Translation (English-French & French-English) Revision Sheet

1. 📌 Essentials

• Translation involves converting text from one language to another while preserving meaning, style, and register.
• Key challenge: balancing literal accuracy with idiomatic expression.
• "On" is an impersonal pronoun often translated as "people," "they," or voice.
• French passé composé typically corresponds to the simple past (preterite) in English.
• French imperfect can translate as past continuous or simple past.
• Stylistic (formal, informal, colloquial) must be maintained.
• Common pitfalls include calques, false friends, tense mismatches, and stylistic shifts.
• Context, tone, and cultural nuances are crucial for accurate translation.
• Tense and aspect shifts are frequent; understanding their function is essential.
• Idiomatic expressions require adaptation, not direct translation.
• Practical exercises include analyzing texts, identifying stylistic nuances, and translating idioms.

2. 🧩 Key Structures & Components