Should I use the source acronym or convert it to align with the target?
Thread poster: Comunican
Comunican
Comunican
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
Feb 18, 2019

Something I've never been sure about is whether I should use the source acronym in translated text (let's say "SEE", which stands for "Sistema Educativo Español") OR should I change it to match my translation of the term (in this case Spanish Education System, which would make the acronym "SES").
Obviously, consistency is the most important thing, but I'm curious to know if others have a view on this please...
I suspect there is no hard and fast rule...
See more
Something I've never been sure about is whether I should use the source acronym in translated text (let's say "SEE", which stands for "Sistema Educativo Español") OR should I change it to match my translation of the term (in this case Spanish Education System, which would make the acronym "SES").
Obviously, consistency is the most important thing, but I'm curious to know if others have a view on this please...
I suspect there is no hard and fast rule
Many thanks.
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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
Ask the client Feb 19, 2019

In these cases, I usually ask the client/author whenever possible, and as most of my clients are direct, I can usually do this and elicit a response. In fact, this morning I had to ask one client about these in a French translation:

" - Le montant total TTC (dont contributions éventuelles). / La TGAP doit être identifiée par son code 3001000002305 (EAN-13) ..."

The client instructed me to leave them as they are, as they are specific to French billing/tax systems.
... See more
In these cases, I usually ask the client/author whenever possible, and as most of my clients are direct, I can usually do this and elicit a response. In fact, this morning I had to ask one client about these in a French translation:

" - Le montant total TTC (dont contributions éventuelles). / La TGAP doit être identifiée par son code 3001000002305 (EAN-13) ..."

The client instructed me to leave them as they are, as they are specific to French billing/tax systems.

Otherwise, a general rule of thumb is that once you define an acronym or abbreviation (e.g. SEE = Spanish Educational System) then you can use it freely in the rest of the text.


[Edited at 2019-02-19 14:30 GMT]
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Eliza Hall
Christopher Schröder
Kang Seok Lee
 
Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
AUSIT Best Practices Feb 19, 2019

The Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) made this handy Best Practices Guide which covers most scenarios:

https://ausit.org/AUSIT/Documents/Best_Practices_2014.pdf

For abbreviations (and acronyms, in the same manner)

15. Abbreviations
Abbreviations should be deciphered and translated in full. If this is not pos
... See more
The Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) made this handy Best Practices Guide which covers most scenarios:

https://ausit.org/AUSIT/Documents/Best_Practices_2014.pdf

For abbreviations (and acronyms, in the same manner)

15. Abbreviations
Abbreviations should be deciphered and translated in full. If this is not possible, a note should be inserted to this effect.

Very common and known abbreviations may be translated using equally known abbreviations in the target language (for example “e. g.”, “et al.” etc.).


This may also be relevant:

10. Names of official bodies and courts

In cases where it is important for official purposes that the name of an official body, court or educational institution be left in the original language or transliterated, a translation of the name should be inserted in square brackets after the name or as a footnote. Alternately, a translation of the term may be followed by the original language version or a transliteration either in square brackets or in the form of a footnote.

[Edited at 2019-02-19 16:33 GMT]
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Kang Seok Lee
B D Finch
Claudia Leão
 
Tina Vonhof (X)
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 13:24
Dutch to English
+ ...
One option Feb 19, 2019

I don't know if there is any official guideline but what I learned in various courses is you keep the acronym as is, you only need to explain it once.

The first time the term occurs:
- the Sistema Educativo Español (SEE) (Spanish Education System)
From then on:
- the Spanish Education System (SEE)
If it occurs very frequently:
- the SEE


neilmac
Comunican
 
Comunican
Comunican
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Feb 25, 2019

neilmac wrote:

In these cases, I usually ask the client/author whenever possible...

Otherwise, a general rule of thumb is that once you define an acronym or abbreviation (e.g. SEE = Spanish Educational System) then you can use it freely in the rest of the text.


[Edited at 2019-02-19 14:30 GMT]


Thanks Neilmac.


 
Comunican
Comunican
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Feb 25, 2019

Many thanks for that Dylan.

 
Comunican
Comunican
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
This is what I tend to do Feb 25, 2019

Thanks Tina, this is what I tend to do for "company-specific" acronyms because I think it makes it easier to compare when the acronym is used again subsequently.
At the end of the day, if the name of an organisation or a term is so long that it has been reduced to an acronym, it really doesn't matter what that acronym is so long as it is used consistently...
However, if there is a directly equivalent and recognisable acronym in English, of course I use that eg ONU > UN.

[Edi
... See more
Thanks Tina, this is what I tend to do for "company-specific" acronyms because I think it makes it easier to compare when the acronym is used again subsequently.
At the end of the day, if the name of an organisation or a term is so long that it has been reduced to an acronym, it really doesn't matter what that acronym is so long as it is used consistently...
However, if there is a directly equivalent and recognisable acronym in English, of course I use that eg ONU > UN.

[Edited at 2019-02-25 18:45 GMT]
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Should I use the source acronym or convert it to align with the target?







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