Goods Containing Water are Aquatic Products!
As I wrote in my last post, I am working on a voluminous translation project about Turkish legislation on EHS. The direction is from English to Turkish, and sometimes, I find it difficult to grasp the meaning of certain sentences, expressions, and terms. And after some back-and-forth, the true meaning occurs to me like an “Aha” insight!
Just a moment ago, I was trying to translate a certain sentence explaininig the aim of Turkish Law No 1380 on Aquatic Products. The sentence reads: [the Law] delineates the water quality standards for goods containing water.” It was like a difficult riddle at first. Simply, I felt that it is incomprehensible or I am lacking something critical.
Ant after a while, it came like a revelation that the expression goods containing water should in fact be aquatic products! Yes, the Law in question regulates the water quality requirements for aquatic products. I now understand that the source document is in fact a translation from Turkish.
That is to say, I am translating a document from English to Turkish which is itself a translation from Turkish to English! A backtranslation! Having noted this funny blooper, now I can return to work.