Feb 9, 2002 00:53
22 yrs ago
French term
United States
Experienced, skilled, reliable
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Catalan to English, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
incorrect translation
French to English
Medical
I am doing a back translation for a consent form for a medical research project. I believe the following sentence is incorrect:
Je ne serai ni pénalisé, ni désavantagé si je refuse d’y participer ou de m’en retirer avant la fin.
Shouldn't it say:
... si je refuse d'y participer ou si je m'en retire avant la fin?
Je ne serai ni pénalisé, ni désavantagé si je refuse d’y participer ou de m’en retirer avant la fin.
Shouldn't it say:
... si je refuse d'y participer ou si je m'en retire avant la fin?
Proposed translations
1 hr
CLS Lexi-tech
Language innovations for the future
Native in: Italian 
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian, Italian, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
162
Selected
You cannot and should not tell whether it is correct or incorrect
I don't mean that you cannot wonder, but as a backtranslator you should just stick to the letter of what your French text says.
I have translated several clinical trials consent forms. Once I ran into a back translation in which the back translator had made a couple of mistakes and we spent hours going over my original translation with the pharmaceutical company.
In my view, you should backtranslate the sentence exactly like it is; after all you don't know what the original said, nor whether there was a mistake in the original (there are mistakes in originals as well).
If I were you, I would just backtranslate it literally. There are clinical studies in which the study doctor may advise the patient to withdraw (if the patient has not been accurate in taking the prescribed something, if the patient gets unwell during experimental treatment etc.) and the patient may very well refuse to withdraw. Chances are you may be right, but it should make no difference to your backtranslation.
Bonne chance and all the best
paola l m
hull, quebec
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Note added at 2002-02-09 02:12:24 (GMT)
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Example:
Right to Refuse or Withdraw
You may refuse to participate and still receive the care you would receive if you were not in the study. You may change your mind about being in the study and quit after the study has started. (If sudden withdrawal constitutes a health hazard, indicate any conditions necessary for withdrawal from the study. Also indicate that the investigator may withdraw subjects from the study at his or her discretion. Clinical studies should include the following statement, as appropriate): Significant new findings developed during the course of the research study which may relate to your willingness to continue participation, will be provided to you.
I have translated several clinical trials consent forms. Once I ran into a back translation in which the back translator had made a couple of mistakes and we spent hours going over my original translation with the pharmaceutical company.
In my view, you should backtranslate the sentence exactly like it is; after all you don't know what the original said, nor whether there was a mistake in the original (there are mistakes in originals as well).
If I were you, I would just backtranslate it literally. There are clinical studies in which the study doctor may advise the patient to withdraw (if the patient has not been accurate in taking the prescribed something, if the patient gets unwell during experimental treatment etc.) and the patient may very well refuse to withdraw. Chances are you may be right, but it should make no difference to your backtranslation.
Bonne chance and all the best
paola l m
hull, quebec
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-02-09 02:12:24 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Example:
Right to Refuse or Withdraw
You may refuse to participate and still receive the care you would receive if you were not in the study. You may change your mind about being in the study and quit after the study has started. (If sudden withdrawal constitutes a health hazard, indicate any conditions necessary for withdrawal from the study. Also indicate that the investigator may withdraw subjects from the study at his or her discretion. Clinical studies should include the following statement, as appropriate): Significant new findings developed during the course of the research study which may relate to your willingness to continue participation, will be provided to you.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Paola - Thanks! What you said makes perfect sense. These backtranslations are very tricky to do. I think your approach is right."
+1
6 mins
Nigel Patterson
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Prompt, precise, professional
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Chinese to English, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
24
Yes, you're right ...!
because otherwise it would mean 'if I refused to take part or (refused to) pull out before the end' - when I would have thought the speaker meant that they would not be penalised if they did pull out before the end etc. Does that fit the wider context?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Heathcliff
: HOWEVER! Back-translations are a sort of quality-check on the original translation, and therefore MUST reflect exactly the content of the originally translated text. Here, a Translator's Note would be in order.
21 hrs
|
8 mins
It depends...
...on what the author intended.
In all likelihood, however, you are correct.
In all likelihood, however, you are correct.
+1
50 mins
Yes, from a purist standpoint; no, from the standpoint of spoken French
In order to have a grammatically balanced sentence structure, it would be right to repeat the same type of subordinate in the second clause. (Only, in French, you don't repeat 'si' in this case, but replace it by 'ou que je m'en retire avant la fin.)
What the original translator did, however, is quite often done in spoken French and is always understood to mean the same thing. It is completely understandable, but for a legal text not the preferred choice since it is not literally correct.
What the original translator did, however, is quite often done in spoken French and is always understood to mean the same thing. It is completely understandable, but for a legal text not the preferred choice since it is not literally correct.
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