Audiovisual \/ Text Translation and Interpretation <\/p>\n\n\n\n
SPAN 395 Final Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a non-native speaker, I found the task of translating in any form daunting. It was an overwhelming task and I was not sure I would be able to create a clear message. Before SPAN 395, I had never formally learned how to translate anything, so coming into the class was a large mix of nerves and excitement. Throughout SPAN 395, I learned how to approach translating, how to solve the problems of translating, and how I can possibly use these skills in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This class taught me how to break down the document in a way that makes it less overwhelming and also gives it the best chance to accurately represent the original document. The first step to us learning how to translate was understanding how to approach translating, since my biggest challenge was knowing where to start. The main points we learned were to read the entire document and then begin to separate the sentences into phrases. We understood the difference between direct translation and translating with slight changes to make it more effective in Spanish. Below is a short except from one of documents we translated for the dental hygiene clinic along with the original paragraph: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Divulgaci\u00f3n de informaci\u00f3n<\/strong>: Usted tiene el derecho a recibir una lista de instancias en las cuales nosotros o nuestros asociados de negocios divulgaron informaci\u00f3n sobre su salud por razones no relacionadas directamente con el tratamiento, pago, servicios relacionados con la salud y otras actividades realizadas durante los \u00faltimos 6 a\u00f1os. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Disclosure Accounting<\/strong>: You have the right to receive a list of instances in which we or our business associates disclosed your health information for purposes other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations and certain other activities for the last 6 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n This is just one short excerpt of the many medical related documents that we translated this semester. We worked in pairs or small groups and then came back together to edit and revise our initial translations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many challenges to translating including where to start and general issues with grammar. It is easy to just start translating word for word, but a majority of the time this does not lead to an accurate or legible translation. A big challenge for me personally, was finding the right orders and word choices to give the most appropriate meaning for the tone of the document and for the intended audience. When we separated the document into chunks it made the start easier and also made the word choice and syntax more cohesive. Another issue was making the appropriate choices based on the audience and type of document being examined. A majority of the documents we translated were medical forms, which made it clear to use a formal tone. We chose words in Spanish that had the most common definition between cultures since our population is a mixture of various hispanic cultures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This course has been very different from past courses, which included writing because those were not focused on translating. The past courses I have taken have focused more on applying grammar and syntax directly into Spanish. This course will likely apply to SPAN 366, which I will be taking next semester. I will be able to mix and match the skills from these courses in the future. I am excited to see how I will be able to apply these skills in SPAN 366. Furthermore, I am going into the medical field, so I am sure I will be able to apply the skills I have learned in this course to my job. Our area is highly populated with hispanics and at some point I will likely treat someone who needs help translating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, SPAN 395 challenged my skills and spanish and pushed me in a way that I have not been challenged before. I learned the ways to address translating so that it was no longer a daunting task. I am not ready to start translating official documents on my own; however, this course has given me more confidence in my skills and has helped me feel more comfortable with translating. I can work through the problems with translating and break it down to give a more accurate translation. This course has better prepared me for being able to communicate with future patients and I can use these skills in future courses to better my Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n