Post by habiba123820 on Nov 5, 2024 21:07:34 GMT -6
As a professional translator, you probably know where to find resources that are useful to you. Over the years, I have collected several resources that I use regularly. I would like to share my favorites with you, as well as some resources that I don’t use personally (because they don’t cover my language pair) but are frequently used by other translators.
Online dictionaries: DeepL, Reverso
This may be obvious, but if you’re stuck on a term, an online dictionary can be the easiest way to find a quick answer. You’re probably familiar with Google Translate , but have you used DeepL or Reverso yet? DeepL is a Germany-based company that uses AI translation technology . The cool thing about DeepL is that they don’t just give you one or two translations like Google Translate does, but for most terms, they list 10 or even 20 possible translations, allowing you to choose the one that fits your context. Reverso is an online dictionary that includes this context: when you enter a term, you don’t get single words, you get full sentences that help you understand how a word is used and that help you choose the right translation.
Wikipedia
For some of you, this is obvious; for others, it may come as a surprise to see Wikipedia on the list. Wikipedia is, of course, an encyclopedia. It’s not necessarily the encyclopedia function that makes this a great tool for translators , however; it’s wordpress web design agency the option to switch between languages. This is especially useful if you’re looking to translate technical or specialized terms. For example, take the Dutch term ‘pacht’. If you want to translate ‘pacht’ into English and don’t know exactly what it means, any online dictionary will give you ‘lease’ as the top translation.
'Pacht', however, is a very specific type of lease, with a different legal context than a regular lease. The Dutch Wikipedia explains this specific meaning. If you then switch to the English version of that same article, you end up at the Lease article on the English Wikipedia. You will immediately notice that the description of 'lease' does not match the description of 'pacht'. When you scroll down, however, you will see a paragraph on Land Leases, which gives the more specific term 'lease'. That is the term you need. Since Wikipedia is available in many languages, it is a great resource no matter your language pair.
Urbandictionary
When translating slang, urbandictionary has saved me more times than I can count. It doesn't provide translations of terms , but it does explain the meaning of slang in English. If for example you need to translate the sentence "I could really use a 101" into your target language, urbandictionary tells you that it means they need to learn the basics (of the subject they're talking about).
You can then choose whether to translate it to a slang term in your target language with the same meaning, or whether you'd rather choose a more descriptive translation. Be careful, though; urbandictionary is collaborative and not all meanings listed are accurate.
Pirates
I regret to say that I have never had a translation assignment that involved pirates. I remain hopeful, though one day I will need to use one of the many pirate glossaries that can be found online. Two of the most elaborate are the one at yourdictionary com and the pirate glossary at the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum .
Online dictionaries: DeepL, Reverso
This may be obvious, but if you’re stuck on a term, an online dictionary can be the easiest way to find a quick answer. You’re probably familiar with Google Translate , but have you used DeepL or Reverso yet? DeepL is a Germany-based company that uses AI translation technology . The cool thing about DeepL is that they don’t just give you one or two translations like Google Translate does, but for most terms, they list 10 or even 20 possible translations, allowing you to choose the one that fits your context. Reverso is an online dictionary that includes this context: when you enter a term, you don’t get single words, you get full sentences that help you understand how a word is used and that help you choose the right translation.
Wikipedia
For some of you, this is obvious; for others, it may come as a surprise to see Wikipedia on the list. Wikipedia is, of course, an encyclopedia. It’s not necessarily the encyclopedia function that makes this a great tool for translators , however; it’s wordpress web design agency the option to switch between languages. This is especially useful if you’re looking to translate technical or specialized terms. For example, take the Dutch term ‘pacht’. If you want to translate ‘pacht’ into English and don’t know exactly what it means, any online dictionary will give you ‘lease’ as the top translation.
'Pacht', however, is a very specific type of lease, with a different legal context than a regular lease. The Dutch Wikipedia explains this specific meaning. If you then switch to the English version of that same article, you end up at the Lease article on the English Wikipedia. You will immediately notice that the description of 'lease' does not match the description of 'pacht'. When you scroll down, however, you will see a paragraph on Land Leases, which gives the more specific term 'lease'. That is the term you need. Since Wikipedia is available in many languages, it is a great resource no matter your language pair.
Urbandictionary
When translating slang, urbandictionary has saved me more times than I can count. It doesn't provide translations of terms , but it does explain the meaning of slang in English. If for example you need to translate the sentence "I could really use a 101" into your target language, urbandictionary tells you that it means they need to learn the basics (of the subject they're talking about).
You can then choose whether to translate it to a slang term in your target language with the same meaning, or whether you'd rather choose a more descriptive translation. Be careful, though; urbandictionary is collaborative and not all meanings listed are accurate.
Pirates
I regret to say that I have never had a translation assignment that involved pirates. I remain hopeful, though one day I will need to use one of the many pirate glossaries that can be found online. Two of the most elaborate are the one at yourdictionary com and the pirate glossary at the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum .