International Translation Day

  On 24 May 2017, the U.N. General Assembly adopted resolution 71/288 on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.  

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Help cultivate your mindset so that you can become an unstoppable force.

This two-day event by ELIA (the European Language Industry Association) aimed at aspiring and current project managers will equip you with practical skills, introduce you to new approaches, and help cultivate your mindset so that you can become an unstoppable force for your company.

Focus on Project Management 2024 When: November 28-29 Where: Belgrade, Serbia Secure your spot!

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Exploring the pivotal role of humanity in an era dominated by Artificial Intelligence.

The Nordic Translation and Interpretation Forum (NTIF) is a yearly translation industry conference organized in different Nordic and Baltic cities. The aim is to gather translation companies from the Nordics and Baltic interested in topics on regional matters, trends, tenders, vendor management, and technology. This year's forum will delve deep into the theme of "Human Relevance," exploring the pivotal role of humanity in an era dominated by Artificial Intelligence.

While AI excels in automation, it falls short in capturing the essence of human connection, the spontaneity of inspiration, and the nuanced guidance of emotional intelligence. Thus, it is imperative to underscore the enduring significance of human contributions. Now, more than ever, we must champion the unique value that humans bring to the table.

NTIF – Nordic Translation & Interpretation Forum When: November 18-20 Where: Malmö, Sweden

Find out more here!

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Language Transfer in Audiovisual Media.

After a surge of audiovisual content on streaming platforms during the pandemic, followed by content owners‘ cutting back on spending, some of the longest Hollywood strikes the industry has witnessed, new media landscapes are emerging. During the 15th International Conference and Exhibition on Language Transfer in Audiovisual Media, attendees and speakers will explore new and existing industry practices, discuss cutting-edge developments and innovations, and hear about pioneering research. The Languages & The Media Conference 2024 is your platform to be part of this transformative dialogue; a nexus for thought leaders, content owners, language service providers, technology developers, educators, researchers, and language professionals, shaping the future of media localization. 

15th International Conference and Exhibition on Language Transfer in Audiovisual Media November 13 – 15, 2024 New York Palace Budapest Hotel, Budapest, Hungary Register here!

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Promote a diversified and sustainable market for professional translators in Europe and beyond.

Launched in 2014 as part of the Translating Europe project, the Translating Europe Forum (or TEF for short) has been serving as a meeting platform for diverse stakeholders across the colorful landscape of the language industry. Some 500 representatives of language service providers, professional associations, freelancers, academia and students, language technology companies, translation services of various European, national and international organizations meet every autumn in Brussels to discuss the most burning topics and issues, and  to work together on ensuring a future-proof thriving sector for all the parties involved.  A safe place for exchanging good practices and developing common projects, TEF promotes a diversified and sustainable market for professional translators in Europe and beyond.

Translating Europe Forum 2024 When: November 6-8 Where: Brussels, Belgium More information here!

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Discover ways to enhance your skills and grow your business.

Attracting translators, interpreters, and company owners from over 50 countries, the ATA Annual Conference offers four days of nonstop learning and networking. No matter what your language, specialty, or experience level: at this year’s conference, you'll discover ways to enhance your skills and grow your business.

American Translators Association (ATA) 65th Annual Conference. When: October 30 - November 2 Where: Portland, USA Join the conference here!

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AI Ethics in Global Context.

Artificial Intelligence is all the rage, and in many ways people in the localization community have long had a head start in understanding its potential, watching for decades as automated translation tools steadily improved. As such, people in this profession are perhaps particularly well-suited to understand so many of the harms and risks associated with AI. In the same way that a bad translation in a critical application could cause serious consequences, an error on the part of an AI system operating in a high risk domain such as transportation or health care could be costly or even deadly. AI biases also can be incredibly damaging, which is particularly evident in areas where AI systems are used to make highly consequential decisions like ranking job candidates, scoring credit applications, or advertising housing opportunities. Biases can also be damaging in the representational sphere — where text, images, audio, and video produced by AI can reproduce damaging cultural stereotypes or produce anachronistic errors by overcompensating, as was the case with Google Gemini’s images of racially diverse Nazis. This talk explores the ethical problems associated with AI and suggests some tools that localization professionals can use to avoid them.

When: October 28-30 Where: Monterey, USA

It's one of the most discussed topics right now, coming to us in several variations: artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI (GenAI), augmented intelligence (another AI), and more.

But how do you see our industry going forward with this in our world? Is it a challenge? An opportunity? Both? As part of LocWorld52, speakers and attendees will try to answer those questions, since this year's conference is themed AI and Beyond".

Discover All the Speakers at LocWorld52. 3 Days, 40+ Sessions, 50+ Speakers, Exhibits, Networking & More. Event SPONSORED BY: LanguageLine Solutions Register Now as Attendee Or become a LocWorld: Sponsor or Exhibitor.

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Workshop on Cultural and linguistic diversity in the era of digitalization and emerging technologies.

Workshop: Cultural and linguistic diversity in the era of digitalization and emerging technologies

Cross-perspectives on the challenges of cultural and linguistic diversity in the context of developing a new roadmap for digital cooperation

Cross-perspectives on the challenges of cultural and linguistic diversity in the context of developing a new roadmap for digital cooperation.

The digital transition represents a tremendous opportunity to bring people from all over the world together. Thanks to technological innovations, the flow of data, content and information generated by a wide variety of users is constantly increasing, paradoxically accelerating a process of standardization in the virtual world that impoverishes the linguistic and cultural richness of the real world. The unique characteristics of societies tend to erode as borders are reshaped by the digital transformation.

Objectives:

Raise awareness of the risks and opportunities of digital technologies on cultural and linguistic diversity;

Explore operational solutions to eliminate all obstacles, including linguistic and cultural ones, to achieve inclusive digital transition;

Identify relevant objectives, commitments, and actions for a Global Digital Compact to promote, protect, and preserve multilingualism and cultural diversity in the digital world, in the framework of the ongoing negotiating sessions of the Global Digital Compact.

Documents: Concept note.

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Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace.

Raise awareness among Member States of the concept and importance of Universal Acceptance and inform Member States on the collaboration between ICANN and UNESCO.

Universal Acceptance (UA) is a fundamental principle in digital communication and internet technology that advocates for equal recognition and seamless administration of domain names and email addresses across diverse platforms and services, regardless of script, language, or character set and promotes cultural and linguistic diversity in online interactions. 

The UNESCO 2003 Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace emphasizes the importance of multilingualism and universal access to cyberspace. It calls for equitable and affordable access to digital resources while preserving cultural and language diversity. The recommendation requests Member States to “promote appropriate partnerships in the management of domain names, including multilingual domain names”, and remove barriers to access and promote inclusivity. The Consolidated Report on the implementation by member states of the 2003 Recommendation (42 C/39) emphasizes “the renewed concern for Universal Acceptance as a vehicle to build an inclusive, connected and equitable digital world.” 

The purpose of the meeting is to raise awareness among Member States of the concept and importance of Universal Acceptance and its role in achieving the goals set out in the 2003 Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace. And, to inform Member States on the collaboration between ICANN and UNESCO and how best can they benefit from this synergy to implement Universal Acceptance in their countries, create digital content in indigenous languages, alongside assistance in developing and adapting technologies to enhance multilingualism on the internet.

Information Meeting on Universal Acceptance.

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What use the Humanities without humans: the value of human interpreting and human translation in a fragile world?

Join us for a panel discussion on the topic of "What use the Humanities without humans: the value of human interpreting and human translation in a fragile world?" with panelists James Phillips (WIPO), Urtzi Urrutikoetxea (PEN) and Miquel Cabal Guarro (AELC, CEATL).

View the flyer or register your attendance now.

International Translation Day Webinar -2 October 2023, 2pm CET

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A tribute to professional translators around the world.

We are more useful than ever in our global world, but we have become invisible. Gone are the days when our names were featured prominently on our translations. It seems that good habits acquired over many centuries are now lost.

With few exceptions, our names are mostly forgotten on the books, articles, web pages, news, movies, videos, mobile apps and games whose translations required hours, weeks or months of our hard work.

When our names are present, they are in fine print above or under the copyright notice at the very bottom of a page nobody will ever read, or they are mentioned at the last second of a movie or a video.

We rarely share the limelight with authors, let alone the cover and the title page of their translated books, whereas these authors and their publishers would not have all these new readers — and this new market — without our patient labour carried out day after day.

Some authors and publishers are interested in us, others not at all. Few authors invite us when they launch their books in a foreign language. And most publishers seem to think of us as a minor genre.

Despite being more useful than ever on our multilingual and multicultural planet, our working conditions have worsened. Most of the time, we work remotely, with precarious employment, difficult working conditions and plummeting fees.

The internet and digital technologies have their good sides of course — I think for example of the fantastic encyclopedia that is the web — but also their bad sides.

Translation services are now offered by language service companies that act as an intermediary between clients and freelance translators while taking a significant percentage of our earnings.

Instead of hiring in-house translators as was the case in the past, multinational companies now hire project managers who manage a team of freelance translators while also taking a significant percentage of our earnings.

Volunteer translations — including crowdfunded translations — are actively promoted by large organisations that have the necessary funds to hire many professionals, but no professional translators.

Do we ask an electrician or a plumber to work as an unpaid volunteer? No. When you are a translator, you are called upon ten times a day to contribute to a better world. A better world for whom? I often volunteer in a team of volunteers for causes that are dear to me. But to be a volunteer in a team of employees? No. In this case, all work deserves pay.

Being bilingual is a great asset, but is not enough to be a good translator. To be a translator is a profession and requires a thorough knowledge of the subject matter. Many of our colleagues fought during decades for translators to have a professional status and to receive professional training.

Translation is a bridge between languages ​​and cultures. Let us imagine for a moment a bookstore or a library in which all the translated works have disappeared. And a web where all the translated pages are erased. And movie theatres without foreign films. And the academic and scientific literature without translated articles. And this is also true for mangas, mobile apps, video games and many more cultural goods.

We — translators around the world — are full-fledged professionals contributing to knowledge, science, culture and leisure, on the same level as authors, illustrators, journalists, film makers, researchers, educators, artists and other creators. We deserve to see our names on our translations.

We do not want to be reduced to the human extension of computer-assisted translation or machine translation, although we recognise that such software is useful. We have been promised a 100% reliable machine translation since the 1950s, but this is still not the case in 2020. Human translators are still useful. Artificial intelligence does not replace human intelligence for many translations.

In a world where we no longer know if a translator is a human being or a software, we want to be recognised as qualified professionals and even as artists, not only for our precarious life, but also for the craft, dedication and passion we put into our work.

What can we do to be recognised in our society? A friend of mine suggests to write down the translators’ names for one year as a tribute to their work. It is a good idea. And the duration can be variable: for one month, for one week, or even for one day. A full day in a whole country or a whole region would be a good start.

Marie Lebert

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Translation unveils the many faces of humanity.

To honour the International Translation Day 2023, on September 30th we wish to recognise the important role that Translation plays in our lives, and celebrate our shared humanity. Translators and Interpreters contributes to the global, cultural existence; so let’s unveil the role of translation in all its facets. United Nations International Translation Day; 30 September

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In antiquity.

Biography of translators of the Antiquity.

Kumārajīva (344-413), a Buddhist monk from the Kingdom of Kucha (now in China), translated a number of Buddhist texts from Sanskrit to Chinese. His smooth translation style focused on conveying the meaning as opposed to precise literal rendering. His translations were influential for the development of Chinese Buddhism.

More than three centuries later, Amoghavajra (705-774), a Buddhist monk born in India and living in China, travelled to gather Buddhist texts in Sri Lanka, Indochina and India, and returned to China with 500 manuscripts. After translating them into Chinese, he became one of the most politically powerful Buddhist monks in Chinese history.

In the Christian world, theologian Jerome of Stridon (347-420) translated the Bible into Latin from the original texts in Hebrew, and not from the Septuagint, the Bible translated into Greek a few centuries before. Known ast the Vulgate, the new Latin translation became the first printed book as the “Gutenberg Bible” ten centuries later.

Mesrop Machtots (362-440), an Armenian scholar, invented the Armenian alphabet and translated the Bible into Armenian with his colleague Isaac of Armenia (354-439). They also translated major Greek and Syriac works with other Armenian scholars. These translations strengthened both the Armenian language and Armenia’s national unity despite a country divided between the Byzantine Empire and Persia.

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In the Middle Ages.

Biography of translators in the Middle Ages.

Hunayn ibn Ishaq (809-873) and Qusta ibn Luqa (820-912), two Arab physicians, translated many Greek medical works into Arabic, a major task followed by later translators. Their hard work helped to gather in one century the knowledge from Greek medicine to include it into Islamic medicine.

Robert of Ketton (1110-1160), an English theologian, translated the Quran into Latin with his colleague Herman of Carinthia (1100-1154), at the request of Peter the Venerable, abbot of the Abbey of Cluny in France. Their translation allowed a better knowledge of Islam among Christians, and remained the standard Latin edition of the Quran until the 18th century.

Adelard of Bath (1080-1152), John of Seville (1110-1153), Gerard of Cremona (1114-1187) and others settled in Toledo in the Iberian Peninsula (that later became Spain), at the crossroads of the Christian world and the Muslim world. They translated into Latin major Greek and Arab scientific works (medicine, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, natural sciences, mechanics) from the previous centuries. This major undertaking allowed the use of Greek and Arabic scientific knowledge throughout Europe.

Michael Scot (1175-1232), a Scottish philosopher, and William of Moerbeke (1215-1286), a Greek scholar, translated into Latin the works of Greek philosopher Aristotle, at the request of Italian philosopher Thomas Aquinas. They translated Aristotle’s works directly from the Byzantine Greek manuscripts (that were lost later on) and not from their Syriac or Arabic translations. The new translations of Aristotle’s works had a major impact in the medieval world.

John Wycliffe (1320-1384), an English philosopher, translated for the first time the Bible into vernacular English, at his own initiative. English was less used than Latin and French at the time, and his translation contributed to the development of the English language. Later on, theologians William Tyndale (1494-1534) and Myles Coverdale (1488-1569) produced other translations into English, that were widely distributed with the recent invention of the printed press.

Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), an Italian philosopher, translated or supervised the translation of all the works by Greek philosopher Plato, at the request of Greek philosopher Gemistos Plethon and Italian politician Cosimo de Medici, who was the ruler of Florence and the patron of arts and leaning. Plethon’s meeting with Cosimo de Medici led to the foundation of the Platonic Academy in Florence, on the model of the original Platonic Academy in Athens.

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In the 16th century.

Biography of translators of the 16th century.

Erasmus (1466-1536), a Dutch philosopher, produced a new Latin version of the New Testament by collecting several manuscripts of the Vulgate, and by polishing the Latin texts to create a new critical edition. He also synchronised, unified and updated the Greek edition. Erasmus’ New Testament was influential in the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation.

Martin Luther (1483-1546), a German theologian, translated the Bible into German in his later years, from the original texts in Hebrew and Greek and not from the Vulgate in Latin. With the recent invention of the printinged press, the “Luther Bible” became the People’s Book in churches, schools and homes. It also contributed to the development of the German language and the creation of a national identity.

Jakub Wujek (1541-1597), a Polish Jesuit scholar, translated for the first time the Bible into Polish. He translated the Bible from the Vulgate in Latin while referring to the original texts in Hebrew and Greek. The “Jakub Wujek Bible” was the official Polish Bible for four centuries. Like the “Luther Bible” in Germany, it contributed to the development of the Polish language and the creation of a national identity.

Thomas North (1535-1604), an English lawyer, translated Greek philosopher Plutarch’s “Parallel Lives”. His English translation was based on the French translation by Jacques Amyot (1513-1593). Both translations introduced famous Greek and Roman people of antiquity to French and English readers. North’s translation was the main source of Shakespeare’s Roman plays “Julius Caesar”, “Coriolanus” and “Antony and Cleopatra”.

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In the 17th century.

Biography of Translators in the 17th century.

[After being anonymous or signing with a male pseudonym, women translators began signing their translations with their real names.] Anna Hume (1600-1650), a Scottish writer, translated works by Florentine poet Petrarch into English while Lucy Hutchinson (1620-1681), an English poet, translated works by Latin poet Lucretius. John Dryden (1631-1700), an English poet who became the first Poet Laureate of England, translated many works by Roman poets Horace, Juvenal, Ovid, Lucretius and Virgil. These translations introduced major works of Latin classical authors to English readers. Antoine Galland (1646-1715), a French orientalist, was the first European translator of One Thousand and One Nights”, a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. The French edition was then translated into English, German, Italian, Dutch, Russian and Polish. These translations popularised oriental tales in European literature, and influenced nascent Romanticism. Alexander Pope (1688-1744), an English poet, was the first translator of Greek epic poet Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey” into English. His translations were based on the French translations by the French scholar Anne Dacier (1654-1720). These

translations introduced Homer’s epic poems to French and English readers. Anne Dacier also wrote an essay on Pope’s translation of the “Odyssey”, which gained her some fame in England as well.

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In the 18th century.

Biography of the translators of the 18th century.

Giuseppa Barbapiccola (1702-1740), an Italian philosopher, translated French philosopher Descartes’ “Principles of Philosophy”. She demonstrated that Descartes created a philosophy praising the female intellect, and defended the right for women to learn. Her goal was to inspire women to educate and empower themselves. Her translation included a history of women’s learning and a history of philosophy.

Ignacy Krasicki (1735-1801), a Polish poet known as Poland’s La Fontaine (a wellknown French fabulist), translated many works by classical poets (Plutarch, Anacreon, Hesiod, Theocritus) and modern poets (Boileau, Dante, James Macpherson). His translations contributed to the Enlightenment, a cultural, philosophical and literary movement throughout Europe.

Claudine Picardet (1735-1820), a French chemist, translated the scientific literature of her time in chemistry and mineralogy. A female chemist working alongside men was highly unusual at the time. She was proficient in five foreign languages (English, German, Italian, Latin, Swedish), which was highly unusual too. Her translations contributed to the scientific knowledge gathered during the Chemical Revolution, a movement led by French chemist Antoine Lavoisier.

Johann Heinrich Voss (1751-1826), a German poet, produced a 9-volume translation of Shakespeare’s plays with the help of his sons Heinrich and Abraham. Another German translation by August Schlegel (1767-1845), a leader of Jena Romanticism (the first phase of Romanticism in German literature), turned Shakespeare’s plays into German classics. Shakespeare’s plays were then translated into Swedish by the linguist Carl August Hagberg (1810-1864), who was a strong advocate of English and French literature at a time when Swedish universities were dominated by German influences.

Sarah Austin (1793-1867), an English writer, Louise Swanton Belloc (1796-1881), a French writer, Therese Albertine Luise Robinson (1797-1870), a German writer, and Mary Howitt (1799-1888), an English poet, translated a number of contemporary literary works for them to reach a wider audience. Mary Howitt translated into English some novels by Swedish feminist writer Fredrika Bremer while Louise Swanton Belloc translated into French “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by American writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, a novel that described the harsh living conditions of enslaved African-Americans.

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In the 19th century.

Biography of the translators of the 19th century.

Rifa’a al-Tahtawi (1801-1873), an Egyptian writer, translated or supervised the translation of 2,000 European works into Arabic, including military, geography and history books. These translations – and his own works – introduced Enlightenment ideas such as secular authority, political rights and freedom, public interest and public good, and the principles of a modern civilised society. They contributed to the emerging grassroots mobilisation against British colonialism in Egypt.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), an American poet, was the editor of “The Poets and Poetry in Europe”, an 800-page compilation of translated poets, after travelling to Europe (France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, England) while learning languages along the way. He also translated poetical works, including Italian poet Dante’s “Divine Comedy”. In honour of Longfellow’s major role as a translator and editor, Harvard founded the Longfellow Institute to support the study of writings in languages other than English in the United States.

Elizabeth Ashurst (1813-1850), an English radical activist, and Matilda Hays (1820-1897), an English feminist writer, were the first translators of French novelist George Sand’s works. George Sand’s free-love and independent lifestyle was still highly unusual at that time, as well as the political and social issues tackled in her books. Following George Sand’s path, Matilda Hays was eager to improve the condition of women through her own writings.

Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867), a French poet, translated American writer Edgar Allan Poe’s poems and short stories. He claimed that Poe’s tales had long existed in his own imagination but never taken shape. Baudelaire had much in common with Poe, who died in 1849 at age 40. They both struggled with melancholy, depression, illness and poverty. Baudelaire saw in Poe a precursor, and was seen as his French counterpart.

Clémence Royer (1830-1902), a self-taught French scholar, translated English naturalist Charles Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species”, and introduced Darwin’s concept of evolutionary adaptation through natural selection to a French audience.

Despite Darwin’s criticisms on his translator’s lack of knowledge in natural history, and the inaccuracies in her preface and footnotes, the French translation was very popular, with four editions.

At the beginning of the American Civil War, Mary Louise Booth (1831-1899), an American writer, translated the book “Uprising of a Great People” by French antislavery advocate Agénor de Gasparin (just published in France) in a very short time by working twenty hours a day for one week. The American edition was published in a fortnight. After translating other books by French anti-slavery advocates, she received praise and encouragement from American president Abraham Lincoln himself. Senator Charles Sumner stated that her translations had been of more value to the cause “than the Numidian cavalry to Hannibal”.

Yan Fu (1854-1921), a Chinese writer, discovered the works of European thinkers (Montesquieu, Adam Smith, Charles Darwin, Herbert Spencer, John Stuart Mill) after being sent to England as a student to study navigation. He began translating their works during his internship, and continued these translations throughout his life to introduce western ideas in China. He joined the Chinese reform movement, which advocated a society based on a western model, but was disappointed by the behaviour of western nations during World War I.

Eleanor Marx (1855-1898), a socialist activist, translated into English some parts of her father Karl Marx’s “Das Kapital”, the foundational text of Marxism, and edited the English translations of Marx’s lectures for them to be published into books. She then translated French revolutionary socialist Prosper-Olivier Lissagaray’s “History of the Paris Commune of 1871”. She translated literary works too, for example the novel “Madame Bovary” by French writer Gustave Flaubert, and plays by Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen.