Dangers In German to English Translation

Practically everyone who has ever worked as a professional translator knows that English and German share many similarities when it comes to vocabulary. New German Translation workers become acutely aware that this can be a benefit and drawback.

Many Anglophones learning in German translation studies should be aware of this fact. However, new German translation graduates often plunge ahead without fully understanding that words can be deceptive. “False friends” are false cognates that actually have nothing in common with what one would expect. The translation profession regularly deals with the challenge of avoiding falling prey to false cognates. As stated before, these words look like a familiar word but actually have nothing in common with it. The inaccurate use of “false friends” can ruin a translation and leave the translator open to liability problems.

False cognates are prevalent in German and English because the two languages are both Germanic languages. German and English linguists will tell you that the two languages share many words that sound and appear alike. Brother / Bruder, auto / Auto, house / Haus, glass / Glas, etc. are just a few examples of the numerous true cognates that exist between the two languages. Many such true cognates exist between the German and English languages, and these should be differentiated from the many false cognates between the two languages.

It makes no difference which direction you are translating – English to German or German to English – the process of completing a translation is much easier and faster if the source document contains true cognates. However, false cognates can present stumbling blocks regardless of whether you are translating from German to English or from English to German. No matter whether you call them “false friends” or “falsche Freunde,” these false cognates are something that every translation service professional needs to be aware of to avoid producing a flawed translation.

The after (After) effect of the translation act (Akt) is an objective (Objektiv) product. The previous statement illustrates the fact that false cognates can completely change the meaning of a sentence from what is intended. In German, the word “After” is defined as “rectum, the German word “Akt” is defined as “nude” painting, and the German word “Objektiv” is defined as “camera lens”. Medical Translation Services are also full of false friends, such as “Krank”, which really means “ill” or “sick”. And finally, good medical translators know that words like “tasten” mean “to touch” and not “to taste.”

Legal translations have similar pitfalls, as with the German word, “Rat,” which means “advice” or “counsel,” and the German word, “Advokat,” which means “attorney.” Other false cognates common in Legal Translation Services include “Akt,” which, as described above, means “nude,” and “absolvieren,” which means to complete coursework.

And these are only a small number of the long list of false cognates that plague the English and German languages. For example, the word “drogerei” refers to what Anglophones know as a drugstore, but it does not carry medications. It is actually a shop that sells personal items like deodorant, shampoo and candy. Germans know they must go to the Apotheke to get their prescription medications. At the “Apotheke,” you will present the pharmacist with your prescription (Rezept), but don’t ask the cashier for a “Rezept,” because she will think you are asking her for a prescription, not a receipt.In summary, this all just underlines the importance of remaining attentive to the complexities involved in professional translation, with particular attention to ensuring you understand that false cognates can ruin a translation. Inaccurate translation of false friends can and often does result in lawsuits, lost wages and damage to the reputation of the translator, the agency hiring him/her and the person buying the translation.