Session 2, Activity 8

Step 1

You have selected ‘staycation’.

Step 2

‘Staycation’ is a blend of ‘stay’ and ‘vacation’, coined in English to describe a vacation spent at home or near home, engaging in leisure activities or visiting local attractions.

Step 3

You may have found translating the casual and modern nuance of ‘staycation’, which implies not just staying at home but making it a vacation-like experience, challenging and considered to what extent this nuance is represented in translations to other languages.

Possible translations include:

• In German, a close concept might be ‘Urlaub zu Hause’.
• In French, it could be described as ‘vacances à domicile’ or ‘vacances chez soi’.
• In Spanish, ‘vacaciones en casa’ captures the idea.

Step 4

Sample English text created:

‘After considering various travel destinations, Alex and Jamie decided a staycation was the best choice this year, exploring local parks and museums they'd never visited before.’

Step 5

Three OMT translations:

• German translation: ‘Nachdem sie verschiedene Reiseziele in Betracht gezogen hatten, entschieden sich Alex und Jamie in diesem Jahr für einen Urlaub zu Hause, um lokale Parks und Museen zu erkunden, die sie zuvor noch nie besucht hatten.’
• French translation: ‘Après avoir envisagé diverses destinations de voyage, Alex et Jamie ont décidé que des vacances à domicile étaient le meilleur choix cette année, explorant des parcs locaux et des musées qu'ils n'avaient jamais visités auparavant.’
• Spanish translation: ‘Después de considerar varios destinos de viaje, Alex y Jamie decidieron que unas vacaciones en casa eran la mejor opción este año, explorando parques locales y museos que nunca antes habían visitado.’

Step 6

‘Staycation’ conveys not just the act of staying home but the intention to make it a leisurely and exploratory time, similar to a traditional vacation.

You may have reflected on how the nuance of ‘staycation’ (representing a cultural shift towards valuing local exploration and relaxation without the need for travel) is not present in the three translations.

Conclusion

This example highlights how modern lifestyle concepts do not always translate across languages and cultures, and the importance of capturing the essence and context of such terms.

Step 1

You have selected ‘Zeitgeist’.

Step 2

‘Zeitgeist’ is a German word meaning ‘spirit of the age’ or ‘spirit of the time’. It refers to the prevailing cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual, or political climate of an era or a specific group.

Step 3

Possible translations include:

• In English, it retains its original meaning.
• In French, a close equivalent might be ‘l’esprit du temps’.
• In Spanish, it could be translated as ‘el espíritu de la época’.

You may have noticed that direct translations can convey the literal meaning, but the philosophical depth and cultural connotations might not fully translate.

Step 4

Sample English text created:

‘The digital revolution and social media explosion has captured the Zeitgeist of the early 21st century, influencing everything from politics to personal identities.’

Step 5

Three OMT translations:

• German translation: ‘Die digitale Revolution und die Explosion der sozialen Medien haben den Zeitgeist des frühen 21. Jahrhunderts eingefangen, der alles von der Politik bis zur persönlichen Identität beeinflusst.’
• French translation: ‘La révolution numérique et l’explosion des médias sociaux ont capturé l'esprit du temps du début du 21e siècle, influençant tout, de la politique à l'identité personnelle.’
• Spanish translation: ‘La revolución digital y la explosión de las redes sociales han capturado el espíritu de la época del siglo XXI, influyendo en todo, desde la política hasta las identidades personales.’

Step 6

In all three translations ‘captured’ is used, emphasising the dynamic and transformative nature of the ‘Zeitgeist’. You may have analysed the challenge of conveying the concept’s full cultural and historical implications in different languages.

‘Zeitgeist’ embodies more than just a time period; it encapsulates the essence of cultural trends, societal shifts, and collective consciousness. You may have addressed how the digital age represents the current Zeitgeist and the challenges of translating such a nuanced concept and whether this is present in the three translations.

Conclusion

This example demonstrates how the activity encourages engagement with the concept of ‘Zeitgeist’, its meanings, cultural implications, and translation challenges. Through such exercises, learners not only learn about language but also about the cultural contexts that give these terms their rich layers of meaning.

Step 1

You have selected ‘aficionado’.

Step 2

‘Aficionado’ is a Spanish word meaning a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime. It is derived from the verb ‘aficionar’, indicating the process of becoming fond of something or someone.

Step 3

Possible translations include:

• In German, the closest term might be ‘Kenner’, a connoisseur or expert, especially in the context of fine arts or culinary arts. However, ‘aficionado’ is also used directly in contexts related to hobbies or passions.
• In French, ‘passionné’ captures the essence of an enthusiast or a devotee with a strong passion for a subject.
• The English use of ‘aficionado’ retains the Spanish meaning, emphasising a blend of expertise and enthusiasm.

Whilst an ‘aficionado’ embodies a blend of knowledge and passion, direct translations in other languages can lean more towards expertise or enthusiasm separately.

Step 4

Sample English text created:

‘Kim, a wine aficionado, transformed his basement into a cellar, curating a collection that spans continents and centuries, much to the delight of fellow enthusiasts.’

Step 5

Three OMT translations:

• German translation: ‘Kim, ein Wein-Aficionado, verwandelte seinen Keller in einen Weinkeller und kuratierte eine Sammlung, die Kontinente und Jahrhunderte umspannt, zur großen Freude von Gleichgesinnten.’
• French translation: ‘Kim, un passionné de vin, a transformé son sous-sol en cave, en rassemblant une collection qui traverse les continents et les siècles, pour le plus grand plaisir des autres amateurs.’
• Spanish translation: ‘Kim, un aficionado del vino, transformó su sótano en una bodega, curando una colección que abarca continentes y siglos, para el deleite de otros entusiastas.’

Step 6

‘Aficionado’ is used in various languages to describe enthusiasts of all kinds, from art to music to sports.

Conclusion

This activity encourages a nuanced understanding of ‘aficionado’ and invites you to explore the intersection of passion, expertise, and identity. It highlights the challenge of translating culturally and emotionally charged terms while preserving their original meaning.