Translation Errors
Posted by transubstantiation on November 6, 2007
One of the greatest missions for all translatologists, translation theorists and translation trainers is being able to isolate the problems related to the translation process and the translation product.
Unfortunately, getting in the mind of the translator (or, in fact any other human) is a near impossible task, thus the possibility of analysing the translation process - that is knowing what takes place between the original and the translated text - is marked by estimation, approximation and guesswork.
The only reliable pieces of evidence we have in the analysis of the translation process is the original (source) text and the translated text (the translation product). Therefore, the first step in analysing the translation process (read translation product) is the final translation.
Whilst looking through research available on errors in translation (including work in translation quality assessment) it became clear that a errors seem to oscillate around similar areas. An interesting taxonomy put forward by Raf Uzar highlights seven major error categories:
Cohesion
Grammar
Coherence
Lexical
Style
Graphemic/Technical
Word/Phrase Order
This taxonomy gives us a point from which we can begin the slow and laborious task of assessing translation through the isolation of particular categories of error.
November 6, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Yes, it’s a system I came up with a few years ago and seems to work well with a variety of texts and genres. I actually created sub-categories for each of the seven major categories. Here are a few simple examples:
COHESION
- conjunctions
- inter-sentential
- extra-sentential
GRAMMAR
- nouns
- verbs
- adjectives
COHERENCE
- manner
- quantity
LEXICAL
- collocation
- idiom
STYLE
- formal
- register
GRAPHEMIC/TECHNICAL
- punctuation
- spelling
WORD/PHRASE ORDER
- phrasal order
- word order
I found the taxonomy worked well and I even created an Translation Quality Assessment interface that could help translators error tag texts. It’s still at the developmental level but with support could reach a more ‘final’ version.
January 21, 2008 at 2:56 pm
In my opinion, it is advisable to check translation errors according to the taxonomy listed above. It helps a lot in refining the final translation product. When one remembers the common translation errors (I mean the areas in which they occur) I think it is more probable that one will avoid making errors or at least one will make fewer errors. I applied this strategy in my latest translation project and I think my final translation was better than the former ones.
January 21, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Which categories - in the above taxonomy - did you find most useful/important?
January 24, 2008 at 9:52 pm
If I had a translation specialization I would use those categories. However, I am on Scandinavian specialization. Nevertheless, if in the future I will be translating anything, I will use those categories. They appear to be very useful.
January 24, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Yes, they are useful.
April 11, 2008 at 10:01 am
In my opinion, it is very useful to be aware of these translation errors and check a translation product according to thei categories. They will not onle help a translator to improve, but also the quality of translation products would be better.
April 11, 2008 at 6:46 pm
The question is, however, is error categorisation are practical way to improve translation.
April 12, 2008 at 11:21 am
I think that this categorization may help us to improve our translations,as we know which translation errors we make the most often. We can check our translation on the basis of these categories.
April 12, 2008 at 2:38 pm
The problem, however, is knowing which categories to avoid and/or prioritise.
April 13, 2008 at 10:57 am
I agree that in order to improve our translations we need to define what errors we make and then look through grammar books to omit such errors in the future Generally I think that translators I have problems with finding appropriate words that suit the text and with deterniners.
April 13, 2008 at 11:07 am
Ela, Why do you believe that finding appropriate words and determiners are problematic?
April 13, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I did not realize it before, but it really seems true- when you know that all the errors are grouped like that you start to think which ones are yours! And when you already know that you try to focus on them and thus you pay more attention. The most difficult part is to find out that people (me:)) keep repeating THE SAME errors again and again…
April 13, 2008 at 12:58 pm
This taxonomy is great but only if you have a loooot of time to do your translation. I know that in ideal word we should triple-check everything and give to someone else to give us a feedback. However, if you have an hour to translate a single-spaced page with a technical vocab you can rely only on your internal knowledge.
April 13, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Patrycja,
Which errors do you repeat?
April 13, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Margola,
So what is the solution?
April 14, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Well, I think that defining errors in translation may be very helpful. When something is “said aloud” (named), you can focus on improving it, ie. when the problem is known, finding a solution is easier, as you can look for the reason and consciously take it into account - in case of translation the problem is making and repeating errors. That’s why we should be aware of that and read our translations a few times just to correct and eliminate errors on the basis of taxonomy above.
April 14, 2008 at 6:23 pm
HOw would you go about using this taxonomy in ‘real life’?
April 14, 2008 at 8:54 pm
“to isolate the problems related to translation” - it should be the motto of every translator!:) I think that the biggest problem here is that we forget about errors we usually make during the translation process. Maybe it is because of stress or limited time…But the taxonomy seems really helpful. First, we should be aware what errors we make when translating. Then, we should remember about the taxonomy and especially our own usual errors, and check the translation.
April 15, 2008 at 9:17 am
Do you believe any particular errors are more ‘harmful’ than others?
April 15, 2008 at 10:19 am
I agree with you guys. I find the taxonomy of errors very useful and helpful in revising the final translation product. It is even more profitable if you focus only on one error category while reading the translation then you will spot more of them.
April 15, 2008 at 5:18 pm
In my opinion it is very important to categorise most often made mistakes in order not to repaet them again and again. After naming the problem it is easier to find it while checking own translation.
April 15, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I must admit that when I got to know this classification of errors I realised that it can be very useful while proofreading the translated text. So now when I translate something into English I pay special attention not to make errors from the categories that I find the most common for me.
It is true that when we name the problem it is easier to find a remedy.
April 15, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Major error categories are, of course, very useful way to check our translation while rereading. Everyone who translates should have it in mind, or better have the list printed, and always remember to check the translation point by point. One may say there’s no time for that. TIME is the biggest obstacle for translators. But I hope the more you translate the more time you have. The sad thing is that even a lot of practicing does not always guarantee full correctness.
April 15, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Good point. Use the list as a printed crib-sheet to assist in the translation process.
April 15, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I must say that after a while I get used to check all that I’ve translated even three or more times. I do it to make sure that I made so little mistakes as it is possible. However, sometimes there are still some that I cannot get rid of them, but I try.
April 15, 2008 at 8:17 pm
In my opinion it is very important to categorize mistakes as after naming the problem it is definitely easier to notice it and correct while checking the text. What is more, you know what you should focus and work on.
April 15, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Categorizing the mistakes may help you in impoving the translation. It is a good idea to print out all the categories as listed above and trying to figure out all the mistakes on the basis of this list. But unfortunately many people work in hury, or maybe they are too lazy to do it. It is not good, because you have to be as perfect and correct as possible and convey the message in an appropriate way. I mean, if you can be perfectly correct in the translation at all.
April 16, 2008 at 6:23 am
Understanding that one makes mistakes is also key to the process.
April 16, 2008 at 2:45 pm
It ‘s good to have all the errors categorized because then we can easier identify the errors in our translations. It’s very important to read our translation having in mind those categories. Being able to categorize our errors is half of success.
April 16, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Certainly!
April 25, 2008 at 1:10 pm
My errors are that I do not pay as much attention as I should to the determiners. This is probably because I have a tendency to write the way I speak, ’cause if I use let’s say “more sophisticated” phrases or vocabulary I feel weird as I would’ve never used it in a real conversation… But determiners… yes - no excuse for that:) Also sometimes I could’ve chosen a better word- although the one I used is not so bad, there is a better one…
April 27, 2008 at 12:56 pm
This is really interesting stuff. I usually don’t categorize the errors, but I can see that this might be useful. Firstly because it makes you see the mistakes you never thought were there. Secondly gives you the reason to think of better word to choose.
April 27, 2008 at 2:40 pm
That is the idea…
April 29, 2008 at 10:29 am
I agree that this taxonomy of errors is very useful. When we know what kind of mistakes we make most often, it is easier to avoid them and to make better translations. What is more, it also improves our language skills
April 29, 2008 at 12:55 pm
A very interesting taxonomy, indeed!
What I tend to pay most attention to is cohesion, because after translating a text if often occurs that it is not as coherent in Polish as in English original. Here, I mean, say, the line of thought/reasoning or just simple logic.. another one is collocation - I always need to practice it the most. Here is my hierarchy (starting with which I have least problems with):
1. graphemic/technical
2. grammar
3. word/phrase order
4. coherence
5. style
6. cohesion
7. lexical
Being aware of one’s errors (and their categorisation) is crucial in getting rid of them, I believe. That is why Raf’s taxonomy may be of great use to us, students, in analising our translations and improving their quality.
Thanks Raf!
April 29, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Many thanks, Pawel.
Raf
April 29, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Raf: I’d like to see more detail in your system…
May 1, 2008 at 7:48 pm
That is the Raf’s taxonomy (provided during one of our workshops) with what falls into the categories:
1. Grammar
- Verb
- Noun
- Pronoun
- Adjective/Adverb
- Determiner/Article
- Preposition
2. Cohesion
- Conjuctions
- Lack of Verb
- Lack of Subject
- Lack of Object
- Negation Error
- Repetition
3. Lexical
- Word Omission
- Word Addition
- Inappropriate Word
- Collocation
- Idiom
4. Coherence
- Meaning change
- Long – winded
- Unfinished Phrases
5. Technical
- Punctuation
- Spelling
6. Word Order
- Word/Phrase
- Sentence
7. Style
- Register
- Formal/Informal
May 1, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Alicja Piotrowska: Many thanks. Send my thanks also to Raf.