2. Writing Good English
1. Use action verbs.
Avoid to be, to have, to walk, to say.
Use verbs like to trot, to grasp, to sputter.
Use specific nouns and adjectives:
A beautiful day->puffy white clouds in a pale blue sky
2. Use active voice instead of passive:
Babe Ruth knocked one out of the park.
One was knocked out of the park by Babe Ruth.
3. Write short, concise sentences. Avoid superfluous words.
serious danger, excess verbiage, pair of twins, several different people
cause injuries to > to injure
take into consideration > to consider (smothered verbs)
4. Don’t string segments together with commas:
As much as you think you are a master of the English language,
there are times when even the best of you may make mistakes,
which is natural, because sometimes, something you say or write
may sound correct; however, technically it may not be so.
5. Clarity above all
Romance languages like long, complex sentences to show
intelligence, command of style.
5. Tratándose de pagos en exceso que haya recibido "EL PROVEEDOR",
este deberá reintegrar las cantidades pagadas en exceso más los
intereses correspondientes, conforme a la tasa que será igual a la
establecida por la ley vigente como si se tratara del supuesto de
prórroga para el pago de créditos fiscales.
*In the case of excess payments that “THE PROVIDER” may have
received, he/she must refund the amounts paid in excess plus the
corresponding interests, according to the rate which will be the same as
that established by current law, as if it were a case of extension for the
payment of tax credits.
“THE PROVIDER” must refund any excess payments it has
received, plus interest earned, based on the rate established by
current law, as if this were an extension for paying tax credits.
6. • Dirección General de Asuntos Administrativos
General Directorate of Administrative Affairs
Directorate-General (EU), Director General (UN)
Look up what it’s really called, or go with office, authority, department,
division.
• secretaría general
General Secretariat (OAS), registrar’s
office (academic)
7. Dentro de los 5 días hábiles siguientes de emitido el
informe de evaluación
*Within 5 business days following when the report on
evaluation is issued
Within 5 business days of issue of the evaluation report
8. “X” dará aviso a las autoridades competentes en un
plazo máximo de tres días hábiles a partir de la fecha
de recepción de la notificación.
*“X” will notify the relevant authorities within a
maximum period of three business days as of the date
of receipt of the notification.
“X” will notify the relevant authorities within a
maximum period of three business days from receipt of
the notification.
9. Es particularmente importante tener en cuenta que las experiencias han mostrado
que los pequeños empresarios atraídos a buscar créditos de las micro financieras
con frecuencia ya han sido clientes de la banca tradicional y que, normalmente
debido a han tenido problemas con el servicio de sus obligaciones, dicha banca
tradicional no los quiere mantener como clientes.
*It is particularly important to bear in mind that experience has shown that the
small businessmen interested in looking for loans from the microfinance
institutions have often already been clients of traditional banking and that
normally, because they have had problems servicing their obligations, that
traditional banking does not want to keep them as clients.
We should recall that experience has shown small companies seeking loans from
microfinance institutions have often already been traditional bank clients. Usually,
because they have had problems with servicing their loans, traditional banks no
longer want them as clients.
10. 2) Romance languages are bound by their
grammar and style. We don’t have to follow
these in English.
Esta Contraloría Regional aprueba el contrato suscrito entre ese servicio y la
empresa X. … Es necesario advertir que esa repartición pública deberá exigir que se
acredite por el proveedor que no ha incurrido en las inhabilidades para celebrar
actos y contratos con los organismos del Estado.
The regional accounting office approves the contract signed by the service and the
company X. … We would like to point out that the regional accounting office
requires proof from the provider that none of the obstacles to entering into acts and
contracts with state agencies apply to it.
este instrumento jurídico, este documento contractual ->
this contract
11. Así, más que realizar recomendaciones específicas sobre cada una de estas
áreas
Rather than making specific recommendations on each of these areas
Frases de relleno
En este sentido, resulta importante destacar que ha ocurrido una
reducción en la demanda.
Cabe señalar, Por lo tanto
We should point out that, note that demand is down.
En este sentido ofrecemos un conjunto de insumos para el
diseño de políticas públicas.
(So) we are offering a set of inputs to design public policies.
Identificar las principales restricciones que están inhibiendo la
inversión privada en el lugar.
Identify the main limitations to private investment in the location.
12. Transposition
> walk across the streetCruzar la calle a pie = *cross the street on foot
The Third Language
El país está entrando penosamente en una nueva época.
The nation is struggling through a new era.
13. You can change tenses.
Where Spanish must use imperfect, we can use conditional:
Cuando yo vivía en México, iba a su casa todos los días.
> When I lived in Mexico, I would go to his house every day.
Hablo con mi amigo. > I’m talking with my friend. (present progressive)
Yo digo la verdad. > I am telling the truth. I do tell the truth.
(emphatic present)
> When I used to live in Mexico,
14. 3) “Good enough” can get better—reaching
for the higher-hanging fruit.
Crianza de los niños > raising children, child-rearing
Laboratorio de ideas > ideas lab
> parenting
> think tank
equipo de producción > production team
> production crew
15. Creo que estas oportunidades no hay que dejarlas escapar.
> I think you can’t let these opportunities get away.
> I think you need to grab these opportunities.
En su juventud, debió afrontar muchas dificultades.
She grew up the hard way.
16. El resultado de la evaluación final se calculará así
> *The result of the final evaluation will be calculated as follows
> The final score will be calculated as follows
Es el ambiente perfecto para una empresa con el foco en el
paciente. > It is the perfect environment for a company focused on
the patient.
> It is the perfect environment for a patient-centric company.
Financiado por aportes colectivos
Vehículo aéreo no tripulado
17. Word Frequency
debate, examen discussion
restricción, limitación constraint
compensación trade-off
En Jalisco, tanto el empleo como los salarios aumentaron
en ese mismo período, mientras en el resto del país
crecieron 3% y 0,9%, respectivamente.
…in the rest of the country employment grew by 3% and wages
by 0.9%.
18. 4) Common Blah Words
Spanish can be vague, English likes precision and concrete
words.
se sabe > we know It is known.
se dice > people say
We prefer a specific subject in English.
Es deseable que esta iniciativa se acompañe de estrategias >
This initiative should be accompanied by strategies,
Strategies should accompany this initiative
19. Interlocutor
¿Usted desea tener un interlocutor único que gestione su
cuenta y no un "centro de llamadas" impersonal?
> You want a single manager to take care of your account
instead of an impersonal “call center”?
Actor – stakeholder
actor, audience, person, member, participant, those involved
20. Se trata de
Cuando se trate de la sustitución de piezas, esto no causará costes
adicionales.
Replacement of parts will not entail additional costs.
No se trata sólo de la enorme concentración en una sola firma
This is notable not only as an enormous concentration in just
one firm
En general, se trata de alinear incentivos públicos y privados para la
socialización de los beneficios.
In general, the idea is to align public and private incentives in order
to socialize the benefits.
21. Entre 1992 y 2001, con Don Diego como responsable internacional,
se abrieron filiales en América Latina.
Between 1992 and 2001, with Vázquez as head of the international
division, the company opened subsidiaries in Latin America.
realizar > achieve, accomplish, transact
(carry out, undertake, perform, take place)
gestión > arrangement, handling
(management)
22. Hacer que
La falta de buenos hoteles hace que el turismo sea escaso.
Tourism is scarce due to the lack of good hotels.
Los recortes hacen que los recursos no sean suficientes.
The cuts mean resources are inadequate.
The cuts are causing a lack of resources.
Resources are inadequate due to the cuts.
23. 5) A Few Notes about Punctuation
Be sure you stick with English punctuation and mechanics.
obvious ones: Spanish upside down ¿ and ¡, capitalizing days and
months
25. • Em dashes are used very differently in Spanish:
La editorial ha publicado este año varias obras del autor –todas ellas
de su primera época–.
The home team was ahead five points—and the game had just begun.
• End punctuation goes inside quotes in US English:
I said, “No.”
Quotation Marks for Direct Speech
Spanish: No lo haré nunca —dijo.
English: “I’ll never do it,” he said.
26. • Titles are usually initial caps, not sentence case:
The Joy of Cooking, not The joy of cooking
Outlines:
7. Appendixes
7.1 Appendix 1: Data for Calculating and Defining Economic
Complexity Terms
7.1.1 Data for Calculating and Defining Economic
Complexity Terms
• Avoid endless run-on sentences connected by commas:
To make the product as light as possible while maintaining
strength, the designer took advantage of simulation tools to
optimize the design, cutting the number of prototypes from 16
to 4—a 75 percent reduction.
27. Dar testimonio: Testify
General Rules for Good English
Hacer el análisis de: Analyze
1) More verbs, fewer nouns:
*The authorities will be conducting an investigation into the incident >
The authorities will be investigating the incident.
28. Eliminar >
Intensificar >
Unir >
Separar >
Escapar >
Examinar >
Mantener >
2) And draw on Anglo-Saxon for those verbs:
(phrasal verbs)
to weed out, get rid of
to step up
to look into
to keep up
to put together
to take apart
to run away
29. la adquisición de equipos móviles de rayos X de retrodispersión
> mobile backscatter X-ray systems procurement
3) Use possessives instead of strings of nouns
las disposiciones de la ley > the law’s provisions
El arrendador deberá participar en cada una de las
etapas del proceso de implementación del sistema.
> The lessor must take part in each step of the system
implementation process.
30. 4) You don’t need to buttress concepts with
more words.
Colombia presentó los mejores resultados a nivel
general. > Colombia had the best results overall.
entre los que se incluyen > including
las propuestas de carácter técnico > technical bids
A nivel nacional > nationally
31. los derechos y obligaciones emanados del contrato
> rights and obligations under the contract
5) English prepositions are strong enough
to carry a concept.
las prohibiciones establecidas en el artículo 4o
> prohibitions in Article 4
un total de 31 centros residenciales repartidos
en 20 ciudades
>a total of 31 assisted living centers in 20 cities
32. Resources
LA TRADUCCIÓN DEL INGLÉS AL CASTELLANO, GUÍA PARA EL
TRADUCTOR, Marina Orellana, 2002
The Third Language, Alan Duff, 1981
Paragraphs on Translation, Peter Newmark, 1993
Fundación del español urgente: http://www.fundeu.es/
Questions about English usage: https://english.stackexchange.com/
Proofreader’s Parlour, Louise Harnby:
https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog
The Writer’s Diet, test for flabby writing:
http://writersdiet.com/test.php (100-1000 words)
