Search results for 'tag:American English tag:Translation' matching tags 'American English' and 'Translation'

Re: Specific questions about translation of a CV

Feebs11 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:28:40 GMT

Colombo wrote:
I'm trying to translate my CV into English, but I'm finding a lot of difficulties. Apart from the overall chronic style of the result, there are certain things that I find I don't know how to say. I'm copying a list here, in case someone can lend me a hand (for which I'd be immensely grateful). I am sorry to ask so many questions (I've tried to find the answers in dictionaries before asking), and I hope I'm writing in the correct forum (I think all my questions are more voabulary- than grammar-oriented).

- Should the names of institutions be translated? I don't do so, in general, but I wonder whether it could/should be done when the translation is literal and unequivocal (for example, like in "Polytechnic University of Madrid"), or when it might be useful to know what the institution is (like in "Programme for the Assessment of Teachers of the Spanish Office for the Assessment of Quality and Credentials"... Whatever that is - I hardly understand it, even in Spanish!) Not necessary to do so - if you feel there is a difficulty, put the translation in brackets.

- Which preposition must I use to indicate where I got a degree? "A degree from the University X"? Yes

- Talking of degrees, I'm not sure which one I've got. I know there are BSc, MSc and PhD, but I don't know very well how to determine whether what I've got is a BSc or a MSc. Does one choose between one and the other, or does one need to have a BSc in order to study a MSc? Here in Spain, one can choose between studying a short or a long degree (3 or 4 years in the first case, 6 in the second). After getting any of these degrees, one can start working towards a PhD directly (I mean, those people who have studied the short degree don't need to compensate by studying another couple of years before beginning their PhD studies). I've got one of the long degrees (6 years), so would that be a BSc or a MSc? I'd like to make it clear that it's been a long degree, but I don't know whether I should have made some kind of post-graduate studies in order to call it a MSc. And also, are the BSc and the MSc the same things in British and American English?   BSc = Bachelor of Science; MSc = Master of Science - the latter indicates you have taken a further degree. Put the Spanish name of your degree and explain its nature if asked.

- In these 6-year degrees, after one has passed all the subjects, a final research work must be done in order to get the degree. What's its name (if there's an equivalence) in the UK and the US? Post-graduate study/research.

- PhD degrees over here consist of two separate parts: two years of courses and two-to-infinite years of research work. Once you've finished the first of these parts, you get a certificate stating you've studied all those courses (in case someone knows the Spanish universitary structure, I'm taking about the "Diploma de Estudios Avanzados"). Is there anything equivalent in the British and American systems? I don't think I could call it a MSc, since this certificate's actually a part of the PhD degree. In the UK a university is free to admit anyone to a Ph.D. programme; however, in practice, admission is usually conditional on the prospective student having successfully completed an undergraduate degree with at least upper second class honours, or a postgraduate master's degree

- Is there any technical established term for a "course on work-related risks"? I've translated it directly from Spanish, but I don't know whether there is a better way to say it (although I think it's easily understood as it is). Not as such - there are many courses that include this topic, particularly those relating to Health and Safety or Physiotherapy.

- What is the technical term for a person who is in charge of a R&D project? "Head researcher"? Possibly "Supervisor".

- Is it right to say "Assistant PhD teacher" to indicate a job as assistant teacher for which a PhD degree is required (not a job as assistant teacher for PhD students). Not a term that is used in the UK. It would probalby be termed "Assistant Teacher. This post requires a PhD or equivalent."

- Another question about prepositions: does one play an instrument in an orchestra?   Yes

- Is it right to say something like "2003: beginning of studies of x"? "began studies relating to...."/"started studies of...."

- Could anyone tell me where I can find the "official" names of the subjects in a music degree? Or, more specifically, I need to know the name of a subject in which the different musical forms and structures are studied. Some sites for UK universities:   http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/courses/musi.shtml:
http://www.ukwebstart.com/musicdrama-colleges.html
Thank you very much in advance for your help! I would have copied here the whole CV, but I thought that would be too much...

Specific questions about translation of a CV

Colombo — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:07:42 GMT

I'm trying to translate my CV into English, but I'm finding a lot of difficulties. Apart from the overall chronic style of the result, there are certain things that I find I don't know how to say. I'm copying a list here, in case someone can lend me a hand (for which I'd be immensely grateful). I am sorry to ask so many questions (I've tried to find the answers in dictionaries before asking), and I hope I'm writing in the correct forum (I think all my questions are more voabulary- than grammar-oriented).

- Should the names of institutions be translated? I don't do so, in general, but I wonder whether it could/should be done when the translation is literal and unequivocal (for example, like in "Polytechnic University of Madrid"), or when it might be useful to know what the institution is (like in "Programme for the Assessment of Teachers of the Spanish Office for the Assessment of Quality and Credentials"... Whatever that is - I hardly understand it, even in Spanish!)

- Which preposition must I use to indicate where I got a degree? "A degree from the University X"?

- Talking of degrees, I'm not sure which one I've got. I know there are BSc, MSc and PhD, but I don't know very well how to determine whether what I've got is a BSc or a MSc. Does one choose between one and the other, or does one need to have a BSc in order to study a MSc? Here in Spain, one can choose between studying a short or a long degree (3 or 4 years in the first case, 6 in the second). After getting any of these degrees, one can start working towards a PhD directly (I mean, those people who have studied the short degree don't need to compensate by studying another couple of years before beginning their PhD studies). I've got one of the long degrees (6 years), so would that be a BSc or a MSc? I'd like to make it clear that it's been a long degree, but I don't know whether I should have made some kind of post-graduate studies in order to call it a MSc. And also, are the BSc and the MSc the same things in British and American English?

- In these 6-year degrees, after one has passed all the subjects, a final research work must be done in order to get the degree. What's its name (if there's an equivalence) in the UK and the US?

- PhD degrees over here consist of two separate parts: two years of courses and two-to-infinite years of research work. Once you've finished the first of these parts, you get a certificate stating you've studied all those courses (in case someone knows the Spanish universitary structure, I'm taking about the "Diploma de Estudios Avanzados"). Is there anything equivalent in the British and American systems? I don't think I could call it a MSc, since this certificate's actually a part of the PhD degree.

- Is there any technical established term for a "course on work-related risks"? I've translated it directly from Spanish, but I don't know whether there is a better way to say it (although I think it's easily understood as it is).

- What is the technical term for a person who is in charge of a R&D project? "Head researcher"?

- Is it right to say "Assistant PhD teacher" to indicate a job as assistant teacher for which a PhD degree is required (not a job as assistant teacher for PhD students).

- Another question about prepositions: does one play an instrument in an orchestra?

- Is it right to say something like "2003: beginning of studies of x"?

- Could anyone tell me where I can find the "official" names of the subjects in a music degree? Or, more specifically, I need to know the name of a subject in which the different musical forms and structures are studied.

Thank you very much in advance for your help! I would have copied here the whole CV, but I thought that would be too much...

Re: naa or know?

khoff — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:14:11 GMT

Usually my friend asks of me "You have completed your work naa"

I also thought at first that it meant "now," but if you had put a question mark after "naa" my response would have been quite different.

Gary, where is your friend from? It sounds to me like it might be a version of "you have completed your work, no?" (like 'n'est-ca pas" in French -- a way of forming a question by putting an interrogative "no?" after a statement) that belongs to a particular location. It sounds really familiar to me, but I can't place where I've heard it. Still that doesn't explain "This pen is her only naa?" unless you meant to write "this pen is her only one, naa?"

In standard American English, we would be more likely to say "you've finished your work, right?"

In the speech pattern of a certain group of Native Americans (I forget which tribe, but they appear in the fiction of author Sherman Alexie) it's common to hear "you've finished your work, innit?" -- from "isn't it?", which is the translation of "n'est-ce pas")

Re: bathroom

Tanit — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:58:12 GMT

Yankee wrote:

Since you claim to be learning American English, I would suggest that it is more your "Italian-ness" than the fact that you are not female that would cause you not to say "I have to go to the bathroom" in the middle of a forest or desert.

Actually, we have an expression (Devo andare al bagno) which looks like a literal translation of I have to go to the bathroom. We use it exactly as described by Barbara:

Grammar Geek wrote:

To say "I have to go to the bathroom" has nothing to do with the buidling, the room, the flushing toilet, or anything else. It is a description of how your body feels - you are experience an urge to do the thing that one does in the bathroom, even if there isn't one anywhere around. It would be quite normal to be on a hike and say "I have to go to the bathroom - hold on while I make use of those bushes over there."

He must have another reason

Re: Difference between European English and US English.

Bokeh — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:14:07 GMT

Nona The Brit wrote:
slum prudery? Interesting turn of phrase.

It's from "My Fair Lady".

Nona The Brit wrote:
I think it is pretty true that a lot of British people don't consider us as part of Europe in quite the same way as other Europeans. Politically, yes.

I think the British people scared to embrace being Europeans are those who believe the imperialistic conservative nonsense that to be British is to be better.

Nona The Brit wrote:
But geographically, no.

Geographically, yes! The UK and Eire sit on the European continental shelf with a sea depth of less than 50 metres right the way around.

Nona The Brit wrote:
No other European countries have English as their native mother-tongue language.

That's true but it is also true that it's not the mother tongue of several million British subjects. (According to Wikipedia 70% of the UK population speak English monolingually.)

Nona The Brit wrote:
I think there are European countries which teach American English rather than the British version so how does that factor in?

Try doing a search on the web for British schools in Europe compared to American ones. Look at translation agencies and see how their FAQs specifically point out that they do British English. Also if you look at style guides for documents translated for the European Union you would see they state spellings and grammar should be British. Lastly it doesn't make sense that mainland Europe should learn US English in place of British English. Trade between the UK and its EU partners far exceeds any trade between the US and mainland Europe.

Re: Resposta: Poll: You like Birtish English or American English?

Bokeh — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:50:11 GMT

I have owned/run a translation agency for the last six years. Even though two thirds of all native English speakers have American English as their mother tongue I have never had a client ask for American English. British English it would seem is what the world wants; (maybe people want to disassociate themselves from the cultural imperialism of the 21st century United States). We even have US firms asking for AmE documents to be proofed into BrE.

Re: I WANT AN AMERICAN ACCENT!

Kooyeen — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 15:07:01 GMT

Gaia74 wrote:
(www.howjsay.com) and I assure you that it's very useful.

I knew of that website, it's a good one Nona once found out. Well, it's not very useful to me, for example... That tool pronounces words with a British accent and... I'm learning American English!

Gaia74 wrote:

Thanks to your councils I am improving!

It should be "advice" (or you could also say "suggestions", "tips", or something else), not "councils". I know you were thinking of "consigli", but "council" is a kind of false friend.
Council means "consiglio", but only when the meaning is "a group of people that are chosen to make rules, laws, or decisions, or to give advice." (United Nations Security Council = Consiglio di Sicurezza delle Nazioni Unite)

I hope you don't mind my correction. I just thought "councils" sounded very odd in your post, and I think I understood what you wanted to say only because it sounded like a direct translation from Italian. Maybe other non-Italian people wouldn't understand what "councils" means in that context, so I just wanted point that out.

Re: What is it called?

Kooyeen — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 23:25:48 GMT

Hey there,
I think it's "braces" in American English, maybe in British English it's just "brace" (singular) but I'm not 100% sure.

Is that "un aparato dental, corrector de los dientes"? You know what? Spanish sounds cool...
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=aparato

Re: Translation into English 19/02

CalifJim — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:14:39 GMT

1- Quelqu'un a pris ma montre. = Someone has taken my watch.

6- Ils marchaient depuis 3 heures quand il s'est mis Ã pleuvoir des cordes.
They had been walking for three hours when it [started / began] [raining / to rain] [cats and dogs / buckets].

7- DÃ¨s que la pluie cessera, ils continueront leur promenade.
When/as soon as it stops raining they will go on walking / continue walking / continue (on) their way / carry on with their walk... ?
Or simply and more literally,
As soon as the rain [stops / lets up], they'll continue their walk.

8- Ecoute! il parle de sa famille. = Listen ! He is talking about his family.

9- Il n'arrÃªte pas d'interrompre. = He is always cutting in. (or interrupting)

10- Je coupe la tÃ©lÃ©, quelqu'un sonne Ã la porte.
I'll [?switch / turn] off the T.V. Someone is knocking at the door.
(I prefer turn off, but switch off is OK.)

11- Il y a 3 ans que je le connais. = I have known him for 3 years.

13- Ce soir, je vous emmene au thÃ©atre oÃ¹ la troupe d'Anglaisfacile joue Shakespeare.
Tonight, Iâm taking you to the theater where the [company of Anglaisfacile / Anglaisfacile company] is [playing / doing] Shakespeare.

14- Brian est en ville? Alors nous l'inviterons.
Brian is in town ? [We [shall/will] / We'll] invite ~~her~~ him, then.
We shall would not likely occur in American English.

P.S. You seem to leave a space before the final punctuation in English, but not in French! There should be no space in either language, right ? !

Re: how to pronounce numbers

Eng_teach_in_germany — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 18:04:39 GMT

ok.. I would just like to clarify something - I do in fact make my students aware that zero is commonly pronounced as the letter 'O'. I teach to German people, most of whom are already aware of this due to years of English courses in school, etc..

In German, the word for 'zero' is 'Null' and it's always used for phone numbers. SO, 'Null'='zero'. That is the unamiguous, technically correct and exact translation. I teach the students that it is more correct to say 'zero' because it is literally not the letter 'O', no matter how post-modern you wish to be. I don't make a fuss over it, I'm fully aware that many/most people use 'Oh', and I don't care if my students use 'Oh'. I even use it sometimes myself. It's just not a big deal. As I stated in a previous post, I just tell the students 'the full story'. They are never confused about it afterwards and very little time is required to be spent on it. Similarly, I've spent enough time on it here as well. The End.

In regards to the related topic - whether or not there is actually such a thing as 'correct' English, my response is simply that in practice, 'on the ground' so to speak, an 'anything goes' approach is inappropriate. In a philosophy class it might be fine to discuss how everything's relative and so on, but in real world ESL teaching it's advisable to 'stick to the rules' of English grammar as much as possible. Of course language changes over time. Of course there's no perfect, absolute, master version of English set in stone forever. There are very cohesive standards and rules however(which change gradually over time) which make it possible for us to communicate clearly with each other, and to pass on the knowledge of our language to non-native speakers.

Take for example this (now online) book written 90 years ago, entitled 'How to Speak and Write Correctly':
<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/hwswc10h.htm" target="_blank" title="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/hwswc10h.htm">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/hwswc10h.htm</a>
While the author's writing style may seem slightly antiquated, it's still fine and 99% of his description of English grammar still applies today, nearly 100 years later. The other 1% consists of the sort of changes and developents that are often discussed on this forum.

The problem of what is correct or not of course often comes up in TESL when British and American English use different words or spelling. At the end of the day you have to teach either one or the other, or teach both. Usually it depends on which one the client/student is most likely to need.