The event takes place on the saint’s day of St Jerome, which is no coincidence, as he is considered to be the patron saint of translators, having been celebrated since his translations of the Bible. He is also known as having contributed to one of the early debates in the field of translation which was that of the merits of a “sense for sense” translation as opposed to a “word for word” translation.
Throughout history, translation has been pivotal in the dissemination of philosophy, culture and important texts and discoveries across borders and continues to be paramount today in areas such as business, literature and science.
Each year, the International Day of Translation brings new themes and has a specific motto which provides an insight into the many facets of the translation industry. This has ranged from bridging cultures to language rights and how this can affect essential human rights. 2016 was the year of Translation and Interpreting: Connecting Worlds which focused on the importance of communication and understanding between speakers of different languages. It highlighted the fact that translators create links for professionals from a huge range of fields across the world and in fact, translation opens up the world for all of us.
Translators carry out a crucial job and are constantly learning and often upskilling to meet demands in an ever evolving industry which does not often fully appreciate the essential work they do. The International Day of Translation seeks to address this and commend all those involved in the field. Although, the mottos each year may change, the fundamental elements that a translator respects remain the same – those of quality and the production of a text which is fit for purpose. However, their job is aided when clients can provide detailed information about their requirements and specifications.
Translation is about bringing people together. If you and your business would like to reach customers in another language, then do not hesitate to contact the team at GoLocalise who can look after all your translation, subtitling and voice-over project needs. We look forward to hearing about your exciting new projects!
