You have nanoseconds to make judgments on the true meaning of what is being said to properly express it into the target language.Īs a professional interpreter, power, reputations, money, and even lives are at stake. Interpreting (oral translation) is a whole different ball game. You have all the time in the world (unless you’re facing a tight deadline!) to ponder the meanings behind words in different languages. It is easier to produce quality with fewer errors while translating than interpreting. There’re multiple ways to fry a translating fish, especially if the original work is rich in literary quality. This is also why, for example, different translators will publish their work on literature already translated: there are multiple translations of the Tale of Genji, Japan’s ancient novel, for example. That is why when you read the words of some of the top translators in the world, it would seem they took their creative liberties too far. An effective translator doesn’t just translate words, but grasps the essence of the text and recreates it into the target language. Take translation, the process of converting written text between languages. An effective translator/interpreter must be aware of these nuances in a plethora of environments that utilizes vernacular and phrases with hidden connotations. Literal translations/interpretations more often than not botch the meaning behind the words. The English sentence “encouraging human relationships in a diverse work environment” would therefore have an entirely different meaning if literally translated into Japanese. In Japanese, “ ningen kankei” is negative: office politics, gossip, friendships betrayed…the stuff that makes life a challenge. In English, “human relationships” has a positive connotation: friendship, romance, family…the stuff that makes life worth living. Translating/interpreting this phrase between Japanese and English is a no brainer, right? Ningen means human, and kankei means relationships.īrilliant. The Japanese language has the exact same phrase: ningen kankei. Why is quality translation and interpretation rare?
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