Chapter Five
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(‘balloon interest’) as a high interest rate, which is correct. However, the
English metaphor balloon interest applies to ‘serial bonds that mature at
regular intervals over the bond life’, and this specific and restrictive
feature cannot be inferred in the Spanish calque. As a thorough review of
many texts that include Spanish calque metaphor shows, interés globo
seems to apply to any kind of banking loan. Consequently, the English
hyponym has been transformed into a Spanish hyperonym here.
Calques seem to be a safe way to preserve the original meanings, so
those who resort to them feel that, by using them, they are complying with
the semantic and linguistic meanings of the original form. However, as we
have seen in the previous examples, calques can be wrongly or partially
interpreted by translators who are not professionals or who are not able to
grasp the full meanings and nuances of certain source language metaphors.
Furthermore, literal translations can also be dangerous because, in general,
words do not always replicate in other languages. Very often, words
include shades of meanings which are exclusive to the source language
and do not exist in ad hoc target language calques, and vice versa. In
conclusion, in my opinion, calques are neither a definite nor a safe way to
transfer the correct inferences from one language to another, as accuracy is
not always guaranteed.
- Translate metaphors using one’s expertise (i.e. financial specialist
knowledge) and knowledge of the target language and culture:
x It is difficult to be “short” when everybody else is “long”.
Qué difícil es ir “en corto (descubierto)” cuando todo el mundo va “(en)
largo”.
x “Bear raiders” beware the “Bull Dozer”.
[1] “Especuladores bajistas” cuidaos de la “apisonadora compradora del
‘bulldozer’ comprador”.
[2] “Especuladores oportunistas” guardaos de los “inversores gallitos”.This last approach offers – in my opinion – the best results of the three
strategies addressed in this section, as the translations proposed manage to
combine sound renderings with expert financial knowledge. As pointed
out in the previous section, I consider it a crucial factor that specialist
translators should have a good knowledge of the field translated. They
should be interested not only in learning it thoroughly, but also in keeping
an eye on the new terms that appear, practically every day, in this
extraordinarily dynamic professional area.
The first example above could be interpreted literally as referring to the
height of a human being and the “misfortune” of being small, with all its