This is a presentation about the most common terms used in translations done in Nicaragua.

1. Terminology for Translation
Facilitator
By Rolando Tellez, MSc.
Ex-Fulbrighter
Rolando2@fulbrightmail.org

2. On this Presentation
• Here are abbreviations, titles, names of institutions,
everyday measurements and their equivalences in
English, words with different meanings (e.g. false
cognates)
• Likewise, there is a discussion (Q&A) of common
vocabulary in different areas such as agriculture,
everyday news terminology, terms used by NGOs
supporting development projects in Nicaragua, basic
terms used in Nicaragua to do business as well as some
common legal terms.

3. What should be translated
• Never translate addresses, names of people, name of
places unless there is an official translation or translation
is required for better understanding.
Translation – Name of organizations, companies, NGOs,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MINSA, etc., Nicaraguan
Institute for Agricultural Technologies, National
Agricultural University, Tropical Agricultural Center for
Research and Education (CATIE), Stock Exchange
Market, UNDP, OAS, IDB, IMF, GDP, IFC, USAID,
HIV/AIDS, PAHO, WHO, WTO, ILO, IMF.

4. Measurement & Others
• Shall we translate measurement such as Mt, Km, Kw,
vara, manzana, milla (.84m, 129m2 or 0.7ha, 1,609.3m)?
How about words like Licdo. Doctor (LLB),
departamento de Boaco, comandante, diputado,
Asamblea Nacional, Alcaldía, Fiscalía, (office of the
public prosecutor, District Attorney´s office), etc.
• How do you translate 2.5 billion dollars vs.
• What is a blue moon?
Rolando2 proz

5. Polysemous Words
Spanish English
Fiscal ?
Integral
Seguridad
Parte
memoria
Rolando2@fulbrightmail.org

6. Polysemous Words
English Spanish
Chair
Equity
Assignment
Claim
Facility Instancia,

7. Common Terms
• - Incidencia política
- Estado de derecho
- Gobernabilidad
- Nota de prensa
- Trabajos de conservación de suelos
- Manejo integrado de plagas
- Microfinancieras
- Instancias del gobierno
- Brigadistas de salud

8. Common Terms in Nicaragua
• Postrera
• Grupo etáreo
• Rubros
• Conocimiento de embarque
• Mono congo
• Danto
• Rosquilla

9. Neologisms (Impositions)
• Microempresa fewer than 10 employees
• Género
• Sociedad civil
• Empoderamiento
• Gender development (promoción de la mujer)
• Gender bias (sexismo)
• Gender analysis
• Governance, governability

10. False Cognate
• - Support / Elaborate /
• - Disgrace
• - Sequester
• - Billion
• - Résumé
• - The premises are nearby the bank.
• Pretender
• Serán los multiplicadores de la metodología.
• Implantación del sistema

11. Other Phrases
• Títulos valores
• Títulos de deuda
• Población no atendida
• Sub-productos
• Junta receptoras de votos
• Concejos populares de cuidadanos
• (Citizen Grassroots Bodies) ?

12. Food Terms
Papaya
Chicharón con yuca
Maracuya
Jocote
Nacatamal
Indio Viejo – Pinol
Bajo - Tajadas

13. Names of trees
• Madero Negro (Gliricidia sepium)
• Guanacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum)
• Jocote (Spondeas Purpurea)
• Chilote
• Pipian
• Quequisque (Malanga lila)
• Yuca (Manioc root, Cassava)

14. Agricultural Terms
• Countuor lines
• Intercropping
• Mulch
• Small livestock
• Home garden
• Dairy products
• Bird flu

15. Business Terms
• - Special stockholders´ meeting.
- Overhead expenses
- Associate director
- P&L report
- Listed company
- IOU
- Factoring
- Venture-capital
- Outsourcing

16. Términos Comerciales
• La razón de ser de la sociedad
• Títulos valores
• Cuentas a pagar
• Cuentas a cobrar
• Normas de contabilidad generalmente
aceptadas
• Transferencia bancaria
• NIIF (IFRS)

17. Legal Terms
• - Unless otherwise stated herein, the ..
- In witness whereof
- Messrs
- Incorporation papers or Articles of incorporation
- The speaker of the House of Representatives
- This law will be in force as of
- In its sole discretion
- Per diem
- Inter alia
- drug mule

18. Términos Legales
• - Poder generalísimo
- Autorizado para cartular en el quinquenio del
veinte de junio del año dos mil cuatro al cinco de
agosto del dos mil ocho.
- Conciliación extrajudicial
- Pr. Ministerio Público
- Celebrar un contrato
- Escritura de constitución
- Registro Público Mercantil
- Pacto social
Code of civil procedure.

19. NGOs Terms
• Advocacy
• Assignment contract
• Expertise
• Senior
• Venture Capital
• M&E
• Logframe

20. Common French Terms
• Coup d’etat
• De facto
• Le mot juste / exactly right word /phrase
• Denouement
• Rendezvous
• Faux pas
• Deja vu

21. Some Proverbs or Sayings
• No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano.
• Coyol quebrado coyol comido.
• Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho.
• Hombre precavido vale por dos.
• Matar dos pájaros de un solo tiro.
• No es ni chicha ni limonada.
• Te quedastes como la novia de Tola.
• Dar guerra.
• Se armó la de san quintín.

22. Some Proverbs
Don’t be tight with a buck.
A word to the wise.
Nicaragua can’t afford to miss the boat.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
You´re judged by the company you keep.
To feather one´s nest.
I feel full of beans
I don’t want to be a sitting duck.
The dye is cast

23. Pharses
• To be on the dole
• To be color blind
• To bark at the wrong tree
• To beat around the bush
• Food for thought
• Up to my nose
• Not by a long shot

24. etellez43@yahoo.com
• Next time: I can deliver a short
presentation about simultaneous
interpretation, consecutive translation, and
on-sight translation.
• Any questions?
• Thank you