Portuguese (Brasilian) translation of OST Users Guide - a Review

[Artur Ferreira da Silva]

Hello friends:

Thanks to a kind "sponsor", I have been able to put my eyes on the
Portuguese translation (Brazilian edition) of the OST User's Guide! I have
decided to share with you a "review" of that edition, especially as I have
some VERY GOOD NEWS to all of us, and particularly to Harrison, that may
mitigate the effect of the bad title they have used. In plain text my
review; between [...] some comments on the differences between the two main
"versions" of Portuguese. You may read everything, the review but not the
[comments], the [comments] but not the review...or nothing. (In this last
case, good-bye...). If you want to go directly to the good news read only
points 3 and 4.

1. Beginning with the title, that I have already commented in another post,
it is true that the main title retranslates to English as "Productive
Coffee Break", but a subtitle is included as "Tecnologia do Espaço Aberto".
Not bad. And you are lucky, Harrison, for having that subtitle. Other
Authors had not the same chance in Brazil.

[For instance, "In Search of Excellence" that has been translated
"directly" in all the countries I know except Brazil - giving for instance
"Em busca da Excelência" in Portugal, but has been edited in Brazil as
"Vencendo a Crise" ("Overcoming the Crisis"). (As you probably know,
Portuguese-speaking countries are ALWAYS in some sort of crisis, so
"overcoming the crisis" is a title that sells well - today and tomorrow...)]

["Tecnologia" to translate the T in OST (broad sense of the word) is
acceptable in Brazil. In Portugal I have translated it as "metodologia", as
"tecnologia" has a more limited sense, always involving some sort of machines.]

2. A partially consequence of the last point is that in the book they refer
frequently to «Tecnologia do Espaço Aberto - TEA», and so the abbreviation
"OST" is "translated" in Brazil as "TEA". I would like to hear a Brazilian
pronouncing it, but I suspect it will be pronounced as the word "teia" that
means "network", which is interesting. The equivalent of "Tecnologia do
Espaço Aberto - TEA" would be in Portugal (my version) as follows
«Metodologia do Espaço Aberto ("Open Space Technology - OST")», hence
preserving "OST". In any case we are happy that they have not created the
abbreviation "CBP" for "Coffee Break Produtivo"].

3. But coming to what matters most - this is one of the best translations
into Portuguese I ever red coming from Brazil. The translation of the
principles and law is perfect, as well as the translation of the other OST
terms, and they can be understood in Brazil as well as in Portugal or the
other Portuguese speaking countries. The rhythm ("breathing"?) of the
translation is a very good Portuguese version of Harrison's rhythm in the
original. So, from now on, Brazilians have a good "translation" of all the
OST terminology and a rhythmic "story".

4. And more - but this is probably only important to me and my country, and
maybe to the editor - contrarily to what normally happens with Brazilian
translations, this translation can be read in Portugal at ease.

[Please note that "literary" (or "lettered"?) written Portuguese is very
good in Brazil and very similar to our own "version". The problem is that
"popular" written versions of Portuguese are very different in Portugal and
Brazil . On the other hand, the market place for books is small in both
countries (because of different reasons) and translators are very badly
paid. So we have "popular" translations, normally bad, in both countries -
that are almost incomprehensible in the other country. That doesn't happen
with this translation. Congratulations to the translator and reviewers.]

5. Of course some written "constructions" and even some words are different
but understandable ["abelhões" instead of "abelhas" to translate
"butterflies", "varinha mágica falante" instead of "bastão de falar" to
translate "talking stick" and especially the way they have translated
"breakout sessions" (rooms, etc). As "breakout" has not a direct
translation to Portuguese I have decided to translate some "contextual
equivalent" (like, simultaneous, or meeting, etc). They have translated as
"salas de egresso" -  "egresso" being a word that I have never seen before.
But my Dictionary tells me that in Portugal "egresso" means someone
(normally a priest) that "breakout" from some religious order. The meaning
in Brazil must be different. And, Lisa, you can add this "Brazilian
versions" to your Portuguese glossary, if you want...].

Warm regards to all of you

Artur

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