TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES

1. UNIT 1: TASK 3
ALEXANDER GARCIA
ID: 91.270.101
ASTRID GARNICA
ID: 1.098.617.555
FRANKLIN FERNEY RANGEL GRASS
ID: 1.098.407.447
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES
GROUP: 551037_4
TUTOR: DINA ESPERANZA BONILLA
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA – UNAD
BACHELOR´S DEGREE IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
BUCARAMANGA
OCTOBER 2017

2. Task 1:
Translation
Text
GM
Crops - Frankenstein Food?

3. ●English Text ●Spanish Text
●
PARAGRAPH 1
●
Genetically modified crops" are controversial. In Europe,
militant "greens" and angry small-farmers have attacked and
destroyed fields of experimental "GM" crops, seeing them
both as symbols of multinational agribusiness, and as
a threat to the world's natural environment.
Is there any sound scientific evidence to back up the
protestors' fears, or are the protests largely motivated by
ignorance? Is the anti-GM movement progressive, or is it a
form of fundamentalism, caused by fear of the unknown?
●
Párrafo 1
●
Los cultivos genéticamente modificados son controversiales. En
Europa, militantes “ecológicos” y pequeños disgustados granjeros
han atacado y destruido los campos de cultivos experimentales
“GM” viéndolos como símbolos de la agroindustria multinacional, y
como una amenaza al ambiente natural del mundo.
●
¿Hay alguna evidencia científica que respalde los temores de los
protestantes, o son las protestas en su mayoría motivadas por la
ignorancia? ¿Es el movimiento progresivo anti-GM, o es esta una
forma de fundamentalismo, causado por el temor hacia lo
desconocido?
BY ALEXANDER GARCIA BY ALEXANDER GARCIA

4. ●English Text ●Spanish Text
●
Different people have different views on the matter, but history
shows that quantum developments in science or technology
have always provoked a backlash motivated by fear or
misunderstanding.
When industrial machinery began to appear in British factories
over 200 years ago, factory-owners were wildly enthusiastic; so
were many workers. But there were other people who took a
different view. Groups known as the Luddites,
●
●
Diferente gente tiene diferentes visiones en el tema, pero la
historia demuestra que grandes desarrollos en la ciencia o la
tecnología han siempre provocado una resistencia motivada por
el temor o la incomprensión.
Cuando la maquinaria industrial empezó a aparecer en las
fábricas británicas hace 200 años, los dueños de las fabricas
estaban muy entusiasmados al igual que muchos trabajadores
pero había también otra gente que tenían una opinión diferente,
grupos conocidos como los ludditas,

5. BY ASTRID GARNICA BY ASTRID GARNICA
●English Text ●Spanish Text
●
PARAGRAPH 2
When the first steam trains appeared in the 1830's, they
provoked violent reactions too; opponents claimed that they
were dangerous, noisy and dirty, would destroy cities by fire,
and kill people through speed. Some landowners resolutely
refused to allow lines to be built over their land. Fifty years later,
the arrival of the motor car was met with a similar mixed
response - opponents arguing that "horseless carriages" were
far too dangerous to be allowed on Britain's roads. For a while,
the opponents almost won the battle, and until 1896, cars on
Britain's roads had to be preceded by a man walking with a
red flag.
PÁRRAFO 2
Cuando los primeros trenes de vapor aparecieron en la década
de 1830, también provocaron reacciones violentas; los opositores
afirmaban que eran peligrosos, ruidosos y sucios, destruirían
ciudades por el fuego, y mataría personas por la velocidad.
Algunos terratenientes se negaron decididamente a permitir que
se construyeran líneas sobre sus terrenos. Cincuenta años más
tarde, la llegada del automóvil se encontró con una respuesta
mixta similar - oponentes argumentando que “los carruajes sin
caballos” eran demasiado peligrosos para ser permitidos en las
carreteras de Gran Bretaña. Durante un tiempo, casi ganan la
disputa, y hasta 1896, los carros en las carreteras de Gran Bretaña
tuvieron que ser encabezados por un hombre caminando con
una bandera roja.

6. ●English Text ●Spanish Text
●
Indeed, the history of scientific and technical progress is full of
examples of resistance to progress - in a paradoxical illustration
of Newton's third law of motion*.
This being the case, the vigorous reaction in Britain and several
other countries against the introduction of genetically
modified crops is not surprising; indeed, it is probably inevitable.
Since the catastrophe of "Mad Cow Disease", - and in spite of the
enormous benefits brought about by modern agricultural
practice - agribusiness and scientific modern farming methods
are seriously contested in many quarters.
De hecho, la historia del progreso científico y técnico está llena
de ejemplos de resistencia a progresar – en una ilustración
paradójica de la tercera ley del movimiento de Newton.
Siendo así, la vigorosa reacción en Gran Bretaña y varios otros
países contra la introducción de los cultivos modificados
genéticamente no es sorprendente; de hecho, es
probablemente inevitable. Desde la catástrofe de “la
enfermedad de las vacas locas”, - y a pesar de los enormes
beneficios traídos por la práctica agrícola moderna – la
agroindustria y los modernos métodos científicos de cultivo son
seriamente disputados en muchos distritos.

7. BY SANDRA MILENA CUADROS BY SANDRA MILENA CUADROS
●English Text ●Spanish Text
PARAGRAPH 3
In Britain, the argument over GM crops has become the most
contested scientific dispute since the arrival of the atom
bomb. In 1998 a public opinion poll showed that 77% of British
people did not want genetically-modified crops to be grown
in Britain - though only 58% were opposed genetic
modification in principle. And in spite of historic parallels that
tend to suggest that resistance to change is rarely effective in
the long run, the controversy over genetically modified crops
is perhaps more critical than most.
In spite of public apprehension, UK governments have
continued to support research into GM crops, and today
hundreds of hectares of genetically engineered plants are
growing in Britain, mostly in agricultural research centers,
universities and plant laboratories. Here and there, fields of
genetically modified crops have been planted and to the
passer-by, they look no different from other fields.
●Párrafo 3
En Gran Bretaña, la discusión sobre los cultivos transgénicos se ha
convertido en la disputa científica más disputada desde la llegada
de la bomba atómica. En 1998, una encuesta de opinión pública
mostró que el 77% de los británicos no deseaban cultivos
genéticamente modificados en Gran Bretaña, aunque solamente
el 58% se oponía a la modificación genética en principio. Y a pesar
de los paralelos históricos que tienden a sugerir que la resistencia al
cambio rara vez es efectiva a largo plazo, la controversia sobre los
cultivos genéticamente modificados es tal vez más crítica que la
mayoría.
A pesar de la aprensión pública, los gobiernos del Reino Unido han
seguido apoyando la investigación sobre cultivos transgénicos, y
hoy en día cientos de hectáreas de plantas genéticamente
modificadas están creciendo en Gran Bretaña, principalmente en
centros de investigación agrícola, universidades y laboratorios de
plantas. Aquí y allá, se han sembrado campos de cultivos
modificados genéticamente y para el transeúnte, no se ven
diferentes de otros campos.

8. ●English Text ●Spanish Text
●
In many ways, GM crops are not really very different from others.
Scientists have been selecting and "improving" crops for
hundreds of years, often by the slow and dubious method of "trial
and error". Most of the crops and fruit growing in today's fields
are very different from the varieties grown two centuries ago,
and far more productive; far from being "natural" plants, they are
new strains that have been developed by genetic selection of
the best. "Genetic Modification" just takes the process one stage
further, allowing agricultural scientists to produce new varieties
with specific required qualities.
En muchos sentidos, los cultivos transgénicos no son muy
diferentes de los demás. Los científicos han estado
seleccionando y "mejorando" los cultivos durante cientos de
años, a menudo mediante el lento y dudoso método de "ensayo
y error". La mayoría de los cultivos y fruta que crece en los
campos de hoy son muy diferentes de las variedades cultivadas
hace dos siglos, y mucho más productivas; lejos de ser plantas
"naturales", son nuevas cepas que se han desarrollado mediante
la selección genética de las mejores. La "modificación genética"
solo lleva el proceso una etapa más allá, permitiendo que los
científicos agrícolas produzcan nuevas variedades con
cualidades específicas requeridas.

9. ●English Text ●Spanish Text
PARAGRAPH 4
One of the main objectives in altering the genes of certain plants
is to make them resistant to disease and to pests, and thus reduce
the need for pesticides.
Another is to make them resistant to particular weed-killers, so
that farmers can spray fields knowing that the spray will kill almost
all plants except the selected crop that they are growing. Other
genetic modifications are aimed at producing plants that need
less fertilizer or are more resistant to drought, and thus need less
watering. Most developments in these directions are strongly
positive in environmental terms.
Párrafo 4
Uno de los principales objetivos al alterar los genes de ciertas
plantas es hacerlas más resistentes a las enfermedades y las
plagas, y por lo tanto reducir la necesidad de pesticidas.
Otro es hacerlas resistentes a pesticidas especiales, para que los
granjeros puedan rociar los campos sabiendo que el aerosol
matará casi todas las plantas excepto el cultivo seleccionado
que esta creciendo. Otras modificaciones genéticas están
dirigidas a producir plantas que necesiten menos fertilizantes o
sean mas resistentes a la sequía, y por lo tanto necesiten menos
riego. La mayoría de desarrollos en estas direcciones son
fuertemente positivos en términos ambientales.
BY FRANKLIN RANGEL BY FRANKLIN RANGEL

10. ●English Text ●Spanish Text
They are also positive in human terms, and development of
drought-resistant and disease-resistant crops will have major
implications for developing countries, where famine is a constant
risk. It is therefore not surprising that developing nations with large
populations to feed, such as China and India, are keen
supporters of genetic research; unlike Europe and North
America, with their agricultural surpluses, many poorer nations
already cannot produce enough food to feed their populations.
In other developments, laboratories are genetically incorporating
vaccines - including hepatitis B and rabies - into certain plants.
Plant-based vaccines are potentially far cheaper to produce and
easier to store than their chemically-manufactured equivalents.
Además hay algo positivo en términos humanos, el desarrollo de
cultivos resistentes a la sequía y las enfermedades tendrán
mejores implicaciones para el desarrollo de ciudades donde la
hambruna es un riesgo constante. Por lo tanto no es
sorprendente que los países en desarrollo con grandes
poblaciones para alimentar, como China e India, son partidarios
de la investigación genética.
En otros desarrollos, los laboratorios están incorporando
genéticamente vacunas - incluyendo la hepatitis B y la rabia - en
ciertas plantas. Las vacunas basadas en plantas son
potencialmente mucho mas baratas de producir y mas fáciles
de almacenar que sus equivalentes fabricados químicamente.
BY FRANKLIN RANGEL BY FRANKLIN RANGEL

11. Task 2:
reflections

12. Alexander garcia´s reflection
I find translation of English texts interesting, engaging and fun to do, always
attracted to read all kinds of articles, newspapers, magazines and books
since I was in High school , the main purpose is finding new vocabulary and
getting the most accurate cultural idea involved in it, that is to say seizing as
much as I can the cultural English mentality. I did live 12 years in U.S.A where
had the chance to understand and realize the common meaning behind
some expressions, idioms, words, slangs among other cultural structures. I am
Chemical engineer so the technical English in some texts are relatively easy
to comprehend by me.
Modestly speaking I didn´t find any major challenges in this paragraph, of
course there are some portions in it which could be translated slightly different
by others due to some synonymy or descriptive equivalent translation
procedure but in general terms I did use oblique translation techniques as
modulation, transposition, equivalence.

13. Astrid garnica´s reflection
With regard to the development of the first task, I can express the following:
From the paragraph I chose, I found several words of which I did not know its
meaning; for which use free online dictionaries like Wordreference, and the
Cambridge dictionary. Also, with the words that I found more difficulties were
agribusiness that means “Agroindustria” and is according to the text,
contested that according to the text means "disputados" or "refutados". Now,
regarding the expressions, and with which I still have doubt is This being the
case since it literally translates “Siendo este el caso” but I preferred to use
“Siendo así” to start the paragraph.
To carry out this translation, I have used the following methods: Word-for-word
translation, Semantic translation and Communicative translation. In addition, I
took into account the Direct Translation Techniques as Literal Translation and
Oblique Translation Techniques as modulation and transposition.

14. FRANKLIN RANGEL´s reflection
For the translation of the text, I initially read it and try to make me a general
idea, about what it was about, in this way give a meaning to the words that I
didn’t know, which I marked as I read the text. Then I take a dictionary and I
start to search the meaning in spanish of the words, so that I could incorporate
to my vocabulary for later, to try to translate the text literally. So I believe that
my translate techniques were:
Direct translation technique: literal, because I try to pass the text from English
to Spanish without generating changes that alter its meaning.
Oblique translation technique: transposition, because between English and
Spanish there are some differences in the use of nouns and adjectives.

15. Task 3:
chart about the difference
between method, strategy
and technique.

16. ●STRATEGIES ●PROCEDURES ●METHODS
●
As Krings (1986) stated
“translator´s potentially
conscious plans for solving
concrete translation problems in
the framework of a concrete
translation task”.
●
Strategies are divided into two
categories according to
Jaaskelainen (2005):
●
-Strategies related to what
happens to texts.
●
-Strategies related to what
happens in the process.
●
●
Used to translate sentences
and other units of language,
using techniques as Harvey
(2000) proposes :
●
-Functional equivalence.
●
-Formal equivalence.
●
-Transcription or borrowing.
●
-Descriptive translation.
●
Is a plan that specifies steps,
concepts directed to achieve a goal
using tasks, are related to whole texts,
examples of methods according to
Newmark (1988b) are:
●
-Word for word translation.
●
-Literal translation.
●
-Faithful translation.
●
-Semantic translation.
●
-Adaptation.
●
-Free Translation.
●
-Idiomatic translation.
●
-Communicative translation.
●
By ALEXANDER GARCIA

17. By Astrid Garnica
●METHOD ●STRATEGY ●TECHNIQUE
_According to Broudly, (1963)
“Method refers to the formal
structure of the sequence of
acts commonly denoted by
instruction”.
_It refers to the organized
procedure that is carried out to
achieve a purpose.
_It includes the techniques.
_According to Jaaskelainen
(1999:71) considers strategy as,
“a series of competencies, a set
of steps or processes that favor
the acquisition, storage, and/or
utilization of information.”
_It refers to the way a particular
task is performed.
_Techniques are ways of
implementing a method.
●

18. By Franklin Rangel
●METHOD ●STRATEGY ●TECHNIQUE
• Method is a way something is
done.Example:The recipe
that I found in the
cookbook had different
ways to cook the potatoes,
but I chose the bake
method in the oven.
• Described as an overall plan
for systematic presentation
of language based upon a
selected approach.
• A generalized set of
classroom specifications for
accomplishing linguistic
objectives.
- A plan of action designed to
achieve an overall aim.
Example, "Whats your strategy
for setting goals?", is ok to say
but some people might not
know what you mean. Strategy
is almost like the word 'tactic'.
Example :
A) What tactics do you use?
B) My teams tactics are going
around.
- Specific methods of
approaching a problem or task,
modes of operation for
achieving a particular end, or
planned design for controlling
and manipulating certain
information.
• Technique is a procedure or
skill for completing a
specific task. If a class
room is becoming
distracted a teacher may
use the technique to use a
quick physical activity to
distract their distraction
and get them all to do the
same thing at the same
time.
• Implementational – that
which actually takes place
in a classroom. It is
particular trick, stratagem,
or contrivance used to
accomplish an immediate
objective.

19. By Franklin Rangel
●METHOD ●STRATEGY ●TECHNIQUE
• Tend to be concerned
primarily with teacher and
student roles and
behaviours and
secondarily with such
features as linguistic and
subject-matter objectives,
sequencing, and
materials.
• An approach is axiomatic, a
method is procedural.
•
•
• Must be consistent with a
method, and therefore in
harmony with an
approach as well.
●

20. Task 4:
FEEDBACK

21. BY Alexander Garcia
TO FRANKLIN FERNEY:
Good evening Franklin Ferney
I read carefully your translation I did find
several mistakes, which I described
them with explanatory comments.
TO NATALY COTES:
I read your translation, well done, but I find
a litle mixup from you. as you can see from :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Nature
In the translated text :
advisory body means : órgano asesor
English nature : nombre del órgano asesor
thus , "According to the Government's own
advisory body English Nature," could be
translated
as: de acuerdo al propio órgano asesor del gobi
erno English Nature,
Another sentence related with it,
"In a recent paper, English Nature
scientists stressed" could be translated
as: En un reciente informe, los cientificos del Engli
sh Nature enfatizaron (recalcaron)
Best regards

22. By Astrid Garnica
TO NATALY COTES:
My opinion about your translation, I just
see that you forgot to delete a
parenthesis. On the other hand, I don´t
consider necessary to add several
possible translations to the same word,
because the text can lose its meaning
and distract the reader.
Best Regards.
TO ALEXANDER GARCIA:
I saw your translation and I just want to make
a suggestion regarding the
word agribusiness. You translate it
as agricomercio but in Spanish it is not
common to hear it like this. Therefore, I
suggest its translation
as Agroindustia or Industria agropecuaria.
According to the following reference:
http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=agribusiness
Best Regards

23. By Franklin Rangel
TO NATALY COTES:
Good Day
Nataly
About your reflection, I think that is very
honest and sincere, and I agree. About
your comment, I agree with to link the
different versions of the individual
activities into one box.
Thanks
To ALEXANDER GARCIA:
Good Day
Alexander
Partner with respect to your translation, I
think that is a good job, nevertheless I
advise you to pull apart the paragraphs,
and underline the works marked in the
original text. Be careful with the commas,
full stops and other signs.
Thanks

24. References
 Ordudari, M. (july 2007). Translation procedures, strategies and methods. Translation
Journal, 11(3). Retrieved March 22, 2017, from
http://www.bokorlang.com/journal/41culture.htm

 Bosco,G.(n.d.).Translation Techniques. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from
http://www.interproinc.com/es/blog/translation-techniques

 Jaaskelainen, R., (1999). Tapping the process: an explorative study of cognitive and
effective factors involved in translating. Joensuu: University of Joensuu Publications in
Humanities.
