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Strategies for Translating “-ing” Adjectives and Nouns
from English to Spanish

For the purpose of this research, only the patterns containing an -ing form used as a noun or adjective in a noun group were included, that is -ing adjective + noun and noun/adjective + -ing noun. This selection was made for two reasons: first, the high frequency of these two groups (67% of the 268 -ing forms found in the text) and, second, the difficulty of translation involved.

Much of the content of the tractor manual aims, because of its function, at naming and describing objects and processes related to agricultural machinery. Thus nouns play a key role in the language used in the text, both in conjunction with other nouns or together with adjectives. These nominal groups frequently include -ing forms either as modifiers or heads. Thus, -ing adjectives and nouns will be analyzed not as isolated elements but in the context of the nominal group, according to whether they are the modifier (Nominal Group I) or the head (Nominal Group II). Nominal Groups I and II can be further divided, however, with regard to whether the modifier is an epithet or a classifier. The following table represents Group I with its subdivisions a and b:
 
 

NOMINAL GROUP I: -ING ADJECTIVES AS MODIFIERS
 

NOMINAL GROUP I a MODIFIER  +  HEAD   -ING ADJECTIVE EPITHET  +  NOUN e.g., CONVINCING ARGUMENTS

NOMINAL GROUP I b MODIFIER  +  HEAD   -ING ADJECTIVE CLASSIFIER  +  NOUN e.g., LOWERING SPEED

Here is a complete list of Nominal Group I examples from the STEYR 9100 manual:

I a) EPITHET + NOUN

1. CONVINCING ARGUMENTS
2. SCORCHING DAYS
3. SLOPING BONNET (x 2)
4. SLOPING CAB FLOOR
5. UNCOMPROMISING DIRECT DRIVE

Thus a large number of -ing forms acting as modifiers (often called participial adjectives) were identified in the manual, but only 5 out of the 71 examples were epithets, that is, adjectives expressing a characteristic quality. Most of the -ing adjectives were of the classifying type, the function of which is to indicate a subclass of an entity by describing a process associated with it.

Although Group Ia is small, its epithetical -ing adjectives do not all have the same function: convincing, scorching and uncompromising can be categorised according to Collins Cobuild English Grammar (C.C.E.G.) (76-77) as adjectives that refer to a relationship with people, generally describing an effect on their feelings or ideas. Sloping, however, simply describes the form of the noun it qualifies. Yet all Group I a -ing adjectives can be used with a submodifier or adverb, such as "very" or "really"and they can also have comparative and superlative forms. In addition, they can be used either in an attributive or in a predicative position: convincing arguments (attributive) / the arguments are convincing (predicative position).

Group I b -ing adjectives do not function in the same way. C.C.E.G. calls them classifiers and defines them thus: "Classifying adjectives are not used with ordinary submodifiers such as "very" and "rather". However, adjectives used to identify a process can be submodified by adverbs which describe the speed at which the process happens" (77). To take an example from the Group I b list, we can say " a constantly lowering speed." Classifying -ing adjectives often denote a subclass of the noun referent, by indicating a process associated with it: e.g. in Group I b we have monitoring system / cooling system / starting torque. As C.C.E.G. also points out, classifying -ing adjectives are only used attributively. When they are placed after the verb "to be" they are actually part of a continuous tense (77). Thus, if we say "the speed is lowering," lowering has become a present participle and is no longer an adjective.
 
 

NOMINAL GROUP II: -ING NOUNS AS HEADS

In the case of Nominal Group II, where an -ing noun is used as the head of the Nominal Group, it can be modified either by an epithetical adjective or a classifying noun.
 

NOMINAL GROUP II: -ING NOUNS AS HEADS
 

NOMINAL GROUP II a MODIFIER  +  HEAD   EPITHET  +  -ING NOUN e.g., COLD STARTING

NOMINAL GROUP II b MODIFIER  +  HEAD   CLASSIFIER  +  -ING NOUN e.g., AIR DUCTING

The following examples are only a sample list from the STEYR 9100 manual, as the total list is very long (c.200):

 
C.C.E.G. says that -ing nouns are used to refer to an action, activity, or process in a general way. (23), which explains their very high frequency in the tractor operating manual. There is essentially no difference in function between the -ing nouns in Group II a, where they are modified by an adjective, and those in Group II b, which are modified by a noun. For translation purposes, the differences involve the modifier and not the -ing noun head. It should be pointed out that all the adjectives in Group II a are epithets that can be used both attributively and predicatively, thus relating them in function with the -ing adjectives in Group I a and not the classifying -ing adjectives in I b. The modifying nouns in Group II b, however, have a classifying function that links them with the classifying -ing adjectives in I b.

Before proceeding to discuss translation strategies, it is useful for comparative purposes to look at a table presenting both Nominal Groups with their subdivisions:
 

NOMINAL GROUP CLASSIFICATION

NOMINAL GROUP I a   MODIFIER  +  HEAD   -ING ADJECTIVE  +  NOUN convincing scorching   arguments days Modifier function: epithet Syntactic position: atributive & predicative	NOMINAL GROUP II a   MODIFIER  +  HEAD   ADJECTIVE  +  -ING NOUN constant easy   charging shifting Modifier function: epithet Syntactic position: atributive & predicative
NOMINAL GROUP I b   MODIFIER  +  HEAD   -ING ADJECTIVE  +  NOUN monitoring cooling   system system Modifier function: classifier Syntactic position: atributive	NOMINAL GROUP II b   MODIFIER  +  HEAD   NOUN  +  -ING NOUN battery air   charging conditioning Modifier function: classifier Syntactic position: atributive

 
We will now examine what happens when we translate nominal groups of the different types into Spanish. For the sake of brevity, we have chosen only five examples from each section, but they are presented and translated in context for maximum clarity. Group I a -ing adjectives, which can be used attributively and predicatively, can generally be translated into Spanish using an adjective too, although this does not exclude other translations involving other grammatical patterns that may be equally valid:



CONVINCING ARGUMENTS

Translation: argumentos convincentes

Text: "Two armrests, lockable horizontal springing and a swivel facility for easy exit are convincing arguments."

Translation: "Los dos apoyabrazos, la elasticidad horizontal de acople y un mecanismo de giro para una salida fácil son argumentos convincentes"



SCORCHING DAYS

Translation: días muy calurosos

Text: "...the driver keeps a cool head even on scorching days"

Translation: "...el conductor no presenta molestias incluso en días muy calurosos"



SLOPING BONNET & SLOPING CAB FLOOR

Translation: capó inclinado & suelo inclinado de la cabina

Text: "The steeply sloping bonnet allows excellent monitoring of the front mounting space"

Translation: "El capó inclinado permite un excelente monitoreo del espacio delantero de montaje"

Text: "a slightly sloping cab floor and matting with raised edges makes light work of cleaning the cab."

Translation: "el suelo ligeramente inclinado de la cabina con cubrepiso de bordes levantados permite una fácil limpieza de la cabina"



UNCOMPROMISING DIRECT DRIVE

Translation: "Dirección confiable"

Text: As above, title of a section.

With regard to Group I b, however, where the -ing adjective is a classifier and can only be used attributively and not predicatively, it cannot be translated into Spanish using an adjective. In the vast majority of Group I b examples, the -ing adjective describes the function of the noun it modifies, which could be expressed in Spanish with the preposition "para" for purpose, in other words "que sirve para." It is therefore translated using a "de" noun phrase that may include a definite article ( de [ +def. art.] + noun) as in the following:



DRIVING SEAT

Translation: asiento del conductor

Text: "Maximum vision from the driving seat..."

Translation: "Máxima visión desde el asiento del conductor"



PARKING BRAKE

Translation: Freno de mano

Text: (Title of a picture) "Parking brake"

A very small number of examples from the tractor manual, however, do not fit this pattern completely:



WARNING TRIANGLE

Translation: Triángulo señalizador / Triángulo de señalización

Text: "Spacious storage compartment with fixing brackets for first-aid kit and warning triangle"

Translation: "Compartimiento amplio con soportes de fijación para botiquín y triángulo señalizador/de señalización"

AND

WHEEL HOUSING COVERS

Translation: "Tapas de protección / protectoras de las ruedas"

Text: "...wheel housing covers with canceling out-noise absorption inside the structure "

Translation: "...las tapas de protección / protectoras de las ruedas con absorción de sonido por supresión dentro de la estructura..."

In these cases, the translator has a choice. The -ing adjectives wheel housing and warning refer to the function of the covers and the triangle and can be translated with a "de" noun phrase. However, it is also possible to do what we did with Group I a adjectives, that is, translate them into Spanish by using an adjective.

In addition, there is another example in which the function of the -ing adjective cannot be expressed by "para" for purpose:



OVERLOADING ... ERRORS

Translation: errores de sobrecarga

Text: "Overloading ... errors are prevented by modern electronics"

Translation: "La electrónica moderna impide los errores de sobregarga"

In this case, overloading is the result of errors, a process that could be expressed in Spanish using "por efectos de". Despite this difference in meaning, the -ing adjective is still translated into Spanish using a "de" noun phrase.

With regard to the translation of the -ing nouns in Nominal Group II, the adjective + -ing noun pattern in Group II a translates easily into an adjective + noun pattern in Spanish, although, of course, the adjective in Spanish normally follows the noun:



PERFECT LIGHTING

Translation: Iluminación perfecta

Text: "Perfect lighting of the working area"

Translation: "Iluminación perfecta del área de trabajo"



ADJUSTABLE HEATING

Translation: Temperatura regulable

Text: "Steyr 9100 comfort: Adjustable heating and ventilation"

Translation: "Comodidades del Steyr Modelo 9100: Ventilación y temperatura regulables"



VISUAL MONITORING

Translation: Monitoreo visual

Text: "...the inspection window at the rear allows visual monitoring of the lower links coupling points and yoke."

Translation: "...la ventana de inspección en la parte trasera permite el monitoreo visual de la horquilla y las puntas de acople de las conexiones inferiores."



HELICAL GEARING (Gearing: piece or set of apparatus or machinery for a particular purpose)

Translation: "Engranaje helicoidal"

Text: "Helical gearing for low noise and toughness"

Translation: "Engranaje helicoidal que aumenta la resistencia y disminuye el ruido"



EFFICIENT COOLING

Translation: Refrigeración eficiente

Text: "Wet cylinder liners, with three bearings, and directly surrounded by the coolant, guarantee efficient cooling."

Translation: "Las camisas interiores húmedas del cilindro de tres rodamientos y rodeadas directamente por el refrigerante garantizan una refrigeración eficiente"

In Group II b, the classifying noun + -ing noun, also translates into a noun + noun structure in Spanish, although once again because of the nature of Spanish syntax, the two elements are reversed and in this case are linked by a "de" construction. This "de" construction is often, but not always, found in combination with a definite article. A closer look at Nominal Group II b reveals a different relationship between the modifier and head from that in Group I b: instead of expressing purpose, the modifier in II b has a genitive function. Thus, although both I b and II b are translated using "de" noun phrases, the "de" of II b does not express the same idea as "para" but is that of belonging or possession.



BATTERY CHARGING

Translation: Carga de la batería

Text: Picture caption: Battery Charging



AIR DUCTING

Translation: (Con)ducto de aire

Text: "Top-efficiency cool air ducting"

Translation: "Conducto de aire frío de máxima eficiencia"



IMPLEMENT LIFTING

Translation: Elevación del instrumento

Text: "The structural shape and linkage geometry ensure continuous even lifting power of 6,600 kp. This is more than adequate for safe implement lifting."

Translation: "La geometría de acoplamiento y la forma estructural aseguran un poder de levante parejo y continuado de 6.600 kp. Esto es más que adecuado para la elevación segura del instrumento"



LINKAGE POSITIONING

Translation: Posicionamiento del acople

Text: "Uncomplicated linkage positioning"

Translation: "Sencillo posicionamiento del acople"



DIFFERENTIAL LOCKING

Translation: Retén del diferencial

Text: "...and differencial locking by push button control..."

Translation: "...y el retén del diferencial mediante un control de botones..."



CONCLUSIONS

We can draw a number of conclusions from our study of translation patterns of -ing adjectives and nouns in the tractor manual, but first it is useful to summarize the purely grammatical analysis:

-ing forms acting as adjectives can be either epithets or classifiers. Those acting as epithets (Group I a) can have both attributive and predicative positions, whereas those acting as classifiers can only take an attributive position (Group I b).

-ing forms acting as nouns can be modified by epithetical adjectives that can take either a predicative or an attributive position (Group II a) or they can be modified by classifying nouns that can only take an attributive position (Group II b)
How do these grammatical patterns affect translation? Groups I a and II a both include an epithetical adjective that can be used either attributively or predicatively. When translating them from English to Spanish, the same grammatical pattern of adjective + noun (or noun + adjective in Spanish) is used in both languages. This is so, irrespective of whether the adjective is an -ing adjective or not, because the translation depends on the epithetical function: e.g. sloping bonnet > capó inclinado and adjustable heating > temperatura regulable.

Group II b, where an -ing noun is modified by a classifying noun, also translates from two nouns in English into two nouns in Spanish, although once again, because of the rules of Spanish syntax, the order is reversed and the modifying noun must be incorporated into a noun phrase using "de": (noun 1 + noun 2 > noun 2 + de (+ def. art.) + noun 1). This "de" usually has a genitive function e. g. implement lifting > elevación del instrumento.

The most problematic group for translators is I b, because the -ing adjective is a classifier that can only be used attributively. It cannot be translated by an adjective in Spanish but needs to be translated by an adjectival phrase. Despite the fact that this adjectival phrase has the same form as the noun phrase used to translate Group II b (although the use of the definite article is more common in the II b Spanish translations) its function is different. In the I b translations, the "de" does not describe a genitive relationship. Instead, it is a "de" of purpose, expressing the idea "que sirve para": e.g. monitoring system > sistema de monitoreo. If the translator has doubts about whether an adjective is an epithet or a classifier, (s)he can put it into a predicative position and see if it turns into a participle e.g. in "the system is monitoring," monitoring is no longer an adjective; it is now the present participle used in a present continuous form.

It should be noted that in the case of Groups I b and II b, the use of "de" + noun to translate the modifiers into Spanish does not depend on the head, but on the type of modifier in the nominal group. In both cases, whether adjective or noun, the modifier has a classifying function.

One last comment: As objects and processes described in the tractor manual are closely related to the real world of machinery, knowledge of the field is often required to correctly interpret the meaningful relationship between the classifiers and the head noun they modify.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary source
Operating manual for the STEYR 9100 tractor produced by STEYR Landmaschinentechnik AG (Austria).

Secondary sources
Dawning, Angela and Philip Locke. A University Course in English Grammar, Prentice Hall International: Trowbridge, U.K., 1992.

Shaw, Katy. Collins Cobuild English Grammar. Harper Collins: London, 1991.