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grafia

English translation: grafia (see below)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:grafia
English translation:grafia (see below)
Entered by: Sarah Gregg

13:59 Aug 12, 2018
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Other
Italian term or phrase: grafia
I'm wondering whether you might have some suggestions to help me with a particularly "subtle" translation problem. I'm translating an academic article which hinges around the play of words between the Italian "grafia" and "grafica", in other words, writing not so much as a way of transmitting content as rather a collection of signs or graphic symbols. It works well in Italian, but I just can't come up with a translation of "grafia" that would make the same play of words work in English (calligraphy only refers to handwriting, typography only to type, and so on). Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Sarah Gregg
Italy
Local time: 10:22
grafia (see below)
Explanation:
In this type of academic article where the two words in the original language are key, personally, I would only translate the concept the first time as an explanation, maybe writing versus graphics, and thereafter I'd use the author's terms in italics. This is commonplace in many scholarly articles.

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Note added at 1 hr (2018-08-12 15:15:06 GMT)
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In the context you posted in the discussion I definitely would leave grafia and grafica in italics.

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Note added at 23 hrs (2018-08-13 13:17:28 GMT)
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Personally I would not use an English spelling graphy as it should be made clear that the term is the author's and untranslated. One could give one's interpretation or translation in a note. There is no English play on words that makes much sense with graphy and graphics but in italian it holds up so I'd leave it so.
Selected response from:

Lisa Jane
Italy
Local time: 10:22
Grading comment
Thanks to everyone, and sorry for the delay in closing the question, I've been without internet for a few days.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4grafia (see below)
Lisa Jane
3spelling
Barbara Cochran, MFA
3Graphic sign
Marina Della torre


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
spelling


Explanation:
The spelling out of a word by each letter.

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 04:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for the idea Barbara, but the article is actually referring to the GRAPHIC image of the writing, as a collection of signs, not to the actual words or content.

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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Graphic sign


Explanation:
I would translate by explaning the meaning

Marina Della torre
Italy
Local time: 10:22
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
grafia (see below)


Explanation:
In this type of academic article where the two words in the original language are key, personally, I would only translate the concept the first time as an explanation, maybe writing versus graphics, and thereafter I'd use the author's terms in italics. This is commonplace in many scholarly articles.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-08-12 15:15:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In the context you posted in the discussion I definitely would leave grafia and grafica in italics.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2018-08-13 13:17:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Personally I would not use an English spelling graphy as it should be made clear that the term is the author's and untranslated. One could give one's interpretation or translation in a note. There is no English play on words that makes much sense with graphy and graphics but in italian it holds up so I'd leave it so.

Lisa Jane
Italy
Local time: 10:22
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Thanks to everyone, and sorry for the delay in closing the question, I've been without internet for a few days.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Lisa Jane, I'm thinking this may well be the right answer, but given that there are many mentions of "graphics" "graphic design" and "graphic designers", do you think it might be acceptable to use an English spelling of "grafia", which would become "graphy" (in italics)?

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