Friday, March 26, 2021

Nos queremos - vivas

This fabulous slogan, widely used by the feminist movement across Latin America, has a fabulous double meaning of both we want to be - alive and we love ourselves - alive. I haven't figured out a way to convey both of those in English. If I had to choose between the two while interpreting, I would choose the later - but in a translation I might try to squeeze them both in or do a translator's note. This coverage of International Women's Day this year (lots of fabulous photos, worth a look) got me thinking of it. They translated it, with this photo, as just we want to be alive.

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

plataforma: coalition not platform

plataforma: coalition not platform

In Colombia right now there are a lot of 'plataformas de paz' and I keep seeing this rendered in English as peace platforms. Please stop! That's a super confusing false cognate. In US English at least a platform is what a candidate or a party runs for office on. It is most certainly not a coalition of grassroots groups coming together to work for something, like peace. I highly doubt platform would work in British English either, but if you want it to be understandable in both, avoid it and use coalition instead. 


Asistentes al segundo congreso de la plataforma Lgbti por la Paz en Colombia