| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | The ambiguous sense of the word "translated" Thread poster: jyuan_us
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jyuan_us 
United States
Local time: 11:35
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
I saw someone used "Signing a translated website" as the title in a forum he started. I have always been confused with the use of the word "translated".
If the source text is in Spanish, and it has been translated into English, which text do you refer to when you say "the translated text"?
[Edited at 2016-04-03 04:06 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-04-03 13:07 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-04-03 13:23 GMT]
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:35
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| I am not sure what you mean... | Apr 2, 2016 |
The answer is simple, the source language is the language of original copy (the source country from where the site/company was first launched). I hope I answered what you actually asked (I am not sure I did).
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 11:35
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | All I want to know is what the word "translated" means | Apr 2, 2016 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
The answer is simple, the source language is the language of original copy (the source country from where the site/company was first launched). I hope I answered what you actually asked (I am not sure I did).
I just need a definition of the word "translated". I hope this would make you less confused.
Hope someone would understand the concern. When I saw the posting of "signing a translated website" in another forum, I was not sure what it really meant. Should it mean the website in the source language,or the one in the target language?
I'm very concerned about the meaning of "translated" in this context. I didn't put it as a Kudoz question, because it is not that I don't know how to translate the word. It is the ambiguity of it that has got me. And that is why I put this forum under "linguistics".
[Edited at 2016-04-02 22:43 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-04-02 22:49 GMT]
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:35
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
I believe the person asked how to sign the translated version of the website, the version displayed in the target language? Why didn't you ask the question in that very thread, it would have been easier to follow up?
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jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 11:35
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | It is not that I must know what he really meant, so I will not ask him about it | Apr 2, 2016 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
I believe the person asked how to sign the translated version of the website, the version displayed in the target language? Why didn't you ask the question in that very thread, it would have been easier to follow up?
Actually I don't care what he really meant. It is the ambiguity of the word "translated" that has triggered my interest in initiating a thread for discussion.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:35
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
I read your original posting again and I kind of see now what you are heading at...
If talking about Past Participle, translated = Past Participle
Here is a definition:
*
What is a past participle?
A past participle indicates past or completed action or time. It is often called the 'ed' form as it is formed by adding d or ed, to the base form of regular verbs, however it is also formed in various other ways for irregular verbs.<... See more I read your original posting again and I kind of see now what you are heading at...
If talking about Past Participle, translated = Past Participle
Here is a definition:
*
What is a past participle?
A past participle indicates past or completed action or time. It is often called the 'ed' form as it is formed by adding d or ed, to the base form of regular verbs, however it is also formed in various other ways for irregular verbs.
- See more at: http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/participlepast.html#sthash.c0VgCAFi.dpuf
*
As it is a past or completed action, it must be the target text then. This is at least how it would be explained using linguistics and grammar.
Also, the title of your thread does not reflect what you are asking really... the title itself could be a subject of discussion on semantic ambiguity...
[Edited at 2016-04-02 23:48 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | It's obvious from the context. | Apr 3, 2016 |
The translator couldn't get a credit on the site in the original language, because it wasn't their work. It means the new version in another language.
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 11:35
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I know it is obvious from the context it means the version in the target language | Apr 3, 2016 |
philgoddard wrote:
The translator couldn't get a credit on the site in the original language, because it wasn't their work. It means the new version in another language.
I'm interested in knowing if his use of the word "translated" is correct or not.
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jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 11:35
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | The original verb "translate" has to do with either "translate into" or "translate from" | Apr 3, 2016 |
Hence, if you use "translated" as an adjective, it could mean either "translated from" or "translated into". I guess they are just opposite.
What on earth does "translated" mean?
| | | | Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 17:35
Member
Catalan to English
+ ...
When I saw the posting of "signing a translated website" in another forum, I was not sure what it really meant.
I know it is obvious from the context it means the version in the target language
...which is it?
| | | | Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 21:05
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | The English text | Apr 3, 2016 |
jyuan_us wrote:
If the source text is in Spanish, and it has been translated into English, which text do you refer to when you say "the translated text"?
The English text.
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 11:35
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Good question, though | Apr 3, 2016 |
Andy Watkinson wrote: When I saw the posting of "signing a translated website" in another forum, I was not sure what it really meant. I know it is obvious from the context it means the version in the target language ...which is it?
I didn't know what the word "translated" SHOULD really mean. Does it refer to the text that has been translated into or translated from?
I know it is obvious from the context THAT THE AUTHOR WANTED the word "translated" TO mean the version in the target language.
[Edited at 2016-04-03 03:50 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-04-03 04:08 GMT]
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jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 11:35
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you for getting my point | Apr 3, 2016 |
Balasubramaniam L. wrote: jyuan_us wrote:
If the source text is in Spanish, and it has been translated into English, which text do you refer to when you say "the translated text"? The English text.
Your answer is very relevant, and to the point.
| | | | | The translated text = the target text | Apr 3, 2016 |
It's true that, theoretically, "translated" could refer to both the original source text and target text. E.g. A "translated book" may be used to refer to the original version of a book that has been translated in other languages, or to the various versions in other languages.
However, after seeing the thread you're referring to, it's clear the OP was referring to the localized versions of the website ("I am translating a website into X and Y and I would like to sign both of them").... See more It's true that, theoretically, "translated" could refer to both the original source text and target text. E.g. A "translated book" may be used to refer to the original version of a book that has been translated in other languages, or to the various versions in other languages.
However, after seeing the thread you're referring to, it's clear the OP was referring to the localized versions of the website ("I am translating a website into X and Y and I would like to sign both of them").
More in general, if they had written the source text for that website and were referring to that, they wouldn't have any reason to specify the fact that website had been translated, so I'd say that the use of "translated" usually is quite telling in itself. If that were an irrelevant piece of information, and you were referring to the "non-translated" version of something, then you'd have no reason to mention it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 17:35
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| For non-geeks, it means the target text | Apr 3, 2016 |
jyuan_us wrote:
If the source text is in Spanish, and it has been translated into English, which text do you refer to when you say "the translated text"?
Client: Are you a translator or an interpreter?
Geek translator: Yes.
Normal translator: I'm a translator
Client: Is your native language English or Spanish?
Geek translator: Yes.
Normal translator: English.
Client: Is this [the source text] the translated version?
Geek translator: Yes.
Normal translator: No.
The expression "translated text" has a strictly geek-logical meaning (= the source text) and a generally accepted meaning (= target text).
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