Needed: English to Spanish professional translation

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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www.azconatechnologies.com
Hi,

From time to time and especially today I need to get marketing messages and ad copy translated into Spanish, only to find that it is not as easy as you would think if you've never tried it.

For example today I am trying to a simple confirmation letter for a timeshare compaign and I am stuck on phrases like "old fashioned hospitality" and "Open House"

or how 'bout this whopper:

"you are also going to receive two tickets to Arabian Nights dinner show, the show that brings a fairy tale to life on horseback"

I cannot come up with anything that makes sense in Spanish, and the locals who have tried their hand at it have not been able to come up with anything intelligible in Spanish.

They are simply not able to grasp US market-speak and come up with a reasonable Spanish equivelant.

Is anyone aware of a professional service that does this kind of translation?
 

JRMirador

Snap!
Oct 15, 2008
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Las Lomas de Azua
Will this do?


Hi,

From time to time and especially today I need to get marketing messages and ad copy translated into Spanish, only to find that it is not as easy as you would think if you've never tried it.

For example today I am trying to a simple confirmation letter for a timeshare compaign and I am stuck on phrases like "old fashioned hospitality" and "Open House"

(nuestra maravillosa) hospitalidad tradicional

(invitamos a nuestra) jornada de puertas abiertas



or how 'bout this whopper:

"you are also going to receive two tickets to Arabian Nights dinner show, the show that brings a fairy tale to life on horseback"

Usted recibir? dos boletos para nuestro show de cena Noches de Arabia, el espect?culo que revive un cuento de hadas a cabello

I cannot come up with anything that makes sense in Spanish, and the locals who have tried their hand at it have not been able to come up with anything intelligible in Spanish.

They are simply not able to grasp US market-speak and come up with a reasonable Spanish equivelant.

Is anyone aware of a professional service that does this kind of translation?
 

WillSDQ

New member
Nov 3, 2008
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"usted tambi?n recibir? dos billetes a "Arabian Noches" la exposici?n de la cena, la exposici?n que trae un cuento de hadas a la vida a caballo"

Is this close?
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
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Mike,
If you want someone to do this for you, I have a friend who is a legally certified translator. Cost is about RD$500/double spaced typed page. He can work via e-mail. He's had time in the U.S., so can probably cover those colloquialisms whereever possible. pm if u want his contact info
 

WillSDQ

New member
Nov 3, 2008
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"usted tambi?n recibir? dos billetes a" Arabian Noches" exposici?n de cena, la exposici?n que trae un cuento de hadas a la vida en la espalda de un caballo"

I think this is a little better.
 

JRMirador

Snap!
Oct 15, 2008
121
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0
76
Las Lomas de Azua
Mike,
If you want someone to do this for you, I have a friend who is a legally certified translator. Cost is about RD$500/double spaced typed page. He can work via e-mail. He's had time in the U.S., so can probably cover those colloquialisms whereever possible. pm if u want his contact info

Mike, you don't need a legally certified translator, only for court documents. By the way, I'll do it just for food.

JR
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
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no, don't need a certified translator.. but if he's getting bad translations, 400 or 500 pesos isn't much to pay to avoid embarassment.

Mike, how 'bout this.
"Usted tambi?n recibir? dos boletos de la cena espect?culo para la Noche ?rabe, el espect?culo que traer? a la vida un cuento de hadas a caballo"
 

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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www.azconatechnologies.com
I need someone who is good wth ad copy in Spanish and familiar with all of the marketing terms that hispanic consumers are brainwashed with everyday.

I appreciate all the amateur attempts, but I have already done an amateur job myself and am looking for a professional spanish ad copy writer who can also translate.
 

CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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I need someone who is good wth ad copy in Spanish and familiar with all of the marketing terms that hispanic consumers are brainwashed with everyday.

Probably fewer amateur attempts if you'd mentioned that in your original post. ;) For what it's worth, the translation I posted was from my friend, the certified translator... but he's an attorney, not in marketing.
 

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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Yes and to give an example of exactly why I need an ad copy professional, the kind of translator I am looking for would know that "Arabian Nights" is the name of the restaurant, and does not need to be translated. We don't see ads for "Viernes's" when TGI Fridays is advertising.

Also it could be my Spanish but to me this phrase in Spanish "el espect?culo que traer? a la vida un cuento de hadas a caballo" seems to be very easy to misunderstand, or perhaps likely to not be understood at all. It's not an easy concept to convey and until I visited the website I didnt know what they were talking about either.

www.arabiannights.com

Quite possibly the phrase should be abandoned alltogether in favor of something easier. But an advertising guy would be able to make a recommendation for a replacement.

It is a daunting task, and this is the first time in my life I have suspected that I may need help translating English to Spanish, I have been speaking Spanish since childhood and considered myself fluent since I was a young teenager.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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I agree, Mike. Fluent since a young teenager is not enough. To translate convincingly the target language has to be your first language, or you have to be 100% bilingual.

I am closer to being bilingual than most, but not quite 100%, so I make it an absolute point of honour never to take on translation assignments into Spanish, especially for publication.
 

Theforceinme

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Oct 19, 2007
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My gf is almost finished with a marketing degree and her English is good, if anything I can always explain the English to her.

Of course, she might want remuneration but it wouldn't be a lot.

You'd be hiring both of us but only paying her. Wanna give that a test run? PM me if you do.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
My friend Javier has worked in promociones for many years, in fact he was part some very large marketing campaigns here in the DR(like Presidente and Bermudez). Let me know if you want his number.
 

cuas

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May 29, 2006
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Tambien recibira dos boletos para el show de cena en el restaurant "Arabian Nights". El show que revivira cuentos de hada a caballos.
 

domicanita

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Mar 7, 2007
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"old fashioned hospitality"- Calido servicio

"Open House" no translation for open house

or how 'bout this whopper: Que tal esta oferta?

"you are also going to receive two tickets to Arabian Nights dinner show, the show that brings a fairy tale to life on horseback"

Usted tambien recibira dos boletos para el restaurante cena teatro "Arabian Nights" el espectaculo que da vida al cuento de hadas a caballos.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
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Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
"Hospitalidad a la Antigua" since "Hospitalidad Tradicional" means the one already established by the biz to clients for a long time... It gets a bit tricky but both can be used to a point depending on message...

"Open House" Changes depending on actual venue and effect wanted...


"Recibira tambien, dos boletos para el espectaculo "Noches Arabes" durante la cena. El espectaculo que revive un cuento de hadas al dorso de Caballos..."
 

Chas10

New member
Jun 18, 2004
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Can you translate this?

FELIZ DE SER TAN BESHA!! in English?

Also

"...pero no me busques mas que yo tampoco te buscare" in English?