Bilingual Wayside Exhibits

Clarity of meaning and elegance of phrasing are far more important than matching the word order or exact phrasing of the original English. Readers who read no English should be fully intellectually engaged by the combination of image and texts on each wayside exhibit.

General Recommendations for Bilingual Waysides

Language Level:

Use an understandable international vocabulary rather than a regional vocabulary. For example, in a bilingual Spanish project, model the level of language used on what is heard on major international television cable channels, such as Univisión or Telemundo or CNN Español.

Readability:

Wayside exhibits are commonly read aloud by one member of a family for the others to hear. Try for translated text that will be easy to pronounce while reading aloud. Sentences in other languages may be longer than the English original so that the harsh, choppy effect often seen in many literal translations can be avoided. However, if phrases are combined, they should not become so complex as to become challenging to read aloud.

Literalness:

Clarity of meaning and elegance of phrasing are far more important than matching the word order or exact phrasing of the original English. Readers who read no English should be fully intellectually engaged by the combination of image and texts on each exhibit.

Titles:

Have the translator / contractor spend extra time on making the titles interesting and engaging, while remaining concise. This is a difficult challenge, but well worth the effort. The titles do not have to match in the two languages! Look for powerful alternatives in the other language that will draw readers quickly into the message. Many visitors will look at the wayside’s image and read only the title, so strong titles are critical.

Brevity:

Let your translator / contractor know that wayside texts should average around 120 words or less. Most minor captions should be only a sentence or two. Beware that other languages require more text line length than English. Translators should strive to maintain brevity and focus. Rigorously edit out any fluff that doesn’t have to be translated.

Preempt Challenging Terms:

Animal and plant names can turn into time-wasting translation quagmires. The same animal/plant will likely have multiple names in different countries. Scientific names are a good alternative.

Highlight and list the faunal and floral names found in your project. Have the park’s bilingual rangers resolve what version of that plant or animal name they normally use when talking with non-English-speaking park visitors. Share that list with your translator / contractor. Harpers Ferry Center can help point out vernacular English words —like URBAN SPRAWL and MOONSHINE — that have proven problematic in other projects.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Wayside Exhibits »

RELATED LINKS:

Bilingual Publications »

PDF DOCUMENTS:

Spanish Style Guide »

Sample Scope of Work for Spanish Tranlation »

Help With PDF »