Screen Shot 2017-03-08 at 14.24.23Due to their supremacy in international communications, the demand for English to French and French to English translations is high. Although both languages are very similar – sentences follow the subject-verb-object order, active and passive voice is used, articles are placed before the noun – there are distinct variations between the two. Some of the most significant differences are listed below, as they are crucial to comprehend and learn in order to effectively translate.

 

THE ALPHABET

Due to their derivation from Latin, both French and English have the same 26 letters of the alphabet. However, French has letters with diacritics such as:

  • Acute accents (é)
  • Grave accents (è)
  • Cedillas (ç)
  • Circumflexes (ê)
  • Diaereses (ë)

Aside from the circumflex, these diacritics determine the pronunciation of the word. This can be seen with the word achète, meaning ‘I buy’. With the grave accent, this is pronounced as [ah-shet]. If it did not have the accent however, it would read as achete and be pronounced [asht].

With regards to the circumflex, many academics wish to remove it from the language altogether as it no longer indicates a change in pronunciation, making it “redundant”. 

 

GENDER

Screen Shot 2017-03-08 at 14.25.57Screen Shot 2017-03-08 at 14.25.43A non-existent linguistic feature in English, gender is another factor to consider when translating from or into French.All French nouns have a gender, classifying them as either masculine or feminine. For example, words such as le fromage (cheese), le drame (drama) and l’auditoire (audience) are masculine whereas la jambe (leg), l’évidence (evidence) and la taille (size) are feminine. The gender of the noun impacts many other aspects of the language such as adjective formation, verb endings and pronouns (see below for further explanation).

 

ADJECTIVES

In all other European languages except English, adjectives follow the noun. French follows suit. ‘A green car’ in French is une voiture verte however, if you were to translate this literally into English it would be ‘a car green’. Although this applies to the majority of adjectives, there are few exceptions that would precede the noun. These include:

  • bon – good
  • nouveau – new
  • grand – big

These words are positioned in front of the noun as done in English.

Another difference between adjectives in French versus English is due to the noun they are describing. As mentioned previously, all nouns have a gender and can also be either singular or plural. This affects the adjective. Using the previous example, voiture is a feminine noun, so the feminine form of the adjective ‘green’ is used, verte. If we altered our example to ‘two green cars’, our adjective would change to vertes to account for the plurality.

 

THE FUTURE TENSE

When referring to future or conditional events in English, we simply use ‘will + verb’ or ‘would + verb’ to do so. For example, ‘I will go’ or ‘I would go’. In French however, the verb itself is conjugated to indicate the future or conditional tense (see below).

Screen Shot 2017-03-08 at 14.28.52

Although this may be more challenging than its English alternative, the range of verb endings to express the future or conditionality is minimal. With sufficient practice, you should have no trouble at all talking about where you will go next weekend or what you would do if you were a millionaire!

 

THE SUBJUNCTIVE

While it does exist in English, the subjunctive is much more prevalent in French. In fact, some English speakers may not even understand what it is. The subjunctive is a mood or verb form that is used to express the following:

  • Uncertainty
  • Wishes/wanting
  • Hope
  • Fear
  • Necessity
  • Judgements

For those translating English to French, it is important to remember that sentences conveying any of the listed ‘moods’ will require the use of subjunctive sentence structures as well as the subjunctive verb endings.

 

Although these are the most significant differences between English and French, there are some other factors to be aware of when translating from one to the other. Below you will find some key tips to bear in mind when translating English to French:

 

  • Do not translate literally

This is the golden rule of translation and will dramatically improve your work if abided by. Literal translation does ensure that each word is translated correctly but often fails to express the overall point correctly. It is strongly advisable to use alternative words or phrases rather than the literal translation of each word to convey a point accurately.

 

  • computer picBe wary of online translators

Often, computer generated translations do not follow the above rule above and translate word for word, failing to acknowledge possible deviation in meaning. Many are also unaware of the more
complex grammar or idiomatic phrases, resulting in an incorrect expression of the original idea.

 

  • Check your work

Make sure you spend time on the translation of every clause to ensure that the grammar and meaning is as accurate as possible.

 

  • Cultural sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity is a vital factor to consider when speaking French. For example, the meaning of a word in France may be completely different in another Francophone region (see blog called International French). It is also important to be careful when translating orally, as a simple gesture could imply something different to someone else.

 

  • Know your audience

audience picBoth the content and the linguistic style of your work may need to be adapted to suit particular audiences. As mentioned previously, if you are conversing with someone who is your senior, you must use the formal endings for verbs. You must also be aware of the variations in language on a global scale and adapt your translation accordingly. For example, if you require a translation for a Haitian who speaks French, it is sensible to use a native Haitian French speaker to check your work.

 

  • Familiarise yourself with potential topics beforehand

If you do not understand the topic you are referring to, it becomes a lot more difficult to express your point accurately in another language. This is vital when translating orally to avoid awkward pauses during a translation. If interpreting, it would be wise to brief your clients of the possible topics and vocabulary so that he/she can understand parts of the conversation without the need for your input.

 

  • Practice!

Although all of the above tips are highly useful, they are not effective unless you regularly practice this skill. Revision of the language’s grammar and vocabulary will draatically improve your work and ability.

 

If you require any additional help when translating English to French or French to English, Creative Word offer a range of services including translation as well as transcription, interpretation and localisation. Contact us today for more information or help with your translations.