Dear Language Friend, We hope 2011 has been fruitful so far and that we will work with you in the near future! In the following newsletter we discuss interpreting text during translation and the potential danger that has brought about throughout history. There are no two languages that are so similar to one another that it is possible to do a word-for-word translation. Because of that, no translation software can translate a complex text accurately and in the appropriate style. Think of all the difficulties that may arise when a text has to be adapted to a foreign culture. Considering this, a quality translation needs to be the product of human intelligence. Translators do not just have to have expert linguistic knowledge; they also need to have broad social and cultural backgrounds. This experience very often strongly influences the interpretation of the text. Please read on to see that this interpretation bears potential danger when controversial topics are concerned. Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann. Thanks for reading. Violence Against Translators Over The Centuries Are translators considered an endangered species? They have been persecuted, tortured and even killed over the history of translation. But what makes translating such a dangerous profession? The answer is obvious. It is the age-old dilemma every translator is confronted with: should (s)he deliver a literal translation that is very close to the original, which might not sound natural, or should (s)he submit a free translation, which sounds nice from an aesthetic point of view but deviates somewhat from the original. The French philosopher Voltaire compared translations to women, advising that they are either beautiful or...
Dear Language Friend, Brrr, it is getting cold in B.C.!!! Winter is coming and it’s getting dark very early these days… So what’s better than sitting down at the fire with a nice hot drink and a good book?! Enjoy your reading and remember: very often a translator has had his or her share in making your reading pleasureable… In this newsletter we have a look at the U.S. translation market and invite you to follow us into the world of fiction… Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann. Thanks for reading. Dwindling Translations in the U.S.: Why Many Foreign Authors Do Not Find their Way into the American Market Hardly any Translations of Foreign Works in the United States Are the United States regressing into cultural isolation? This is what American writers and linguists are afraid of, with hardly any translations from foreign authors being published in the U.S. According to the former Nobel Prize winner, Portuguese Jose Saramago “world literature is made by translators”. However, only 3% of the books that appear in the United States are translations from foreign languages. This figure also includes non-fiction books. Overall 340 foreign fiction books are published by American publishing companies every year: an appallingly low number! It was as far back as the Cold War when the last boom of published translations in America occurred, with the public wanting to understand issues beyond the Iron Curtain. Nowadays critics such as the famous Spanish translator Edith Grossman, speak of a “linguistic apartheid” in the U.S., while others such as the British author Tim Parks consider the lack of translations to be...
Dear Language Friend, Recently a friend asked me, “You don’t want to come home for Christmas?’’ My answer was that I would love to but a flight from Canada to Europe for a short stay in Germany over the holidays is just too expensive. How could she know how much I miss the Vorweihnachtszeit, the time before Christmas, in Germany? We have so many nice traditions, ranging from A, Adventskranz (Advent wreath) to Z, Zimtsterne (Cinnamon biscuits). This year, though, it is time to broaden my horizons and explore Christmas traditions all over the world. This is the focus for our December newsletter. Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann. Thanks for reading. Christmas Traditions all over the World Advent in Germany: A Time for Contemplation and Celebration On the last Sunday in November, four weeks before Christmas, the first Advent is celebrated in Germany. This day introduces the Adventszeit, the holy time before Christmas. Advent means arrival and refers to the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve. On the first Advent we light the first candle of our Adventskranz, the Advent wreath, which contains four candles in total. Each week one more candle is lit; so that on the last Sunday before Christmas all four candles burn. On Christmas Eve, it is the Christkind, not Santa Claus, who brings the presents for children and adults in Germany. This is why the most famous of all the German Christmas markets in Nürnberg is called Christkindelmarkt. By the way, there are more than 2,500 Christmas markets all over Germany and by now they can be found all over the world, even...
Introduction One of the most difficult challenges translators face in their work is translating idioms.These are figurative expressions that have developed over time, and often, are specific to a language, or a certain dialect of a language.They can be words or short phrases that make perfect sense to some, but are easily misunderstood by anyone not overly familiar with that particular dialect. Idioms are said to be a part of culture, not language, because they reflect more the lifestyle and customs of people, rather than the way those people communicate. Contributed by Cecilia Rose. Thanks for reading. Popular Idioms Here are some examples of popular English idioms that would be hard to translate: A piece of cake – something easy to accomplish. “I was worried about passing the English exam, but it was a piece of cake!” Cake is often used to symbolize leisure and privilege, as in this other example: Icing on the cake – an added bonus. “I knew I did well on the exam but getting an A+ was the icing on the cake.” Cold turkey – to quit something suddenly, typically a bad habit, or drug addiction. “He’s not the kind of person who can just slow down, he has to quit drinking cold turkey.” It is commonly thought that this idiom comes from the goose bumps that form on an addict’s skin during a withdrawal. Others, however, believe it derives from the phrase ‘talk turkey’, which means to state something in a plain manner. To cry wolf – to lie, pretend or fake something for no good reason. “That’s what he gets for...
Dear Language Friend, Bilingual upbringing will help – not prevent – learning. Early exposure to more than one language makes language acquisition in later life easier. Rest assured that LingoStar will advise you what to do to turn your children into little language experts. Contributed by Doris Anne Heidemann Thanks for reading! What is meant by the bilingual upbringing of children? Raising your children to speak and understand two languages is known as bilingual upbringing. Ideally, parents should be native speakers so that the child will get a native speaker’s command of both languages. In a wider sense, though, bilingual upbringing can include bilingual parenting in a foreign language if one or both of the parents are not native speakers. In any case, it is rare that children become completely equilingual, or a native speaker in both languages. This newsletter focuses on bilingual upbringing of children by both native and non-native speakers. This is not as extraordinary as it might seem to many of us in the Western world. For example, in many African countries, bilingualism or even multilingualism is very common. How does one introduce and maintain bilingualism in the family? There are many different methods, however two of the most important ones are the OPOL approach, which stands for One Person One Language, and the Time or Place Oriented Method, which means that the whole family uses one particular language in a particular place or at a particular time. In either case, the proficiency the children acquire will highly depend on the language skills of the parents and other relatives. But why should a...
Dear Language Friend, Summer is now in full gear and we hope you are enjoying it as much as we are. Last month, we delved into the depths of sayings and phrases from around the world. This time around, we are covering a frequently asked question in our industry: what is the difference between translation and interpretation? Contributed by Chiao Samsenesena. Thanks for reading. Aren’t they all translators? Many people are confused about the difference between translation and interpretation, but it is actually quite simple to explain: Translation means taking written material from a “source language” and rewriting it in a “target language”. Usually, a translator only translates into his or her native language. Writing skills and perfectionism are to be expected from a good translator. Interpretation, however, consists of listening to an oral speech in the source language and delivering it in the target language. Speaking skills, good concentration and an exceptional memory are essential qualities for an interpreter! Even though they require different skills and aptitudes, translation and interpretation are strongly related. Below are a few characteristics that apply equally to both translators and interpreters. A common love of language First of all, both are perfect jobs for those who love languages. Being a translator or an interpreter requires thorough knowledge of at least 2 languages. It is essential to master both languages so that the target text or speech sounds natural, as if it were not a translation/interpretation at all. In order to do so, translators and interpreters must have a sharp understanding of the cultures they deal with and be able to communicate...
