Poll: When translating, have you ever created your own neologism(s)?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Aug 12, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "When translating, have you ever created your own neologism(s)?".

This poll was originally submitted by Barbara Carrara. View the poll results »



 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
not exatly neo Aug 12, 2018

I don't know if it counts for besides predictive typing, I also use autocorrection, autocompletion, autotext, and other acronyms/shortcuts features to replace lengthy phrases, set expressions, sections, and cliches, yet it's specifically for CAT/Word, not strictly "words" as communication units.

As for translation, nowadays I often encounter politically correct and Orwellian-like stuff, not to mention a bias-free trend, when existing words are intentionally
... See more
I don't know if it counts for besides predictive typing, I also use autocorrection, autocompletion, autotext, and other acronyms/shortcuts features to replace lengthy phrases, set expressions, sections, and cliches, yet it's specifically for CAT/Word, not strictly "words" as communication units.

As for translation, nowadays I often encounter politically correct and Orwellian-like stuff, not to mention a bias-free trend, when existing words are intentionally euphemized and voluntarily used in other sense.

[Edited at 2018-08-12 10:23 GMT]
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:39
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Aug 12, 2018

Not that I remember, but maybe. It all depends on the kind of text I’m translating and the audience for whom it is done. New concepts and things appear that need new names (neologisms and borrowed words) and at the same time plenty of terms insensibly change their meaning or fall into disuse (I am old enough to remember a few...). The very first thing I do when faced with a neologism is to determine if it’s really one or just a term that I’ve never met before. Choosing a longer phrase than... See more
Not that I remember, but maybe. It all depends on the kind of text I’m translating and the audience for whom it is done. New concepts and things appear that need new names (neologisms and borrowed words) and at the same time plenty of terms insensibly change their meaning or fall into disuse (I am old enough to remember a few...). The very first thing I do when faced with a neologism is to determine if it’s really one or just a term that I’ve never met before. Choosing a longer phrase than an ad hoc word might be an option. Portuguese is a very rich language in terms of vocabulary and there are plenty of words out there so I don’t need to make any more up!Collapse


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 15:39
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Aug 12, 2018

I may have done, but I don't remember specifically right now.
I did suggest to one client that using a lower case "e-" might look better in a website context, for example "e-VAT, e-Taxes, e-Payments...", even at the start of a sentence, which contravenes the usual convention of starting every sentence with upper case. They agreed and we now use that. Others do too, apparently, although I prefer it with a dash or hyphen (e-VAT)...

Who can use eVAT services? | nibusinessinfo.co
... See more
I may have done, but I don't remember specifically right now.
I did suggest to one client that using a lower case "e-" might look better in a website context, for example "e-VAT, e-Taxes, e-Payments...", even at the start of a sentence, which contravenes the usual convention of starting every sentence with upper case. They agreed and we now use that. Others do too, apparently, although I prefer it with a dash or hyphen (e-VAT)...

Who can use eVAT services? | nibusinessinfo.co.uk
https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/who-can-use-evat-services
eVAT is available to anyone responsible for managing an existing UK VAT registration. If you are currently using the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) EVR ...

[Edited at 2018-08-12 09:50 GMT]

[Edited at 2018-08-12 09:50 GMT]
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Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 15:39
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
Probably Aug 12, 2018

I can't remember and can't think of any examples just now, but if I met a creative Danish expression, I would certainly try to find or create an equivalent.

Our son played with language from a very early age, and was barely three when he asked ' Why are they called two-matoes and not nil-matoes and three-matoes?
- Hvorfor hedder det tomater, og ikke nulmater og tremater?

He had just learnt to count, and counted everything - En, to, tre, fire, fem …
... See more
I can't remember and can't think of any examples just now, but if I met a creative Danish expression, I would certainly try to find or create an equivalent.

Our son played with language from a very early age, and was barely three when he asked ' Why are they called two-matoes and not nil-matoes and three-matoes?
- Hvorfor hedder det tomater, og ikke nulmater og tremater?

He had just learnt to count, and counted everything - En, to, tre, fire, fem …
I have not translated his remarks professionally, but we had to explain them to both sides of the family, and it was often a challenge!
Children's books are a rich source of challenges like that.
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Vesa Korhonen
 
Jennifer Forbes
Jennifer Forbes  Identity Verified
Local time: 14:39
French to English
+ ...
In memoriam
Verses Aug 12, 2018

I recently had to translate some children's stories from Spanish containing several verses, ditties and names. They needed to rhyme and retain the original rhythm. Quite a challenge, although a pleasant change from annual reports and accounts. I had to invent a few words and names, but it was fun.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
All the time Aug 12, 2018

I make stuff up all the time. Gotta keep your readers on their toes, and it’s generally a better solution than asking KudoZ when you don’t know what something means.

I’m particularly proud to claim “going forward” as one of mine. It just got so boring saying “in the future”. The world needed an alternative.

Next I plan to popularise “shither” to describe the Welsh climate.


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 11:39
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes, but adaptations, not authorship Aug 13, 2018

Many, but always based on an neologism in the original, when I can use the same prefixes/suffixes and the translation of the root word to arrive to the same neologism in the target-language. Nothing wrong with that.

 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:39
Czech to French
+ ...
Yes, for things that didn't have a Czech name Aug 13, 2018

I translated a book about financial derivatives into CZ at a time when the notion was unheard of in the country, and I still hear/read some of my inventions in today's financial information.
I also sometimes translate manuals for a manufacturer of agricultural equipment - at least once, they came up with something new that I had to name in CZ.


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:39
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Aug 13, 2018

Like Marcio, only when it's a neologism in the original.

Mario Freitas
 


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Poll: When translating, have you ever created your own neologism(s)?






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