I'm particularly glad that the writer emphasises that translations should be elegant.
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/sep/25/lost-in-machine-translation-star-trek
28 October 2013
Resources for financial translators
Here are main resources which I would recommend for anyone wanting to specialise in financial translation:
- Dictionnaire de la comptabilité et de la gestion financière, Louis Ménard (third edition if you can ever get hold of it in Europe!) for French>English
- Wörterbuch für das Bank- und Börsenwesen, Hans Zahn, for German>English
- The Council of Europe French-English Legal Dictionary, Frank Bridge (old but useful, the dictionary that is, not Mr Bridge, whose worth I am unable to calculate)
- Subscription to FT.com
- Subscription to The Economist
- Subscription to eIFRS (my latest move), which is vital if you translate the financial statements of any company that publishes under IFRS
14 October 2013
Annual report masterclass in Leipzig
Last week I attended a masterclass given by Robin Bonthrone on IFRS and translating annual reports, with a focus on German to English.
A significant amount of time was given over to translation pitfalls. Especially useful was the review of latest IFRSs (especially IFRS 13).
I can recommend Robin's seminars to any translator, seasoned or otherwise, who wants to deepen their knowledge of accounting standards and how they affect us as translators.
A significant amount of time was given over to translation pitfalls. Especially useful was the review of latest IFRSs (especially IFRS 13).
I can recommend Robin's seminars to any translator, seasoned or otherwise, who wants to deepen their knowledge of accounting standards and how they affect us as translators.
7 October 2013
FR > EN: "Commuter"
It occurs to me that metropolitan French has no word for "commuter" (please correct me if I'm wrong).
But Swiss French is able to (and does) borrow heavily from German. German helpfully has the word "Pendler", which has been borrowed into Swiss French as "pendulaire"(it already had the adjective "pendulaire" as in "train pendulaire").
The best the Collins-Robert can come up with is "banlieusard", which can also mean a suburban dweller who may or may not have a long commute to work. The dictionary gives the word "navetteur" but I've never heard this before, apart from in the form of "faire la navette".
But Swiss French is able to (and does) borrow heavily from German. German helpfully has the word "Pendler", which has been borrowed into Swiss French as "pendulaire"(it already had the adjective "pendulaire" as in "train pendulaire").
The best the Collins-Robert can come up with is "banlieusard", which can also mean a suburban dweller who may or may not have a long commute to work. The dictionary gives the word "navetteur" but I've never heard this before, apart from in the form of "faire la navette".
23 September 2013
FR > EN: Rewarding...
When translating the investment term "rendement-risque", perhaps use "risk-reward".
"Reward" tends to be underused in financial translation because we automatically translate "rendement" as "return" (which is correct). Both terms are used by Investopedia, for example:
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/riskrewardratio.asp
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/riskreturntradeoff.asp
"Reward" just adds a bit of variety.
"Reward" tends to be underused in financial translation because we automatically translate "rendement" as "return" (which is correct). Both terms are used by Investopedia, for example:
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/riskrewardratio.asp
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/riskreturntradeoff.asp
"Reward" just adds a bit of variety.
13 September 2013
Hugo Dixon
For my money, Hugo Dixon is one of the best and clearest financial writers around. He cut his teeth on the Lex column in the 1990s then, in 2000, went on to found Breakingviews.com, which was snapped up by Reuters a few years ago.
He is currently "editor at large" for Reuters (whatever that means: perhaps he is entitled to take longer lunches than us mere mortals, or turn his mobile phone off, or become large by way of said long lunches?).
His blog can be visited by going to http://blogs.reuters.com/hugo-dixon/
He is currently "editor at large" for Reuters (whatever that means: perhaps he is entitled to take longer lunches than us mere mortals, or turn his mobile phone off, or become large by way of said long lunches?).
His blog can be visited by going to http://blogs.reuters.com/hugo-dixon/
4 September 2013
Facing up to the new paradigm: private banks must dialogue, not just communicate + why not try Xing?
Here is a link to an excellent article in the special finance supplement appearing in Le Temps today (in French):
http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/aa17a71e-1498-11e3-9da5-8ad4c0806839/Les_trois_commandements_de_la_communication_bancaire_daujourdhui#.UidtoBZXtm0
How many Geneva private banks have a Facebook page?
Lombard Odier, my buddies who committed genocide on their translation team just before I was about to join them, have started one but it might have been better to refrain...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lombard-Odier-Cie/349211655162941
It seems that most Geneva private banks haven't bothered starting a Facebook page (perhaps too low-end for them) but the problem is that Facebook has happily generated a page for them, containing wonderful information from Wikipedia on the bank in question — which is alright if the Wikipedia page actually casts your bank in a favourable light.
One notable exception is Pictet Wealth Management:
https://www.facebook.com/PictetWealthManagement
This is an excellent page that promotes the PWM's economic research. And there are plenty of other good things too.
When I contacted Pictet, they stated that their Facebook page is mainly targeted at the Japanese market, where the social-networking site has a hybrid business/private-life role. Reportedly, their preference lies with Twitter and LinkedIn.
Personally, I think LinkedIn is a no-no because of:
1. Operation PRISM and other privacy concerns
2. The silly endorsement function that it now has, by which you can endorse people for skills from flower arranging to French. For stinging but warranted criticism of this site, see Lucy Kellaway’s article on 18 August: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a0423cca-040a-11e3-8aab-00144feab7de.html#axzz2f1uz8hvU
This “skills endorsement” feature has, in my opinion, done a great deal of harm to LinkedIn’s brand image.
Regarding Twitter, this from the FT on 13 September:
Twitter is fun but flawed. Try following a discussion or argument, or searching for an interesting link someone tweeted a few days ago, and see how easy you find it.
http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/aa17a71e-1498-11e3-9da5-8ad4c0806839/Les_trois_commandements_de_la_communication_bancaire_daujourdhui#.UidtoBZXtm0
How many Geneva private banks have a Facebook page?
Lombard Odier, my buddies who committed genocide on their translation team just before I was about to join them, have started one but it might have been better to refrain...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lombard-Odier-Cie/349211655162941
It seems that most Geneva private banks haven't bothered starting a Facebook page (perhaps too low-end for them) but the problem is that Facebook has happily generated a page for them, containing wonderful information from Wikipedia on the bank in question — which is alright if the Wikipedia page actually casts your bank in a favourable light.
One notable exception is Pictet Wealth Management:
https://www.facebook.com/PictetWealthManagement
This is an excellent page that promotes the PWM's economic research. And there are plenty of other good things too.
When I contacted Pictet, they stated that their Facebook page is mainly targeted at the Japanese market, where the social-networking site has a hybrid business/private-life role. Reportedly, their preference lies with Twitter and LinkedIn.
Personally, I think LinkedIn is a no-no because of:
1. Operation PRISM and other privacy concerns
2. The silly endorsement function that it now has, by which you can endorse people for skills from flower arranging to French. For stinging but warranted criticism of this site, see Lucy Kellaway’s article on 18 August: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a0423cca-040a-11e3-8aab-00144feab7de.html#axzz2f1uz8hvU
This “skills endorsement” feature has, in my opinion, done a great deal of harm to LinkedIn’s brand image.
Regarding Twitter, this from the FT on 13 September:
Twitter is fun but flawed. Try following a discussion or argument, or searching for an interesting link someone tweeted a few days ago, and see how easy you find it.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/5837c954-1a8a-11e3-93e8-00144feab7de.html#axzz2f1uz8hvU
So Facebook is too juvenile, LinkedIn has shot itself in the foot, and Twitter is hard to keep track of.
Where does this leave private banks who want to network on the web?
Perhaps Xing. Sure, 90% of page views still come from Germany, Austria and Switzerland but it has the advantage of working out of Hamburg. And in Germany, data privacy is sacrosanct. And privacy is something that every client wants, not because they have something to hide but because, quite simply, it is something they are entitled to as human beings.
So Facebook is too juvenile, LinkedIn has shot itself in the foot, and Twitter is hard to keep track of.
Where does this leave private banks who want to network on the web?
Perhaps Xing. Sure, 90% of page views still come from Germany, Austria and Switzerland but it has the advantage of working out of Hamburg. And in Germany, data privacy is sacrosanct. And privacy is something that every client wants, not because they have something to hide but because, quite simply, it is something they are entitled to as human beings.
24 August 2013
Weasel word - FR > EN: "acteur", He's a real player!
I don't care how many hits you get with "player"; this word makes for a poor translation of the word "acteur".
According to the OED, here is what a "player" means:
1. A sportsperson
2. A confident, successful man with many sexual partners
3. Someone who plays a musical instrument, e.g. a guitar player
4. An actor, as in The Comedy Store Players (http://www.comedystoreplayers.com)
Some translators may be in the habit of using "actor", which seems permissible under OED rules:
Actor - a participant in an action or process: employers are key actors within industrial relations.
So, it's okay to transliterate "acteur" without giving it a second thought. But French loves these abstract words whereas English wants to nail down the concept. How often do you see the word "actor" in the FT unless it's in the arts section?
Another word that comes from the Latin agere, to act, is agent. Sometimes "agent" will fit better than "actor". After all, we talk about an "agent of change".
More poetical translators might also like "movers and shakers". Less lyrically but just as poignant, "prime mover" has more impact as a word in English than "actor".
Other solutions welcome!
According to the OED, here is what a "player" means:
1. A sportsperson
2. A confident, successful man with many sexual partners
3. Someone who plays a musical instrument, e.g. a guitar player
4. An actor, as in The Comedy Store Players (http://www.comedystoreplayers.com)
Some translators may be in the habit of using "actor", which seems permissible under OED rules:
Actor - a participant in an action or process: employers are key actors within industrial relations.
So, it's okay to transliterate "acteur" without giving it a second thought. But French loves these abstract words whereas English wants to nail down the concept. How often do you see the word "actor" in the FT unless it's in the arts section?
Another word that comes from the Latin agere, to act, is agent. Sometimes "agent" will fit better than "actor". After all, we talk about an "agent of change".
More poetical translators might also like "movers and shakers". Less lyrically but just as poignant, "prime mover" has more impact as a word in English than "actor".
Other solutions welcome!
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