Translation Experience reports from the Unicamp Team
Chapter 1: Our Female Bodies: Sexual Anatomy, Reproduction, and the Menstrual Cycle
Translator: Giulia Mendes Gambassi
The experience of translating the first chapter of Our bodies ourselves was enriching and challenging, and I’ll highlight some points of this activity on this report.
The first aspect of this experience that I would like to bring up is the opportunity to perceive the need for providing this content with wide access for all women, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, or age. That’s why we are intending to make this content available in other formats that not only written, as we have a high percentage of illiteracy and functional illiteracy in our country (https://brazilian.report/society/2017/10/27/brazil-educational-system-illiteracy-stats/). Additionally, even though I had access to a good education system, a significant part of the information that I found in this first chapter was a novelty to me. I’ve learned a lot about my body and my health whilst reading and translating this content. That said, it’s important to emphasize the social relevance of this project, that has been consolidated with a diverse team, always keeping in mind that this translation project is not only about language but also about the female body and all the stereotyped aspects that follow it, gender identities, taboo and social inequality.
The second point that I would like to take on is regarding my subjective experience during the translation process, as I was able to rescue some memories related to my own body, among them some traumatic experiences of my childhood. Once again, then, I highlight the importance of the discussion that this material can bring, considering the taboo that still involves the female body and its sexuality.
Chapter 9: Birth Control
Translator: Louise Hélène Pavan
Translating the 9th chapter of the book Our Bodies, Ourselves was a transforming experience. The book brings up to light important information in an accessible manner and it is filled with reports of experiences that, as a woman, were easy to personally identify with and I can definitely say I saw myself reflected in many of the situations described. The sentiment of belonging to an ample group of women was amplified by the many relationships I established with the other translators of this grand project, which are also predominantly women.
To realize that those many stories, frequently repeated on a daily basis, could be brought to attention and also to see that it was possible to improve the access to information about body care, medical issues and sexual health made me understand the importance of this translating project, especially in Brazil, where the access to a high quality education is often restricted to privileged socioeconomic groups.
The translating process in itself constituted an enriching experience to my formation as translator, for I faced previously unknown issues and involved myself in a collaborative work in which both meanings and vocabulary choices went through many fruitful discussions that allowed me to better comprehend the impact of my work. This process has marked me and will keep doing so, for through the contact with others, the women whose stories are in the book and translators alike, I find myself in a privileged position of transforming and resignifying provided by translation.
It is important to emphasize one translating challenge that presented itself during my experience when translating the chapter “Birth Control”, the dilemma on how to translate the term “health-care provider”, which appeared innumerous times in the text. The linguistic reality of the Portuguese language did not allow us to associate gender neutral articles to nouns and therefore “health-care provider” would be characterized either as a male or female professional. With the intent of dissipating this apparent dichotomy I chose – with the support of my translating partner and the rest of the translating team as a whole – to utilize, whenever possible, a reformulation of the term in which gender neutrality was present, so we opted to translate “health-care provider” as “health professional person”.
That and many other questions came about during the process and certainly will continue to do so as the translation moves forward, but that shows us how rich languages can be and how they reflect identity and political positions. Being so, the choices we made in this new Portuguese version of the book reveal our positioning whilst translators advocating for a cause: the feminism.
Finally, participating on the volunteer translating project of the book Our Bodies, Ourselves was to me a form of resistance. Resistance facing the current challenges which women face day after day; resistance by bringing to society’s attention themes that are considered taboo; resistance by committing to share scientific knowledge.
Translator: Marcella W. Stefanini
The translation of one of the chapters of the book Our Bodies Ourselves was a very enriching experience, especially because it was a teamwork. The possibility of exchanging thoughts and doubts with the group and coming up with solutions together was very significant for me, as a translation student who doesn’t have much practical experience. In addition, this exchange allowed us to reflect on linguistic issues that are only possible through translation, such as the issue of gender, which in English is often not marked, but is so in Portuguese. In this sense, the translation of words like “doctor” and “health care provider” needed to be considered in order to promote gender inclusion.
Related to this, the theme of the book made the translation even more stimulating, since much of the information contained there was unknown to me before I read it. I believe it was very important, as a woman, to learn more about the female body and, in the case of the translated chapter, about the options of contraceptive methods, especially the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Although we study the human body and have sex education classes at school, added to the clarifications on contraception offered by health care professionals, some of the methods presented by the book are little known, since the most common for us are the pill and the condom. In this sense, it is worth highlighting, in relation to the translation process, the need to conduct a more detailed research in order to find the Brazilian translation for the “cervical cap” method, since it is a method that is little used in Brazil and little mentioned in materials on contraceptive methods.
From this small example, I realized the importance of a woman knowing her body and the issues surrounding it (such as contraception), in order to empower herself and be able to make the most appropriate choices based on this knowledge. In relation to contraception, this reveals itself very clearly. Despite the importance of the health care professional to clarify and guide the woman about contraceptive methods, I realize, from my own experience, that there is no discussion about all the methods in order to decide together, woman and professional, the most appropriate method. The discussion is usually centered on a few methods, such as those mentioned, condoms and pills, which are more common, including some others, such as the IUD and the patch. It is possible that the choice of these methods in particular and not others is related to factors such as ease of access, however, I believe it is essential that women have knowledge of the various methods in order to be able to have a more active role in the choices concerning her body. This reflection only became possible for me because of the project, the reading and subsequent translation of the chapter.
Chapter 12 – Unexpected Pregnancy, and
Chapter 25 – Environmental and Occupational Health
Translator: Carlos César da Silva
The experience of translating OBOS was enriching–both by the groupwork and the collective effort of everyone involved in the project and by the importance of the themes at hand. The professors’ initiative to pair up women with men to avoid problematic and/or inadequate statements was very rewarding and soothing considering the sobriety of the texts. Having been a part of the translation of two chapters–one among four people and one in pairs–, I have had a few counterproductive experiences for sharing the responsibility with other people, but everything was solved with much reciprocity and commitment from all of the parties involved.
Chapter 12, translated with a female partner, was the most uncomplicated of the two projects–both by the interpersonal relationship and by the lightness of the chapter’s writing, besides its tough subject. My partner was ever attentive in helping me solve problems regarding the proper vocabulary and also in suggesting reliable sources for the adaptation of data about the United States to the Brazilian context.
Chapter 25, on the other hand, raised many discussions among the group, especially because of the amount of information specific to North American laws about work environment and about the control of toxic substances. For example, the term “pesticides” was the one that we debated on more, considering that in English it is used more generally, whereas in Portuguese it is restricted to poisons against pests that cause infestation in agriculture.
Overall, our biggest problems were the technical difficulties with SmartCat. The tool helped and complicated our workflow in equal parts, but it was a great learning experience that will most likely benefit us later on in the project.
Translator: Carolina Gomes da Costa
The process of translating the book Our Bodies Ourselves was an enriching experience for my academic background: as a translator, a human being, and a woman. With this work I kept in touch with people from the graduate group, in contact with subjects relevant to life and. In addition to that, I developed this voluntary translation work.
I worked on the translation of two chapters, one in pairs and the other in a quartet. The both experiences were different. In chapter 12, Unexpected Pregnancy, my partner and I were able to organize more easily, and the translation process was faster and more efficient. However, the translation of chapter 25, Environmental And Occupational Health, was more complex because it had more people to trade files with and finish the translation. Also, some problems in communication among the group occurred.
The SmartCat tool enabled us to carry out the translation together, using the same translation memory and facilitating the archiving of the project. However, the use of the tool was also a challenge. Some functions and requirements of the program, such as tags and text organization made its use a little difficult, but with the group, we were able to solve problems and have the texts translated and formatted.
The translation raised several questions: doubts about how to proceed at times, how to carry out the translation with such a large group and still maintain the standardization of pronouns, professions, terms, what to add, remove, or adapt in the text. However, the result, so far, has allowed us to proceed with the translation and thus improve our translation processes as a group.
Chapter 24 – Violence Against Women
Translator: Débora Andreza Zacharias
At UNICAMP, I am having the opportunity of translating project Our Bodies, Ourselves to Brazilian Portuguese, which brings me a profound sense of accomplishment, since there is not such a complete book on women’s health in Portuguese with so much information and so many references. The topic I am responsible for is violence against women.
In a country with alarming numbers of violence against women, our responsibility as translators is even broader. Our work details, through the many texts we have translated, legal means for women to defend themselves, raising awareness of the fact that all women have a right to be protected. Official data and reports indicate that sharing with women defense mechanisms and means of filing complaints against violence has become an urgent matter.
To make this project relevant to all women and to give them a voice, we need to reveal the cultural identity of each country, including characteristics that are part of women’s realities in different locations and detailing public policies. This approach will give them access to instruments to protect themselves and also to allow them a chance to reflect upon their realities.
This project is also an exercise in translation. When we translate, we must consider the cultural identity of the women we are talking to, the means of reaching them, which information they need to have safer and more conscient lives. Each translation choice is also a political choice, inspired by reflections on the topics covered in the book: life and women’s bodies, women’s lives. Translating is not just replacing words in one language by words in another language. Translating is taking over a political position, especially in a voluntary project destined to promote ideas that can transform and improve people’s lives.
Translator: Gislaine Cristina Assumpção
My experience as one of the translators of the book Our Bodies Ourselves has been very important to me in several aspects. It was the first time I participated in a group translation project and this practice of translating and proofreading with multiple people was enriching with regard to my academic and professional experiences. I have been even more sure that the act of translating is always subjective, because, although it was a group work using a CAT tool, the Smartcat, the translation choices are always personal and cross a path of reflections before they become definitive.
I have found some difficulties in terms of terminology, for example in the paragraph that deals with “Gray Rape”. This expression refers, according to Laura Stepp, author of the article “A New Kind of Date Rape”, to a type of violation that occurs due to a lack of clear communication between the victim and the aggressor, and in contexts of meetings and casual sex, in which signs might not be understood, or alcohol may be involved etc. The decision for the translation “Estupro Cinza”, although not used in Brazil, was due to the proximity of the use of the color gray to indicate lack of clarity, cloudiness, also in the Portuguese language. In addition, I came across other small issues that were clarified during our discussions every week at the university.
Concerning the title of the chapter, “Violence Against Women”, and the subject that it develops over the pages, I confess that I was very uncomfortable when I started to read, and then translate. As a woman, I felt like the text was a little bit mine, too. I put myself in the place of those women who gave their testimonies, who reported the difficult situations they went through and I got emotional at several times. Like most women, raised in a macho society, I had no idea that sexual violence is not just about forced penetration. It’s much more than that.
Anyway, I have learned a lot and I could verify that translators inevitably get involved with what they translate and certainly leave a mark of their historicity in their writing, since every discourse is subjective and presents a profound participation of those who produce it.
Translator: Juliana Aparecida Gimenes
Being part of the translation project Our bodies, Ourselves into Brazilian Portuguese has been a great experience in terms of personal and academic achievements. I would like to highlight the social, political and cultural necessity of this kind of translation we are doing here.
I think it is important to say that this has been the first time I am, personally, translating a huge project like this one, which involves many people from different countries. There is no doubt that the OBOS book is very important for citizenship consciousness, and we know, unfortunately, that many women around the world do not have access to quality information about health, rights, and ways to live a decent life presented in these texts.
My work group [Débora, Eduardo and Gislaine] and I have been translating Chapter 24: Violence Against Women, a very sensitive and delicate issue. There are hard extracts, not because of English language (expressions, vocabulary, grammar), but because of the context and the tone of the women reports. There are reports about physical and psychological mistreatment from young girls to elder women. It is hard to translate such narratives and to be indifferent to those situations.
My general perception is that the reading and translating was an easy process, mainly due to the fact the book is written in a simple and clear English, because the objective is to reach as many women as possible, and language cannot be an obstacle. On the other hand, what may occupy us for a longer time in researches and adaptations are the law contexts that are very different from the United States to Brazil.