Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Nov 11, 2013:

Thank you, Anthony When the perfect (using the same word as in the original) translation exists, it has been the preferred translation - I have seen this with other people's answers here on Kudoz. So how would I know that I have to use a translation that does not use the same wording? Had I used glucuronation, there would have been numerous objections to the effect that why use glucuronation when the source specifies conjugation. Why would saying it differently but when I use it, objections mount... why would I translate conjugation as glucuronation? just because it's an alternative? Why is the alternative better? There will always be alternatives which are not perfect matches.. Of coure, I cannot force anyone to choose my answer, but how can a perfect match be wrong when I propose it, and be right when others propose it? That's the central question in my mind...

Anthony Green Nov 11, 2013:

Zareh, I don't understand your point I agree with you wholeheartedly that the number of Google hits cannot be the only criterion to use when choosing lexis, but I cannot understand whether you have a specific objection to the two alternative terms proposed - could you explain? I tend to try to make a translation read like an original, which generally but not always, means choosing the more commonly used alternative.

Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Nov 11, 2013:

The outcome of this gives a whole new meaning to "translation". So if I am trying to translate the word "ragazza" in Italian, and if the context makes it clear that "girl" is what is meant, then I check Google and I see that there are 1002 references to "lady" and 1000 references to "girls".. so I accept "lady" as the translation, even though it's clear that what's meant is girl. Reason:? more references to "lady" in a Google search... I guess we can call this "anticipatory translation", it's like political polling to see what decision should a politician make based on what the polling of citizens.. Now I learned..

Anne Schulz Oct 29, 2013:

Of course! I was on the wrong track for glucuronide – it is not what is being conjugated to valproate, but the end product of the conjugation (conjugation of valproate and glucuronic acid yields valproic acid glucuronide). So you are right, mag013 and Anthony Green: glucuronide conjugation is another suitable term.

mag013 Oct 29, 2013:

Not to confuse things but... In addition to the large number of references for glucuronide conjugation, I found both glucuronidation and glucuronide conjugation used interchangeably:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20713656
and hence why I agreed with both.

Joseph Tein (asker) Oct 29, 2013:

I think it's biochemistry ... not organic chemistry (the subject that I'm lacking in). I just found this online: "Metabolism: Liver; glucuronidation, mitochondrial β-oxidation. Elimination: Urine (<3% unchanged); T1/2=9-16 hrs."

This seems like it supports "glucuronidation" as the best answer ... yes?

(see: http://www.pdr.net/drug-summary/depakote-sprinkle-capsules?d... )

Thanks very much to both of you for generously posting your comments and suggestions.

Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Oct 29, 2013:

Thank you, Dr. Schulz. I am not concerned about being wrong. It's just that I remember many situations
where translations like mine have gotten unanimous approval. After all, conjugation is the most appropriate word, in English. But ma be what you are saying is that if the Italian is not using the most appropriate term, then it's better if the English translation did not either.. I can't argue with that. It just that it look to me if in an Italian source it said "ragazza"and from the context it was clear that it means girl, then I would translate it as girl and not - simply to avoid literal translation - lady, for instance.. I do know that you know better.. so I will rest my case... Thank you for your comments and suggestions, Dr. Schulz.

Anne Schulz Oct 29, 2013:

But as for translation, I found in a Google search that you are certainly right: "glucuro-conjugazione" is not really the common Italian technical term, and hence does not have to be translated by the most common English term (or what I take to be the most common English term :-)) <br />Seriously speaking, I do believe that we should not generally use the most direct correspondence. Language use is different in different countries, and the correspondence of a common (say, Italian) term may exist in, say, English, but still be uncommon or awkward for a native reader. (Not in this case, as I said above - no pun intended!)

Anne Schulz Oct 29, 2013:

Glucuronidation = conjugation to glucuronic acid I am not saying, glucuronidation is more familiar to a lay person than conjugation, but rather: both glucuronidation and conjugation bear the association of 'ease of elimination' for him or her who knows that this is the body's means to get rid of metabolic waste. In either case, it is not in the words per se, and hence I could not follow the distinction you made between "conjugation" and "glucuronidation" (I may have misunderstood your comment, though).

Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Oct 29, 2013:

Also, I don't think glucuronidation is any more familiar to non-insiders as conjugation. Also, this is for insiders. It's specialized... for the medical / pharm. profession.

Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Oct 29, 2013:

Sure, it could mean the same thing. But since this is translation, and not providing the meaning, wouldn't it be better to keep as close to source wording if there are no serious negatives to doing that? The source uses conjugation. Should we always change it even if the exact equivalent exists in English? I never thought of the translation process as being an effort to find a different wording even if the exact equivalent exists in English. Is glucurorinidation the same as conjugation or is it one kine of conjugtion? The Italian uses conjugation... I would think.

Anne Schulz Oct 29, 2013:

Zareh, I am afraid, I can't follow you Wouldn't "conjugation" imply ease of elimination only for insiders who know that conjugation is a major metabolic mechanism of the body and can be used to confer e.g. increased water solubility to the metabolites? <br />The same holds true for "glucuronidation" – from my German perspective, anyway, where "Glukuronidierung" is more or less 'the' technical term for this process.

Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Oct 28, 2013:

I was wondering if it's not true that "glucuronidation" while being a type of conjugation... still does not convey its relationship to "ease of elimination", while the word "conjugation" implies such an ease?

Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Oct 28, 2013:

glucuro is neither glucuronic nor glucuronide, explicitly. The first is the one of the acids derived from glucose, the other is the amide. The original does not specif which one...

Zareh Darakjian Ph.D. Oct 28, 2013:

conjugaion of course...