Lesson 4 Translation Exercise - Sample Answer

Hello everyone! Good work on the assignments for Lesson Four! This time I'm including some possible answers for the short answer questions as well because many of you did not receive full points on those. While they are short answer questions, they usually cannot be answered completely in just one sentence but require a short paragraph. Also, make sure that you edit your answers and express your thoughts clearly. Please post any comments or questions you have about the written assignments for Lesson Four in this thread of the forum. Thank you! - Elyse

Short Answer Questions:

1. Why might translating verbs written in the present simple tense in Spanish cause challenges to the translator?

Translating verbs from the Spanish present tense to English can be challenging for the translator because the Spanish present tense is much more versatile and has more usages than the English present tense. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary to translate it to a different verb tense in English which requires careful analysis of how the verb is being used. The Spanish present tense can be used to describe continuous actions in the present (present continuous in English), future actions or promises (future or present continuous in English) and actions that begin in the past and continue in the present with time expressions (present perfect in English).

2. How does verb tense relate to the prioritizing of message over form?

As we studied in Lesson One, message should have priority over form when translating. We need to translate the message of the ST into the TL according to the grammar rules of the TL and in a way that is naturally expressed. This applies to verb tense because while sometimes we can use the same verb tense in both languages, other times a verb is written in one tense in the SL, but requires a different tense in the TL to express the same meaning. If we were to always translate verbs into the same tense in the TL, we would be prioritizing form over message.

Activity 1
Translate the following letter from Spanish to English.

25 April, 2011

Escribo esta carta para decirles que no estoy de acuerdo con la cantidad que me piden. Resivi una carta donde pone que debo seguir pagando los $140.00 mensuales en manutención para Cristobol Vargas Sánchez, más $840.00 de pagos atrazados. Pero no puede ser sierto porque yo siempre pago la mensualidad y no e faltado ni un mes, asi que no es justo que me pidan algo que no debo. Les mando los talones de los cheques como prueba de que no e dejado ningun mes sin pagar. Tengo solamente tres meses en mi nuevo trabajo y todavia no me dan muchas horas. Tengo muchos gastos para mis otros dos hijos y no me es nada facil hacer los pagos de manutencion para mi hijo con mi primera esposa. Pero lo ago porque se que mi hijo necesita esta ayuda y yo siempre cumplo con mis obligaciones. Pero no esta bien que ustedes quieran cobrar demas. No e podido presentarme en persona en la oficina de ustedes, pero la semana que entra voy y quiero poder ablar con alguien que revise mi caso.

Gracias,

Miguel Vargas Castillo

April 25, 2011

I’m writing this letter to inform you that I am not in agreement with the amount you’re asking me to pay. I received a letter which states that I should continue paying $140.00 per month in child support for Cristobol Vargas Sánchez, in addition to $840.00 for past support. This can’t be correct because I always make the monthly payments and I’ve never missed a single month. Therefore, it isn’t fair that you ‘re asking me to pay something that I don’t owe. I’m sending the check stubs as proof that I haven’t missed a single monthly payment. I have only been at my new job for three months and they still aren’t giving me many hours. I have a lot of expenses for my other two children, and it is not at all easy for me to make the child support payments for my son with my first wife, but I do it because I know that my son needs this help and I always fulfill my obligations. However,  it is not acceptable that you want to charge extra. I haven’t been able to come in to your office in person, but I’ll go next week and I hope to be able to speak with someone who can review my case.

Thank you,

Miguel Vargas Castillo