Thread: Translation Problems!!

I am a graduate student set to finish my MA in English in December--- but I am having major trouble with my foreign language requirement. I need to translate an article of about two pages in about two hours (a tiny portion of an exemplar is below). Can someone help me translate this so I have something to go on, and secondly, can someone help my with snippets of my pitiful translations if I post them along with the text? (The university doesn't have any tutors available in the summer.) Thanks to anyone who can help!!!


Mark Twain o la verdad en escorzo

Esta anécdota acaso explique las cualidades salientes de la obra literaria de Mark Twain. No estando seguro de su propia personalidad, su actitud ante el mundo había de ser una de profunda y estudiada reserva, como de quien espera que de un momento a otro se presente la persona que haya de descifrarle el enigma de su existencia. Por esta razón no pudo nunca mirar el mundo en serio, creyéndose él sin poderlo evitar una posible mistificación. De aquí arranca sin duda su actitud ante la mentira. Para él esta forma de verter y de ocultar el pensamiento estaba justificada por las condiciones generales de la vida y por lo ambiguo de su propia existencia. La mentira es en gentes sanas el resultado de una incapacidad para hacer coincidir los hechos con las palabras. Es una flaqueza de frecuente ocurrencia en personas, por otra parte, de una conciencia rígida y exigente.

Thank you- I've had some one fairly fluent acquaintence look at this and he couldn't get through the first half--- and no matter how hard I work on a sentence or two, it really doesn't make a lot of sense about Mark Twain (and I am getting my master's in English, I know something about him). You have helped me though to possibly see the thesis of the article, which will help me work through it. I don't know how I'm going to get it done in 2 hours!!!!!! I may post a few of translated sentences with the exemplars over the weekend if you or anyone cares to critique them- it would help me a lot!!! Thanks!!!!!

Please note that translation is a paid service lnh88uyhbc, we would help you correct your own translation but we are not here to do your homework for you. Good luck.

Pensé en eso, brevemente. Decidí que un estudiante a ese nivel probablemente tiene razones que no entiendo. Pero, lo hice para mí. Fue mi primera oportunidad hacer una traducción de algo difícil para otra persona. Es un parte de mi lección para la próxima vez.

I thought of that, briefly. I decided that a student at that level probably had his or her reasons that I didn’t understand. But I did it for me. It was my first opportunity to translate something for someone else that was difficult. I made it part of my lesson for the next time I have a class. (For my teacher to correct).

And lnh88uyhbc, bless your heart, I’m glad you got something out of the translation. Both look like Chinese to me.

That was nice of you to help, gernt, and it is certainly for you to decide whether or not you want to do those kinds of translations...I am glad you got something out of it!

Gracias. Sarab, que saqué de esto es un milagro. Pensé los otros iban a despedazarme la traducción. No podría estar correcta. Mi maestra, tal vez, no voy a estar tan amena. Ella es traductor profesional.

What I got out of it was a miracle. I was sure the others would rip my translation apart. It can’t be correct. My teacher may not be so nice. She’s a professional translator.

Originally Posted by gernt

Gracias. Sarab, lo que saqué de esto es un milagro. Pensé que los otros iban a despedazarme la traducción. No podía ser correcta. Mi maestra no será tan benévola. Ella es traductora profesional.

What I got out of it was a miracle. I was sure the others would rip my translation apart. It can’t be correct. My teacher may not be so nice. She’s a professional translator.

Hi gernt, do you appreciate corrections?