s response on an entire form while other times you might only be translating part of the form, which would be indicated with a circle around the text to be translated. The forms used by DCS have already been translated from English to Spanish, and so Spanish-speaking clients will typically fill out the Spanish version of a form.

a) Basic procedures for translating forms

If you need to translate the whole form, you can do so directly on an English version of the same form. If, however, you are only translating a circled section, this can either be done on an English version of the form or on a blank sheet of paper or Word document. In this case, check with your manager or the person asking you to do the translation for further instruction. If translating a circled section on a blank document, indicate the title of the form, client’s name, and date the client completed the form, at the top of your translation. You should always consult the English version of the form in order to include the question that is being answered so that coherence among DCS documents is maintained. For example:

Example 2.5

Suppose that you have been asked to translate the following circled section of a form:

Source Text

Your translation should first include the name of the form as it appears in the English version of the form, the name of the client, the date signed on the form, and the question indicated as it appears in the English version of the form.

Translation

The first step in translating a client’s answers on a form is to ensure that you understand the form and what information the client is being asked to provide. You can consult the English version of the form if you have any doubts. Next, you need to make sure that you understand the exact message of the client. You can then proceed to translate the message on the form, following the steps of translation that will be outlined in the next lesson.

b) Translating mistakes or an unclear message

If there are mistakes on the client’s form, for example if the client seems to have misunderstood the question or the handwriting is illegible, this can be noted by placing an asterisk (*) at the end of the statement and adding another asterisk at the bottom of the page with a translator’s note. For example:

Example 2.6

The following source text is found on a form in very difficult to read hand-writing.

Source Text

Translation