The Challenge
We've established that translating is a technical skill, but more than that, it's an art.
Every translator needs to have a deep understanding of the languages he or she works with so the end result – the translation in the target language – reflects the original in all its essence.
To not translate literally can be a real challenge.
However, imagine coming across an expression in English that doesn't seem especially difficult to be translated. You know all the words and its meaning looks pretty straightforward. Take this expression, for instance:
POORLY EDUCATED
You unconsciously associate 'POORLY' with "MAL" and 'EDUCATED' with "EDUCADO". On the surface, everything looks fine, because, taken separately, the definitions in Portuguese are correct.
But, as you already know, the point here is that the LETTER KILLS and what you want to do is avoid translating isolated terms but rather the SPIRIT (the meaning beneath the words), which only becomes clear when the words are put together. In a case like this one, TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED is the weak link that could break the chain of your ability to understand it.
The problem is that if you search for this expression on the internet, you'll most likely find something like this:
Now, take a look at the screenshot below showing AVRO dx's translation for 'poorly educated'.
Poorly educated: Quase sem instrução alguma | de baixa escolaridade (a poorly educated fool = um pobre coitado quase sem instrução alguma).
See the difference between a pseudo-translation and a reliable, well-thought-out translation?
And in case you were wondering, AVRO dx lists numerous entries for 'mal educado' including 'impolite', 'disrespectful', 'ill-mannered', and 'discourteous'.
A translation you can count on is what you get when you use AVRO dx!
AVRO dx is a comprehensive (English-Portuguese-English) reliable database containing over 250,000 primary entries, thousands of technical terms from all segments, over 3,700 pictures, plus helpful example sentences and explanations.
Watch the video below to learn more about AVRO dx and what it can do to help you and your career!