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Subject:Re[2]: "Technical Writer" en Espanol From:"Everman, Daniel" <evermad -at- TTC -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 16 May 1995 17:08:50 EST
Explanations don't always work even in English, though, as I learned when I
tried to describe my job to 11-yr-old niece. She wrote me later wanting to
know why she couldn't find my books in the computer section at the bookstore.
And I thought I had explained myself very well!
Dan
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: "Technical Writer" en Espanol
Author: Sandra De Quesada <Sandra -dot- T -dot- Dequesada -at- HEALTHPARTNERS -dot- COM> at INTERNET
Date: 5/16/95 4:52 PM
Susan Gerhart wrote:
>My drafter says this phrase would be
>meaningless to most listeners. This is probably further complicated
>by the
>fact the occupation of technical writer is extremely rare if not
>non-existant in SA. Perhaps one should just say they are a writer,
>or work
>with computers, or whatever to generally describe the industry in
>which they work.
I described what I do to my in-laws in Mexico by telling them I was a
writer. I told them I write the books that explain how to use the
computers where I work. I also write other stuff. From English, it
translates into 'technical writer'. In other words, I described it
instead of using a title. It went something like the following
(please forgive the lack of appropriate punctuation):
Soy escritora. Yo escribo los libros que se explican como usar las
computadoras donde trabajo. Tambien escribo otras cosas. Se traduce
de Ingles a 'escritora tecnica'.
They understand what I do because they use computers and have used
the manuals before. [As an aside, a lot of people don't understand
what they (my in-laws) do when they say they are impresarios.]
Don't worry about it anyway. If you get stopped by cops, they'll
probably want cash (una mordida) more than information about your
job.
