Re: Translation: Starting Point

[Mohammad Halawah <mhalawah at gmail dot com>]

On Saturday 04 March 2006 08:13, Youssef CHAHIBI wrote:
> في جمعة 03 مارس 2006 15:09, كتب Mohammad Halawah:
> > I think the importance of translating to *simple* and *short*
> >  terms is by far more important than the perfection and
> > correctness of the translation.
> >
> > I urge the translators to use a word for word translation and not
> > to go for long terms which describes the functionality -and some
> > time the history- of the English terms.
> >
> > Not to forget that names are index for things and not physical
> > bind to them, so lets make the names short and simple instead of
> > doing it in two phases (first the translation then creating some
> > short-names).
> >
> > One last thing, one of the reasons prevent some arabs -including
> > me- of using "word-by-word" Arabic terms is that the result is
> > usually funny and sometimes stupid.
> >
> > Any feedback is welcome
> >
> > In peace,
> > Mohammad
> > PGP: 60EB 43C9 C29E 9CEB E159 9DE1 7145 54F9 1686 2BB3
>
> السلام عليكم
>
> 	I agree with all your points but making simple'n'short terms may
> need a lot of innovation, thus it will be difficult to spread terms
> that are different from their meaning unless there is one unified
> organization that arabize new words and that may take the
> responsability to create new words rather than the traditional long
> مضاف + مضاف إليه .
> 	What I suggest is to make a list of technical words related to
> computers that need to be arabized and to send it to the bureau of
> coordination of arabization, and maybe give argumented suggestions.
> 	For instance, in school everything is arabized ( except formulas )
> and I don't feel it is weird because the terms are short and simple
> without translating english terms literally. But on an Arabic
> desktop, I feel completely alienized because the terms are odd and
> not unified and the style is not coherent neither.

I agree with the solution you provided. I just have an idea the list 
might find nice. We can list the terms needed an Arabic equivalent.
(I am using "equivalent" instead of "translation" coz someone might 
jump and say this is not CORRECT translation).

Then setup a meeting includes Arabic linguistics and computer hackers. 
The aim of this committee is to come up with alternatives. Preferably 
this should be attended by old and young ppl. Old ppl coz they lived 
both eras (before and after computer boom) and they have some wisdom.
Young ppl, because they are the one to use this terms the rest of their 
lives, and they have fresh ideas.

Then next step is to make pools and we all contribute in the process of 
selecting the "wining" equivalent term.

Lastly, our beloved translators use the agreed upon terms.



In peace,
Mohammad
PGP: 60EB 43C9 C29E 9CEB E159 9DE1 7145 54F9 1686 2BB3