Yes, one can translate Spanish into a dialect that can be understood across
cultures - but it takes an excellent translator who really understands the
different dialects (and as importantly healthcare)-- for example in some
South American countries the common way of describing a pregnant woman is,
in another country, the way to describe a pregnant cow!

If you are looking for help Aracely Rosales of Rosales Communications is the
lady to talk to.  She translated our Baby Basics into Spanish as Hola Bebe,
and did focus groups and very carefully made sure she didn't hit any
language landmines.  She specializes in medical translation.  (I promise I
don't receive a percentage of her sales - this is just my passionate
endorsement of real talent.)

We've also recently published Xiao Biao Biao the Chinese version of Baby
Basics - in partnership with the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center in
Chinatown (NYC).  They too were able to create a written chinese that
transcended the different dialects.  Many of the same characters will be
pronounced differently based on the regional dialect, but it will be read
the same.  Again, if you are looking for Chinese translation (and they
helped a great deal with many, many cultural changes too) they have an
excellent translation team.

In other words, use the best or no va.  (that's the great story where the
NOVA car was not selling in South America and they all scratchd their heads
at the car company until someone told them NOVA meant NO GO in spanish!)

On Feb 7, 2008 3:23 PM, Schneider, Janet M. <Janet.Schneider at va.gov> wrote:


>  Do any of you know if there are national translation standards for

> consumer health materials?  We are looking for any kind of translation

> standards that can be applied to different languages, similar to the

> "generic" English that news broadcasters use rather than dialects. For

> example, is there a "generic" Spanish that everybody can understand, rather

> than Mexican Spanish, Puerto Rican Spanish, European Spanish, etc.  Any

> thoughts would be appreciated.

>

>

>

>

>

> Janet M. Schneider, M.A., AHIP

>

> Chief, Library Service

>

> James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital

>

> 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

>

> Tampa, FL 33612

>

> 813-972-7531

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Health and Literacy mailing list

> HealthLiteracy at nifl.gov

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> Email delivered to lisab at whattoexpect.org

>




-- 
Lisa Bernstein
Executive Director
The What To Expect Foundation
144 W. 80th Street
New York, NY 10024
212-712-9764
www.whattoexpect.org

Providing prenatal health and literacy support so that women in need know
what to expect when expecting.
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