Translation Confessional

Let’s talk about a very hot cultural topic: the subtitles of Netflix’s latest trendy show, “Squid Game.” You must be aware of the controversy right now, but you can find some links about the subject here: https://bit.ly/tc-squid Check out the subtitling webinar recordings I have available at https://rafalombardino.com/webinars *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* CHECK OUT THIS EP...

Today’s episode is coming out on International Translation Day, and I’ve been saving this subject for this special occasion. Today’s theme is “The Language of Affection.” I’ve always been curious about bilingual or multilingual households and how people LIVE and EXIST in different languages. I'll be sharing some anecdotes of my own, as well as some interesting and funny things some translation fri...

We sat down with Paulina Makles to learn more about XTRF, a translation management system that benefits clients and translators alike by improving communication, file access, and effective oversight throughout a translation project. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/tc-xtrf *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* By the way, if you're interested in checking out "Tools and Te...

Today we’ll be talking about languages, translation, and interpretation from a different perspective. Let’s explore the language of emojis. Have you ever stopped to think about how something we use every day to communicate with others could be completely misinterpreted? And, as language professionals, did you know that there’s no international dictionary to indicate what each emoji means? In order...

Let's talk about the differences between translation, localization, and transcreation. I'll also read an article written by my dear friend, journalist, translator, and interpreter Denise Bobadilha, who lists some more examples. You can find her original article here : https://bit.ly/2MKg0U4. Keep in mind I had to transcreate her article for this audiovisual medium. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-...

Today I'm doing something a bit different than what we're used to. I'm reading an article written by someone else. This one is by Wendell Ricketts , and it's meant to be taken as satire with a few lessons to be learned by those in our line of work. Please be warned that the contents have been slightly changed to fit the audiovisual format and that the opinions expressed here are the author's, not...

Have you noticed this new trend? The proliferation of online gurus. It actually predates the COVID-19 pandemic, but it seems to be even more prevalent now, when some people are forced to reinvent themselves professionally and economically. Gurus come in all shapes and sizes, and it was just a matter of time until they showed up in the Translation and Interpretation field. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*...

Just the other day, I saw a meme that said, “You will never be criticized by someone who is doing more than you.” It hit me at the right time because I needed that reminder. I think most of us do, don’t we? Then, serendipity struck again, when I saw an article on social media about Procrustes Syndrome, which was posted to a Facebook group managed by interpreter Tony Valle . After Tony and I talked...

Just the other day, I saw a meme that said, “You will never be criticized by someone who is doing more than you.” It hit me at the right time because I needed that reminder. I think most of us do, don’t we? Then, serendipity struck again, when I saw an article on social media about Procrustes Syndrome, which was posted to a Facebook group managed by interpreter Tony Valle . After Tony and I talked...

Today I wanted to talk about something that really amuses me: What goes around comes around. No, I’m not talking about revenge and getting even with someone who’s done you wrong. Actually, when you’ve been doing something for as long as I have, what happens is that you start observing some trends as time goes by. Sometimes it feels like I’m sitting on a park bench, watching as everybody walks by:...

Today I wanted to talk about something crucial for our peace of mind: We shouldn’t mix business with friends. I’ll address this issue from two different perspectives: working with fellow translators and interpreters who have become close friends and being hired by friends to work on a translation or interpretation assignment. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* CHECK OUT THIS EPI...

Time for another song in Spanish. This one is "Esta vez," by the Mexican band Café Tacvba. It's all about going through changes and trying to make the most out of second chances. You can listen to the track here: https://bit.ly/TC-S01E14 After listening to this episode, head on over to YouTube for the full experience, since I'm translating the lyrics into English on this video: https://youtu.be/F-...

Today I’d like to talk about working as a language consultant. As translators and interpreters working with two or more languages and knowledgeable in different cultures, we’re in a great position to offer consulting services and help clients better understand how they can offer their products, services, and content to foreign audiences. I’ll tap into some of my professional experiences in hopes t...

Today I’d like to talk about a language-related task that can help you diversify your services: audio transcriptions. First, I'll tell you what transcription is not, so that we can get any misconceptions out of the way, and you'll know what transcription actually is in order to better prepare yourself to enter the market and negotiate projects with current and potential clients. Having said that,...

We’re back with a new episode of Translation Confessional Music Edition, and today I’m highlighting yet another notable Brazilian song from the Military Dictatorship era. Today’s song is “Cálice” by Chico Buarque, accompanied by Milton Nascimento and the vocal group known as MPB4. It's a brutal song and I had been putting it off because of the content, and also because of the play on words that ma...

Hi, everybody! Translation Confessional will be taking a break for summer, but you can still enjoy our 70+ episodes if you haven't caught up yet. Feel free to watch the video version of our podcasts on YouTube and check our Music Edition episodes with songs translated from Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian to English. If you have any suggestions for upcoming episodes, leave a voice mail or shoot me...

I’ve been “cooking up” today’s episode in my head for months, because it’s something I really wanted to address, but I acknowledge the fact that I’ll probably just scratch the surface in the few minutes it will take me to explore this subject. I’m talking about the effort language professionals have been making nowadays to make sure we embrace diversity in our translations and interpretations, so...

Today I’m highlighting a song by one of my favorite Italian singers. It's "Le cose che non dici," by Tiziano Ferro. I can't help by establish a connection between this song and another one I grew up listening to: George Michael's "Freedom '90". Pay attention to the lyrics and think about how the then 21-year-old Tiziano survived his trauma and continued to bring us great songs while being true to...

In May this year, I engaged in a bit of a tweetversation with celebrated American author Joyce Carol Oates. One of her tweets caught my attention: a harmful mischaracterization about translators coming from a prominent figure could really hurt the reputation that we work so hard to maintain. Listen in to learn more about this exchange and watch the video version of this episode for screen captures...

I’ve talked about my work with fiction and non-fiction books in past episodes, and even mentioned how I had to turn to audiobooks as a reader, because I was only able to read and reread the books I was actually translating. Today, I wanted to go a little deeper into my collaboration with book authors because it’s a mesmerizing process. I'm highlighting two books I translated into English: "Totonya...

I was interviewed by Konteksto, a group of translators and interpreters in Colombia, and had a great time sharing a bit of my experiences in these past 24 years as a translator. I’m used to talking to fellow language professionals, but this session was special: it was my first time giving an interview in Spanish ! If you’ve been listening to Translation Confessional for a while, you know how I’m a...

Today I’m highlighting a song by a band from Colombia called Diamantes Eléctricos. They came out with a new album this year, so it’s a 2021 pandemic album, and it’s called “Mira lo que me hiciste hacer,” or “Look what you made me do.” I hearted a few songs on that album on Spotify, and then I got to the bonus track at the end: “Todo el mundo quiere el mundo.” I was really digging it, until I reali...

As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for, and you just might get it. I’ve been translating books on a regular basis for this past decade, but there’s been an unexpected side effect to making my dream come true: the books I end up reading over the course of a year are the books I’m actually translating. I already went into some details about that part of my journey in Season 1, Episode 39,...

Today I wanted to talk about a growing segment that can help you diversify your services once you learn more about it and study hard to adapt your skills and have this new specialization under your belt. I’m talking about translating for speech. There are different things you must keep in mind when translating text that you know will be read aloud. In other words, more than being faithful to the o...

Today's song is called “Flutua,” by Johnny Hooker featuring Liniker. I wasn’t familiar with either singer, but their voices melted so well into each other and the lyrics are so relevant for this time and age that I was compelled to feature it today, especially because this episode is coming out one day after May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. The date was...