French translations and kaleidoscopes? What?

First, let us consider what it means to translate, literally. A physical object is translated by moving it to a new medium. This change necessarily alters the attributes of the object by bestowing upon it a new context and perspective. The translation process can change the look and feel of an object so radically that it becomes difficult to recognize as a version of its original form. In a play, imagine how a single prop adopts completely different roles depending on the set or scene it appears in.

French translation, and language translation in general, follows the same process. The original word or sentence appears as morphed in the new medium (target language) but the true meaning maintains its integrity. Our professional French translators have experience shifting their weight from source language to target language, while always keeping one eye on authenticity.

Linguists have long suspected that our mother tongue has powerful influence over how we perceive and interact with the world. In some ways, we are just humans operating in the medium of our native language, with cultural props and all. Each language filters experiences differently, which is why it is a necessity to hire a professional translation service. French translation requires a sweeping and in depth understanding of the mechanics of cultural filters.

Are you a slave to your mother tongue?

Each language of the world has grown up with a different set of historical, social and geographical influences. How much independence can we really have from something that permeates our environment in thousands of unseen ways?

In Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages, Guy Deutscher examines this question (read his short article on the topic , "Does Your Language Shape How You Think?" in the New York Times). According to his perspective, your mother tongue is indeed a powerful influence, but she is not tyrannical, oppressive or limiting. He goes on to say that your mother tongue is like a habit, it obliges you to see the world in a particular way every day that speakers of another language may not be so inclined to perceive. But like every habit, with some work, you can break out of the mold and see things from a new perspective.

Some linguists argue that we have a naturally limited set of possible ways to experience the world, which are strongly determined by our native language, but Deutscher disagrees. The evolution of human communication, both inter- and intra-culturally, is evidence for Deutscher’s side of the discussion. Our mother tongue has carved out a canyon of custom, but we hold the power to explore outside of it with a different set of eyes.

This is not an easy task.

The best translators can switch the lenses through which they view the world. They access the subtext of a word and turn their internal kaleidoscope until the word fits in the environment of the target language. Document translation for legal purposes is a particularly complicated and specialized task, as legal language is basically a language of its own and legal systems around the world differ wildly.

What to keep in mind about French translation

False cognates or faux ami, are tricky in any language and are the most common trip wire to any computer or automatic translation service. The English word advertisement looks and sounds a lot like the French word advertissement. Contrary to your assumption, they do not mean the same thing at all! Advertissement has nothing at all to do with advertising or marketing; it means warning. In French, la chair does not translate to the English word chair, or armchair, or even seat. It actually means flesh. These mistakes may seem simple and sometimes funny, but in the business world this type of translation error is unacceptable and will make you look unprofessional.

The French language is gendered and the implications are thought provoking for English speakers. Speakers of gendered languages tend to associate feminine traits with words that are modified by a feminine article. These gender associations have been linked to memory mechanics. This example demonstrates that French speakers perceive their surroundings differently compared to speakers of non-gendered languages like English. When translating jokes, idioms, or other texts that rely on tone or subliminal moods, this difference should be kept in mind.

French translation of medical documents, websites, academic transcripts or birth certificates should be handled by a professional English to French translation service. LanguageTran hires only the most experienced French translators with a wide range of specialties to ensure the most accurate, professional and localized translation possible. Let us interpret the cultural kaleidoscope for you.