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Copywriting and transcreation
ناشر الموضوع: Luke Hubbard (X)
Luke Hubbard (X)
Luke Hubbard (X)  Identity Verified
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Jun 28, 2017

Hello everyone,

I'm currently an MA in Translation student. I speak German and Spanish I'm interested in becoming a transcreator and a copywriter. I am also currently studying a copywriting course. I did some research and found out that copywriters generally write copy from scratch in their native language so I would be creating copy in English only. As I want to use my languages in the future I would also like to work as a transcreator who recreates adverts or copy from the SL into... See more
Hello everyone,

I'm currently an MA in Translation student. I speak German and Spanish I'm interested in becoming a transcreator and a copywriter. I am also currently studying a copywriting course. I did some research and found out that copywriters generally write copy from scratch in their native language so I would be creating copy in English only. As I want to use my languages in the future I would also like to work as a transcreator who recreates adverts or copy from the SL into the TL making sure it fits culturally and linguistically into the TC and brings across at the same time, the emotion and meaning from the ST. Is this correct?

Regards

Luke ▲ Collapse
 
Tom in London
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ALways correct Jun 29, 2017

Lukeh17 wrote:

Hello everyone,

I'm currently an MA in Translation student. I speak German and Spanish I'm interested in becoming a transcreator and a copywriter. I am also currently studying a copywriting course. I did some research and found out that copywriters generally write copy from scratch in their native language so I would be creating copy in English only. As I want to use my languages in the future I would also like to work as a transcreator who recreates adverts or copy from the SL into the TL making sure it fits culturally and linguistically into the TC and brings across at the same time, the emotion and meaning from the ST. Is this correct?

Regards

Luke


Yes- in the sense that it's always the job of the translator to take any text, of any kind, "from the SL into the TL making sure it fits culturally and linguistically into the TC and brings across at the same time, the emotion and meaning from the ST".

In the case of advertising copy (which I assume to be a form of rhetoric) i.e. written for a manipulative purpose to set a tone and arouse particular processes of association with the intention of persuading the reader to think in particular ways, the translator's task is particularly challenging since it requires the same level of expertise (if "expertise" is the word I'm looking for) as that of the person who wrote the copy in the SL, plus very highly developed language skills in the TL (which the original copywriter does not possess), and in my opinion should therefore be paid at least double the usual rate for "normal" translation -since the "transcreator" has to be twice as skilful as the original copywriter.

I suppose that is what is meant by "transcreation" - although in my own experience, with very few exceptions, all translation is "transcreation" in the sense that the translator is required to exercise a high degree of literacy, nuance, etc.

I wouldn't think you could just jump into transcreation - it requires vast experience and great skill.

[Edited at 2017-06-29 07:53 GMT]
 
Kay Denney
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yes Jun 29, 2017

that's basically what we do.

And be prepared to spend plenty of time justifying your choices and rates!
 
Kay Denney
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definition of transcreation Jun 29, 2017

Tom in London wrote:

Yes- it's always the job of the translator to take any text, of any kind, "from the SL into the TL making sure it fits culturally and linguistically into the TC and brings across at the same time, the emotion and meaning from the ST".

I often wonder what "transcreation" is - I assume it's simply translation that is not the mechanical conversion of words into another language.

[Edited at 2017-06-29 07:38 GMT]


In legal translations, you can't ever add or subtract any text and you need to translate strictly the same ideas.
In technical translations, you need to be consistent with terminology, and precise.

In advertising, you can add or subtract, you can be somewhat woolly with terminology, and you only need as much precision as to avoid lawsuits. (joke!)

Transcreation is much more than non-mechanical translation.

The example I like to give is the one that made me realise that this was what I had to specialise in. I was asked to translate some bumph about a restaurant in Burgundy. There was plenty of bla-bla about the sophisticated menu and the delicate flavouring of the local speciality: snails. Any self-respecting Brit would be totally put off. So I ripped that all out and put something to the tune of "you can't say you've been to Burgundy till you've had snails". Not everybody would take the dare up, but I thought there was more chance of getting British tourists into the restaurant with that than with the text written by someone with a French mindset.

It also means finding equivalent cultural references. For example I had to translate a text about childhood nostalgia, mentioning French brands of cocoa powder and dolls. I cast around to find British equivalents and ended up referring to milky tea rather than cocoa, Paddington Bear rather than the French baby doll.

Virginia Ledesma Tovar
 
dropinka (X)
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Yep Jun 29, 2017

Ciao Luke,

Glad to see you here too

Yes, transcreation is the adaptation of foreign-language marketing and advertising copy. It's halfway between copywriting and translation, and it's obviously paid more than translation. Is there anything else you'd like to know?

Claudia
 
Luke Hubbard (X)
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Thanks for the comments Jun 29, 2017

Hi Tom and Claudia,

Thanks for the replies and advice. I agree that it is a specialisation that requires a lot of expertise and experience. As I'm a student, I'm trying to get as much CPD done and gain knowledge in this area as quickly as possible. Therefore I've read academic papers regarding the topic, I've got books relating to copywriting and started a copywriting course and I've bought two webinars relating to transcreation. I just need some practice really to start a portfolio... See more
Hi Tom and Claudia,

Thanks for the replies and advice. I agree that it is a specialisation that requires a lot of expertise and experience. As I'm a student, I'm trying to get as much CPD done and gain knowledge in this area as quickly as possible. Therefore I've read academic papers regarding the topic, I've got books relating to copywriting and started a copywriting course and I've bought two webinars relating to transcreation. I just need some practice really to start a portfolio.

Thanks again

Luke

PS - nice to see you here too Claudia!! ▲ Collapse
 


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