Cultural Boundaries between English and Spanish Translation

In the field of translation, culture is infused in language, and language infused with culture. At a basic level, the act of translation is to carry a message across from one language to another; in this process, culture can be erased or embraced, distorted or well-represented.  When moving these words and ideas across cultural boundaries, it is left to the translator to interpret in which manner these endless contexts are playing out. In this presentation, I will demonstrate the complexity of sound linguistic and cultural translation by drawing two cases from my translation of the YWCA “Rules of the Domestic Violence Shelter” into Spanish. First, I will examine the use of the word “please” in English as used in rules and regulations and its equivalency in Spanish. Then, I will analyze the use of the impersonal/passive voice in English and its equivalent “se impersonal” in Spanish. I conclude by discussing the implications of inadequate linguistic and/or cultural translations.