Dragoman Transcreation

Never begin a sentence with a numeral. There is one exception: a numeral that identifies a calendar year. When translating press releases or annual reports, we occasionally come across situations where we have to place the percentage at the beginning of the sentence. E.g.: Twenty-eight percent of the participants passed the test last year. Although this sentence is correct, it looks odd. Where possible, recast the sentence so that the numbers are expressed in figures. Better: Last year, 28 percent […]

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The difference between continual and continuous can be hard to notice. The Oxford English Dictionary defines continual and continuous as follows: Continual:      Forming a sequence in which the same action or event is repeated frequently. Continuous:  Forming an unbroken whole; without interruption. Interruption of time is key to understanding the difference between these two words. And one other key difference between the two is that continuous can be used to refer to both to space as well as time. Incorrect:         […]

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Transcreation or translating creative copy is one of Dragoman’s strong suits. We occasionally translate brochures, promotions, campaigns, slogans, hotel websites, and so on. Alliteration, or the use of several words together that begin with the same sound or letter in order to make a special effect, especially in poetry, is a literary device that comes handy when translating creative copy. Drive Your Dream Drive a Dream We offer you the solitude and stillness I had always craved. Freedom For Your Feet […]

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When multiple adjectives each do not modify a noun separately, they are cumulative. Do not use a comma to seperate cumulative adjectives in English. This rule may be different in your mother tongue but when translating into English, we should all follow the rules & conventions of English language. E.g.: The company is planning to open five new mid-sized stores by May next year. Incorrect: The company has ordered an expensive, mini coffee machine for the new CEO. Correct:    The […]

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Wikipedia defines a compound modifier (also called a compound adjective, phrasal adjective, or adjectival phrase) as a compound of two or more attributive words: that is, two or more words that collectively modify a noun. We frequently come across compound modifiers like “çevre dostu bina,” “kullanıcı dostu arayüz” and so on. What we should keep in mind is that we are not supposed to hyphenate these compounds formed by an adverb ending in ly plus an adjective. Both the Associated Press Stylebook and the […]

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The Free Dictionary defines nominalization as the creation of a noun from a verb or adjective. Although they sound fancy and sophisticated, their overuse will actually create weak and pretentious sentences. Dragoman prefers avoiding nominalizations wherever possible. Weak:        We will have to make a decision by 10 p.m. tomorrow. Stronger:  We will have to decide by 10 p.m. tomorrow. Weak:        The world leaders will hold discussions on the Syrian refugee crisis at the summit. Stronger:  […]

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We occasionally translate company milestones contained under “About Us” pages of corporate websites. Translating milestones from Turkish into English requires management of verb tenses. Here is why. Although companies almost always prefer the simple past tense to describe these important dates in Turkish, Dragoman prefers the simple present tense to make these dates enticing to the reader.  This is also why headline statements are framed in the present tense. E.g.: 1944 – Borusan Grubu’nun ilk şirketi İstikbal Ticaret kuruldu. 1944 –  İstikbal Ticaret, […]

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We translate a lot of press releases, agreements, websites, and disclosures that are filled with words like board of directors, company, general manager. Capitalizing these words should be an exception rather than the rule. Unless an agreement or a contract contains a clause that reads “hereinafter to be referred to as “The Company” or “Company,” we need not capitalize the word “company,” or any other word like “board of directors” or “general manager” for that matter. Likewise, we need not […]

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Author: Benjamin Browett As with any writing, it’s important when translating to remember who your audience is. A good translation should be true to the message of the source text, yet read naturally to a native speaker of the target language. If the reader detects they are reading a translation, they will be distracted from the message of the text. The goal is to create an end product which is undetectable as a translation. When editing, we often spot certain words and phrases […]

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