The
Challenge of Translating into Spanish
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One of the biggest
challenges facing translators working into Spanish today
is to produce one translation suitable for Spanish-speaking
audiences worldwide. Why is this the case?
1).
There are over 330 million speakers of Spanish spread out
over 5 continents, 23 countries and territories.
2.)
True that Spanish-speakers from different countries can bascially
understand each other. But the fact that each country has its
own regional expressions, colloquialisms, etc., makes it difficult
to speak of Spanish as a single language.
What is Orchestra.es'
answer to this challenge? International Spanish.
What
is International Spanish?
A type of Spanish understandable by native speakers everywhere
as it uses expressions and terminology that are considered neutral;
since they aren't specific to a particular country they are understandable
by readers everywhere.
What
are the benefits?
We see two major benefits to working with International
Spanish:
1). Cost-efficiency.
All documentation is translated one time only, using a
single version of Spanish. 2). Consistency. International
Spanish will guarantee a consistent, coherent translation for
all Spanish-speaking clients since the translation of key terms
will be the same. Such consistency is difficult to achieve when
the same document is translated into several varieties of Spanish.
The chart
below offers a comparison between International and country-specific
Spanish:
Strategy
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Proximity
to the reader*
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Consistency**
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Cost
|
Different
version for each country
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Excellent
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Low
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High
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International Spanish or global version
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Good
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High
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Low
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(*)Proximity
to the reader is the degree to which one perceives the document
as translated in his/her own country
(**)Measures the degree of consistency in key terms for a document
translated into several varieties of Spanish
We are happy
to translate your documents into the variety of Spanish you request.
For
more on translating into Spanish, click on the topics below:
What
differences exist between the Spanish spoken in one country vs.
another?
Generally differences at the semantic level, which are most noticeable
in regional expressions and colloquial language. For example,
there are as many ways to translate "ir en autobús"
(to take the bus) or "tomar una copa" (to have
a drink) as there are cities in Latin America.
What
type of Spanish should I use to translate my web page or site?
Since Spanish-speakers from all over the world will be
accessing your site, by using International Spanish you will communicate
with more people more effectively. Whether from the Caribbean
or from Peru, people who visit your site won't need a translator
to understand it.
What type of Spanish should I use to translate legal documents?
The Spanish of your target audience. Although we will do a certain
amount of editing and proofreading in our office in Madrid, we
will have an in-country professional translate your document as
knowledge of that country's laws and administration is crucial.
What
type of Spanish should I use to translate financial documents?
If your document is destined for a specific country, it should
be translated into the Spanish of that country. For a target audience
that includes several countries, International Spanish is your
best bet. 
What type of Spanish should I use to translate technical documents?
The Spanish of your target audience, since technical language
will differ between countries depending on how each has incorporated
foreign technical terms. If the translation is for a client in
Argentina, use Argentinian Spanish. If it is for clients in Argentina,
Mexico AND Costa Rica, International Spanish is best. 
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