Tradurre un manuale di istruzioni per l’uso e la manutenzione: contesto, metodologia e applicazione a un caso pratico

This dissertation provides a tool for the professionals approaching the translation of a use and maintenance manual. The dissertation is part of the Language Toolkit: le lingue straniere al servizio dell’internazionalizzazione project born from the collaboration between the Department of Translation and Interpretation (DIT) of the University of Bologna and the Chamber of Commerce of Romagna. The aim of this project is increasing the internationalisation of Emilia Romagna region thanks to the translation and localisation, operated by candidates enrolled in the Department of Interpretation and Translation, of materials that can help companies opening up to the international market. In particular, it starts with the translation in French of a manual containing the instructions for the use of a cultivator supplied by the company Rinieri S.r.l.. In the four chapters of this paper, all the linguistic, syntactic, and stylistic characteristics of a manual are analysed in relation to the approach that a translator must have towards a similar text, trying to provide the most suitable tools for the purpose. This is dealt with from a theoretical and then practical point of view thanks to the contextualisation and examples provided by the manu al examined. In addition, a focus is made on the internationalisation of companies in the Emilia Romagna region, through the analysis of regional export values, and emphasising the importance for companies to adopt an effective language management strategy to support their entrance into the international market. In conclusion, it is defined how, in approaching such a specialised text, a fundamental part is played by the preparation and in depth knowledge of the subject, without which it would not be possible to make the most suitable choices in terminology, style and syntax.