8. Translation
On many occasions translators face difficult decisions as to what requires translation or further explanation. Many cultural aspects are specific to a given setting and the guidelines below aim to provide support with the issues this can lead to. The intention is not to lay down the law but to provide a point of reference to help you make decisions when you are faced with these complex questions. If your particular issue is not answered in this section, we recommend you use either the Oxford English Dictionary, the Encyclopædia Britannica or one of our university community’s online resources to guide your decision. These resources include the Vives Network of Universities’ Nomenclatura de gestió universitària and other documents published by TERMCAT, and the language guidelines and glossaries published by the different universities in the Network.
8.1 Names
8.1.1 People
Maintain the accents in people’s names (for example, Sílvia). Write out the abbreviations M. and M.ª in full as Maria or María. Respect the way people write their names by preserving their use of capital and small letters and their treatment of articles, prepositions and conjunctions.
Maria De La Rosa
Gemma Puig Davies
Jana Puig i Salas
Oscar López-Díaz
Sander van Veen
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
8.1.2 Public figures
Generally speaking, do not translate the names of public figures. For example, royalty should be referred to in the original language.
King Philip VI
King Felipe VI
King Harold V
King Harald V
However, there are some exceptions. Popes should be referred to by the English equivalent of their papal names. Likewise, transliteration of names in non-Latin scripts can lead to multiple spellings of a single name (notable examples being Gaddafi and Zelenskyy). In this case, choose one variant and maintain it throughout the text.
8.1.3 Historical figures
Only translate the names of famous figures from history when they have a well-established English translation.
Alexander the Great
Catherine of Aragon
Wilfred the Hairy
8.1.4 Place names
When there is a well-established English version of a place name, use it.
Antwerp
the Balearic Islands
Catalonia
Genoa
Moscow
Munich
When there is no well-established English translation, use the name in the local language.
Arezzo
Castelló de la Plana
Girona
When the Catalan place name may not be as familiar to the reader as the Spanish, French or Italian equivalent, you may decide to add this version in brackets after the Catalan name.
Alacant (Alicante)
L’Alguer (Alghero)
Eivissa (Ibiza)
Elx (Elche)
Perpinyà (Perpignan)
Avoid the use of demonyms (words used to describe inhabitants) for towns and cities. Use the inhabitants of Barcelona or the people of Barcelona, rather than Barcelonans. Note that the demonym for Catalonia is Catalan, not Catalonian.
Do not translate addresses, but if they can be made more understandable or easier to read for an English-speaking audience, then do this. For example, transcribe the first letter of lower-case Catalan terms such as avinguda, carrer, carretera, passeig and plaça in upper case for English-speaking audiences (so Carrer de Sant Pau, Avinguda Diagonal, etc.).
Write out the full address rather than using abbreviations (so for pl. de Catalunya, write Plaça de Catalunya).
Floor and door numbers should be expressed in cardinal rather than ordinal numbers (for example, Carrer de Provença, 66, 1, 2).
i) Rivers and lakes
Do not translate the names of rivers and lakes (River Sec and Lake Sant Maurici, not the Dry River or the Saint Maurice Lake, respectively) unless there is a well-established English version (Danube River, Shatsky Lakes).
ii) Seas
Translate the names of seas when there is a well-established English translation. For example, use the Bay of Biscay rather than the Cantabrian Sea (unless you are referring strictly to the southern part of the bay).
iii) Islands
Translate the names of islands when there is a well-established English translation.
Corsica
Sardinia
Sicily
iv) Mountain ranges
Translate the names of mountain ranges when there is a well-established English translation.
the Alps
the Pyrenees
Do not translate them when there is not.
the Picos de Europa
the Serra de Tramuntana
v) Landmarks and buildings
Generally speaking, do not translate the names of landmarks, buildings, rooms and halls. However, there are some exceptions such as the Catalan Parliament building, the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China. Likewise, descriptive translations may be used to make references clearer: for example, the Les Àligues building at the University of Girona or the Camp Nou stadium. In the case of generic names, such as Sala de juntes (in Catalan), we recommend writing Sala de Juntes (boardroom) in English.
8.1.5 Public institutions
Generally speaking, translate the names of public institutions. If the original is required, use it on first mention with a descriptive translation in brackets. Use the translation on subsequent mention. Examples include Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian government) and Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalan police force). Organisations which have an official abbreviated form should be translated but the abbreviated form should be maintained and used on subsequent mention. So, for example, the Real Academia Española (RAE) and the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (DNB) should be translated as the Spanish Royal Academy (RAE) and the German National Library (DNB), respectively. As can be seen above, use lower case for descriptive translations into English, but maintain capitals when you are translating proper names word for word or using established English versions.
8.1.6 Universities
Translate the names of universities, unless otherwise stipulated by the university in question itself. Below is a list of the names of Vives Network universities to be used when writing in English.
Universitat Abat Oliba CEU: Abat Oliba CEU University
Universitat d’Alacant: University of Alacant
Universitat d’Andorra: Universitat d’Andorra
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Universitat de Barcelona: University of Barcelona
Universitat CEU Cardenal Herrera: Cardenal Herrera CEU University
Universitat de Girona: University of Girona
Universitat de les Illes Balears: University of the Balearic Islands
Universitat Internacional de Catalunya: Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Universitat Jaume I: Universitat Jaume I
Universitat de Lleida: University of Lleida
Universitat Miguel Hernández d’Elx: Miguel Hernández University of Elche
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Universitat de Perpinyà Via Domitia: University of Perpignan Via Domitia
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Universitat Politècnica de València: Universitat Politècnica de València
Universitat Pompeu Fabra: Pompeu Fabra University
Universitat Ramon Llull: Ramon Llull University
Universitat Rovira i Virgili: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Universitat de Sàsser: University of Sassari
Universitat de València: University of Valencia
Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya: University of Vic – Central
University of Catalonia
Universities named after a person should include the definite article in running text whether they are translated or not.
The Pompeu Fabra University was founded in 1990.
Admissions at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili have increased for the third year in a row.
The definite article should also be used when the name of a university is expressed as an initialism (see 4.3.1).
The URV is the public university of southern Catalonia.
Come to the Open Day and get to know the UAB!
However, when the name of a university is expressed as an acronym – that is to say, it is pronounced as a word, not as individual letters – the definite article is not required.
UVIC-UCC joined the European Journalism Training Association in October 2023.
8.1.7 Courses and subjects
Translate the names of courses and subjects.
English Studies
Roman Law II
8.1.8 Public lectures
The titles of public lectures should be left in the original language. However, they may be accompanied by a descriptive translation in brackets where deemed appropriate. Do not italicise this descriptive title.
“Educació, aprenentatge i tecnologia a la societat del coneixement” (Education, learning and technology in the knowledge society)
8.1.9 Books, music and art
Translate the names of books and of musical and art works when there is a well-established English version. When there is not, leave the name in the original language. If you provide a translation, make sure you avoid any possible confusion about which version of the work is being referred to.
Casals’s Song of the Birds
Gericault’s The Raft of the Medusa
Holst’s The Planets
Mallo’s Muller con cabra
Miró’s Pla de l’Os
Verdaguer’s A Barcelona (To Barcelona)
8.1.10 Awards
Translate the names of awards. Examples include the Max Theatre Awards or the Catalan government’s Saint George’s Cross. In our institutional context, awards like the Menció de doctorat internacional, the Menció cap a l’Excel·lència and the Premi Extraordinari can be translated, respectively, as International doctoral certification, Pathway to Excellence Award and Special Prize or Extraordinary Prize.
8.1.11 Museums
Generally speaking, translate the names of museums, but refer to them on subsequent mention by their abbreviation if they have one: for example, the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC).
8.1.12 Political parties and unions
Translate the names of political parties and unions in brackets on first mention. Use the original abbreviation, where applicable, on subsequent mention.
the Candidatura d’Unitat Popular (Popular Unity Candidacy, CUP)
Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia, Junts).
the Partido Popular (People’s Party, PP)
the Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (Socialist Party of Catalonia, PSC)
the Unión General de Trabajadores (General Workers’ Union, UGT)
8.1.13 Official gazettes
Translate the names of the governmental journals and gazettes, accompanied by their original abbreviation.
Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia (DOGC)
Official Gazette of the Government of Spain (BOE)
Official Journal of the Government of Valencia (DOCV)
8.1.14 Companies
Do not translate company names, although a descriptive translation in brackets may be deemed useful.
Som Energia (a renewable energies cooperative)
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (a railway vehicle manufacturing company)
8.1.15 Trade fairs and conferences
Translate the names of trade fairs and conferences. That said, if the trade fair or conference is referred to by its original abbreviation, this should be maintained in the translation. For example, CONSTRUMAT (International Construction Exhibition) and simply CONSTRUMAT on subsequent mention.
8.2 Forms of address
Translate common forms of address such as senyor, professora or doctora. Omit any forms of address used with high-ranking officials such as politicians or the heads of universities. Thus, for example, do not include or translate Excel·lentíssima i Magnífica in Excel·lentíssima i Magnífica Rectora unless specifically requested to do so.
8.3 Currencies and measures
Do not translate figures in euros into sterling or US dollars. Likewise, do not translate measures given in metric units into imperial units.
8.4 The word web versus the word internet
The words web and internet are not synonymous. The internet is the infrastructure of connections, whereas the web is the information stored on and transmitted over this network. The web cannot exist without the internet. With this in mind, we recommend translating xarxa as web, unless you are sure that it refers to the internet infrastructure.
8.5 Latin
Avoid the use of Latin terms where there is a perfectly acceptable English equivalent. Examples include a posteriori (acceptable equivalents would be subsequently or in hindsight), a priori (beforehand or in theory), in situ (in the original place, on site) and viva voce (oral examination). For a more complete list, see Appendix III: Latin terms with English equivalents.
8.6 Varieties of English
Be consistent and use a single variety of English. Other things being equal, we recommend standard British English (e.g., centre, colour, defence, etc.). On occasions, however, texts written in British English will include references to programmes, organisations or other concepts that use a different system of spelling (American English, Oxford spelling, etc.). We recommend conserving these different spellings. Thus, the words program in White House Internship Program and organization in International Maritime Organization should not be changed to programme and organisation, respectively.
8.7 Terms that have no established translation
Terms that have no established translation, such as vegueria (proposed territorial division for Catalonia), should be left in the original Catalan with a descriptive translation in brackets on first mention. Other examples include comarca (territorial division between a municipality and province), diputació (provincial government) and protecció civil (civil defence).