Translation has never been as important as it is today. Every government needs to translate policy and business documents. So do companies. You should also not forget media. Much of world’s news flow is based on translation.
At times you wonder what the world would do if there were no translators. Each civilization, each culture, each country would be isolated. There would be no sharing of knowledge, and information.
What is translation
Translation is the rendering of text from one language into another. It enriches culture, improves understanding between nations and takes the written word to new frontiers.
Types of translations
There are three kinds of translations. These are based upon the purpose of translation and the needs of target audience.
Literal translation: The literal translation can be defined as a word for word translation. In this kind of translation, translators do not change the grammatical structure or the lexical form of the source language. Generally, this translation is favoured for translating sacred and authoritative texts, where it is essential to retain the meaning of each and every word.
Idiomatic translation: Idiomatic translations are thought for thought translations. In this form of translation, the translator communicates the meaning of the source text in the target text without being bound by the language structure of the source language. Needless to say, such translations are more liberal. They try to capture the spirit of the source text.
Unduly free or free translation: Free translations, as the name suggests, go beyond the source text. They even add information as is done in the case of news copy. Newsmen amplify meaning to make it easier for their readers or viewers to understand the implications of a news report.
Skills of translators
A translator should possess three key skills. These are:
Skill 1
The translator should have a good understanding of the source language, that is the language whose text is to be translated.
Skill 2
The translator should be well versed in the target language, that is the language in which the text is to be translated. The best translations are those where the target language happens to be the mother tongue of the translator.
Skill 3
The translator should have extensive language of the subject matter. A translator who has no knowledge of engineering cannot do justice when it comes to translating an engineering text.
Kinds of translators
Based on the kind of work they do, translators can be divided into two categories. These are:
Technical translators: The technical translators are those who are employed by governments or companies.
Literary translators: The literary translators are those who are employed by publishing houses or translate texts as freelancers.
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