"Odd use of language...WSS" Topic

I realize the Editor hammered Wargames Soldiers and Strategy #45 but I just picked up #46 and just thumbing through it found the following…

I bought it because the WWII battle of Aachen articles looked good and there is a interesting mini campaign, but in the text they refer to American forces as "North Americans", not once but throughout the article. There were no Canadians at Aachen, so even that weak explaination wouldn't explain the use of north americans.

In a related article on a Civil War cavalry raid they make reference to the "War of Secession". Depending on who you talk to there are different names given to that struggle, including the war of Northern agression, which is popular in North Carolina, but I thought in the wargaming world American Civil War was the standard reference.

Finally, at the end of the magazine is a series of reviews of different WWII skirmish rules, under the general headline of "Regulations for Second World War skirmishes"…regulations?

I guess the description of the process of translating from English into Spanish then back to English might account for some of this…

db

Or the author is an un-Reconstructed Southerner.

I suspect that it may be a result of DIY writing in English and/or translation into English by WSS's Spanish-speaking writing staff…

Good Morning from Spain (in other terrible hot day!)

I´m Ivan Notario, a contributor of Spanish WSS. I´m sorry by the traslation, it is a problem in the magazine. It´s very difficult to find any good traslator, that it know history and wargaming.

Editor is looking for a solution, and i think it would improve soon.

Ivan Notario, Boadilla del Monte

"Disparad, pero disparad sin odio" un requeté anonimo, batalla de Belchite, 1937

Many citizens of the USA still refer to the UK as 'England' – commonly used names in one culture aren't always the same as in another.

The term "War of Secession" is also used in French.

Translation has always been a problem and everybody takes a reasonable command of English for granted.

A local store was trying to order from a company in another not-named European country, in English. At some point in the telephone discussion the store owner noticed he was only getting "yes" as an answer. When he started to speak some nonsense, the answer was still "yes", at this point he realised it was a futile gesture and hung up.

Good morning again (33ºC up)

In Spain we have our own Civil War; if I read Civil war I think in (Spanish) Civil War. American Civil War is "Guerra de Secesión" and "Norteamericanos" (North American) are the people who live in USA (we forget Mexicans and Canadians).

My sister in law lives in Leeds (a nice city), I know that it´s very difficult do good traslations in technicals or historical works.

Ivan Notario, Boadilla del Monte

"Disparad, pero disparad sin odio" un requeté anonimo, batalla de Belchite, 1937

I´m afraid that there different (but similar, like a false friend) commonly used names.

Example: When I read "Guerra Peninsular" "Peninsular War" I cannot think in a Napoleonic warfare; in Spain is the Independece War ("Guerra de Independencia").

Don't talk to a Russian about WW2. They call it The Great Patriotic War!

As one steeped in the Lore of the Late Unpleasantness and a former instructor in US History I find the War of Secession much more accurate than the commonly use, even by me, ACW. No foul. I can see North Americans to a non-North American culture so again, no foul. On the whole, I think the WSS translators do a good job and the mag is very attractive. Adelante muchachos!

Shagnasty,

I may, may be willing to give you the War of Secession the use of the term North Americans for United States forces in WWII is wholely inappropriate…I'm being to understand why the teaching of history has collapsed.

db

Ivan de Vargas

---Good morning again (33ºC up)---

35.4C yesterday in Brisbane, Australia, and it is still winter here.

Where I live is usually 1 – 3 degrees hotter.

@I. de V.:

For a while, I was on the writing and editing team for a bilingual publication that entailed writing in either English or French, followed by translation to both.

One key step that you may be missing is a comparative edit, after translation.

Even professional translators can make mistakes, but there is a good chance that, for example, a decent English editor will pick them up and be able to render the text into its intended meaning. Ideally, that editor should also be able to read the original language (in this case, Spanish).

Also, an old rule of thumb about translation is that it tends to be done better by a native user of the target language.

I am OK with some translation issues, as I just think we are remarkably lucky to get a Spanish mag on our shelves.

I wish WSS was less themed and didn't go in for the big historical article, I would much rather have a whole load of actual wargaming articles that go across all periods in what would be a more general magazine.

Being themed, I only pick up the odd one.

Me, I am just pleased that Spain can support our niche hobby with a professional full colour magazine – more than the Americans can manage I believe….

(Ducking for cover now Sir!)