Understanding Regional Dialects in Translation

I’ve been delving into the nuances of regional dialects lately, particularly how they affect translation quality… For example, I recently worked on a project involving Mexican Spanish versus Castilian Spanish, and the subtle differences in vocabulary and idiomatic expressions raised some interesting discussions with my client. How do you all approach these dialectical challenges, and do you have any resources to recommend?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌​‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‌‌​‌​‍​‌​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‍‍​⁠​‍‌​⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Regional dialects can be tricky! I once had to translate a script from Argentine Spanish to Colombian, and I quickly realized that a simple phrase could mean something totally different. It’s like trying to explain cricket to someone who only knows baseball; both are games, but the rules can really throw you off! I’ve learned to always double-check with locals if I’m in doubt.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​⁠​⁠‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‌​⁠​‍‌‍‌‍​⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‌‌‌‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌​‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I totally get your struggle! , I recently dealt with a similar project where I had to translate a marketing campaign from Castilian to Mexican Spanish. I found that just a slight tweak in word choice changed the whole tone.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍‌​‍​‌‍‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌‌​‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‌‍‌‌‍​⁠‌​‌⁠‌‌‍‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​⁠‌​‌​‌⁠‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

When translating between dialects, I’ve found it really helpful to engage with native speakers from the region. It not only clarifies idiomatic expressions but also helps capture the cultural context behind them. In my last project, getting feedback from a Mexican colleague made all the difference in how I approached phrasing.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌‌​‍​⁠‍​​⁠​‌‌​‍‍‌⁠‍‍‌⁠‌‍‌​​‌​‍⁠‌‌‌​​​⁠‍​‌‌‌​‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌