Lost in Translation
The Impact of Translation Procedure on the Transfer of Meaning
“Some hold translations not unlike to be
The wrong side of a Turkey tapestry.”
Howell, James. (1594-1666). Familiar letters, bk. I, let. 6.
I. Basic Principles

Words and objects have no inherent meanings. It is people, influenced by their social cultural environment and
personal experiences, who assign meanings to words and objects. Many concepts, such as freedom, democracy, or I,
carry different meanings in different cultures (Jandt, 1998).

Words or concepts cannot be isolated from the cultural and social context in which the language resides
(Hymes, 1964, 1974). Therefore, social and cultural variables have important impact on the transfer of meanings
from one language to another (Shutter, 1979).

Knowing 2 languages is necessary but not sufficient to make one a competent translator or interpreter
(Delisle, 1988). A competent translator or interpreter must have been immersed in both cultures in order to
appreciate the subtleties of the languages and be able to select codes with meanings closest to the meanings intended
(Sarbaugh, 1988). The competent translator or interpreter must also be a good communicator with adequate
knowledge of the subject matter being translated.

The text must be reader-focused when the intention of a text is to communicate something to its reader (Badan,
1996). In other words, a text in any language should be understandable by audience of that language within the
context of their culture.

Each communication message has 2 dimensions: content, which is the information conveyed by the message, and
relationship, which is the feeling the message invokes in its audience (Kreps & Thornton, 1992). Messages with a
positive relationship dimension generally have a much better chance of drawing the attention of the target audience
to it. An effective health communication message for behavioral change needs to have a positive relationship as
well as accurate content.
II. Translation Process (see figure 1)
III. Issues in Translation
1) Technical Knowledge
The translator may be an expert in the two languages involved, but may not be familiar with the subject matter being
translated. Therefore, s/he may not understand some of the concepts presented in the source document. In some
cases, the technical concepts may be expressed using common lay terms with slightly different meanings within a
particular field. In such cases, the translator may think s/he understands the meaning of the concepts and chooses
inappropriate terms to express them in the target language.
2) Mis-use of Bi-lingual Dictionaries
This frequent error of less experienced translators stems from the translators’ belief that the bi-lingual dictionary is
the final authority. Bi-lingual dictionaries often give word-for-word translation without providing explanations or
definitions that clarify the different shades of meaning of a particular word within different contexts. Furthermore,
sometimes, translations in bi-lingual dictionaries might be correct but not appropriate. For example, one bilingual
dictionary used the term “impurity” for “scum.”
3) Culturally-Bound Concepts
Many concepts have different connotations or different meanings all together in different cultures. When these are
translated literally, they are likely to be mis-understood by the target text readers. For example, Vietnamese may
describe a food as being “hot,” which refers to its health effects on the body, not its temperature or spiciness.
4) New Concepts
When a concept is new to target text readers, many translators use word-for-word translation since there is no
written word to express such concepts in the target language. Such translation, if done without definition in the
target text, might render the text incomprehensible or mis-understood.
© Hoàng t. Diệu-Hiền ● dieuhien@u.washington.edu ● 17 Nov 2003 ● Lost in Translation ● Page 1 of 4
5) False Equivalents / False Friends
False equivalents or false friends, as they are known in the field of professional translation, are words that sound
similar or share similar roots in two languages, but carry different meanings. They also include words that have
more than one meaning and the translator chooses the wrong one to represent the meaning intended in the source
text.
6) Foreign Accent / the Third Language / Translationese
Strict faithfulness to source text without regard to the cultural and social norms in which the target text operates will
give it a foreign accent that may alienate its readers. Awkward word use and sentence structure may render familiar
words incomprehensible. Translation scholars call such translation as being “Third Language” or “Translationese”
since it is neither the source nor target language.
7) Audience Appropriateness
Since there are variations within every culture, when the translator does not share certain social or cultural norms
with the target readers, the translation may be accurate but inappropriate for its readers.
8) Time and Resource Constraints
Few people appreciate the complexity of the translation process. Therefore, the task is rarely given adequate time,
financial resource or expertise. Translators often find themselves given too little time and too few resources to do
their job properly.
9) Decision-making by Non-experts
Since the complexity and skill level involved in doing quality translation is rarely understood, the decision on how
translation should be done, including how much time to allocate and who qualifies to translate, often rests on nontranslation-experts. This results in inadequate resource allocation and inappropriate personnel assigned to the job.
IV.
Recommendations for Translators: Wise use of a variety of resources. Never rely on only one source.
1) Technical Resources
Use professionals in the appropriate field in addition to technical dictionaries.
2) Dictionaries and Thesauruses
Use more than one bi-lingual dictionary for ideas. Check word choice with monolingual dictionaries (e.g. English
only or Spanish only dictionaries) for detailed definitions and explanations of word use. Also use thesauruses for
synonyms and connotations.
3) People Resources
Bounce ideas off other bi-lingual and bi-cultural persons, native speakers of both target and source languages,
friends, relatives, co-workers who fit criteria of target audience. Discuss not only meanings, but also connotations
and feelings each term invoke.
4) Own Glossary
Develop own glossary as you work.
V.
Recommendations for People Using Translators
1) Evaluation of Translator and Translation/Translator Evaluator

Evaluate bi-lingual skills
How each language was acquired? Which is primary? How often each language is used; in which setting
(family, community, formal, informal, professional); and in what manner (speaking, reading, writing)?

Evaluate bi-cultural skills
How cultural skills were acquired? Types of interaction with people in each culture (formal, informal,
professional)? How often? In which setting?

Evaluate translation skills / philosophy
Previous experience? What to do when encounter unfamiliar terms, ambiguous terms, or difficult to translate
terms?
© Hoàng t. Diệu-Hiền ● dieuhien@u.washington.edu ● 17 Nov 2003 ● Lost in Translation ● Page 2 of 4

Evaluate technical knowledge, ability to identify resources as needed, and willingness to seek help
2) Quality Assurance of Translation

Check for Accuracy
(a) What meanings would target readers be likely to get from target text?
(b) What connotations would messages in target text likely to invoke from the readers?
(c) Are those meanings and connotations approximately similar to those intended in the source text?
(d) Are there concepts difficult, inappropriate, or impossible to convey in target culture?
(e) If so, how should this issue be resolved? Modify or rewrite source? Omit concepts / sections? Add
explanations?

Check for Readability
Always have an editor to read the document for natural flow, understandability, grammatical and spelling
errors. This editor needs not be bi-lingual and should not be concerned with the source text.

Check for Audience Appropriateness
Field testing with representatives of target audience is indispensable to ensure quality product.

Giving Translators Credit for Their Work
Print name(s) of translator(s) prominently on translated documents. Besides recognizing translators for their
work, doing so will also improve accountability on the part of translators, for no translator will like to see
his/her name printed on a poorly translated document.
3) Back-Translation
Recognize and accept its limitations. Understand its real purpose: to inform the person commissioning the
translation of what it says. Back-translation uses the same process as translation and therefore has the same pitfalls
and challenges. In order to detect and fix problems in translation, a different and finer tool must be used.
4) Adaptation of Source Text
Some concepts in one culture do not exist in another. Others carry very different meanings. Therefore, translation
cannot completely transfer meanings across cultural boundaries. Moving away from pure translation by adapting
what is appropriate in the source, but modify, omit, or add info in the target text might help maintain the value of the
source text. The new Spanish version of “Our Bodies, Ourselves” was done this way and is a smashing success.
5) Recreation of New Text in Target Language
If at all possible, abandon the translation model and create the document in the target language, using translation
only as a means to inform non-speakers of the target language on the team of what is going on. This will minimize
pitfalls of translation such as culturally-bound concepts, translationese, or false equivalents and avoid situations such
as the one in the following quote: “Egad, I think the interpreter is the hardest to be understood of the two!”
(Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), The Critic, ii.)
6) Field Testing
Regardless of procedure used, always field test with representatives of the intended audience. A user-centered field
testing process is more likely to detect inappropriate word use.
A FEW RESOURCES
American Translators Association: http://atanet.org
Multicultural Health Communication Service: http://mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au
Steps on evaluating translation: http://mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au/health-public-affairs/mhcs/services/steps.pdf
Ford Foundation, NGO Steering Committee. (1996). Best Practices in Translation. Hà Nội, Việt Nam: Ford Foundation.
Minnesota Department of Health. Communications Office. (2000). Translation protocol: A guide to translating materials
for limited-English speaking communities.
Multilingual Health Education.net. http://www.multilingual-health-education.net/resourcesandlinks.asp
National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care.
http://www.omhrc.gov/CLAS/finalcultural1a.htm
© Hoàng t. Diệu-Hiền ● dieuhien@u.washington.edu ● 17 Nov 2003 ● Lost in Translation ● Page 3 of 4
Figure 1: Suggested Processes through which Translators Follow
Cultural contextualization
Source Text
Translator
Own socio-cultural norms
Understanding of sociocultural norms of
source & target texts
Decodes source
Understands
words/concepts/meanings
within context of source
Deconstructs
source
Feels nuances of source
Own life experiences
Linguistic transformation
Translator’s
subjective reality
Distinguishes subtle
nuances of source
Reformulates within context
of target
Reconstructs target
Explicates within context of
target
Contextualizes within target
culture
Target Text
© Hoàng t. Diệu-Hiền ● dieuhien@u.washington.edu ● 17 Nov 2003 ● Lost in Translation ● Page 4 of 4