International Translation Day: Celebrating an Art Worth Protecting International Translation Day is an opportunity to honor the work done by professional translators and language professionals to facilitate conversations, unite nations, and foster peace throughout the globe.
It was officially recognized in 2017, when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution designating September 30 (which coincides with the feast day of Jerome, patron saint of translators, librarians, libraries, archivists, and encyclopedists) International Translation Day.
We’re observing International Translation Day this year by sitting down with three members of our Document Translations team. They’re passionate about what they do, and we’re honored to work with people who care so much about the people we serve.
We hope you enjoy these words from Corissa, Claire, and Julia!
Tell Us About What You Do Here at CLI.
Corissa: I work as a project manager in our Document Translations Department. My job includes sending lots of emails to clients, entering their requests into our system, liaising with our very talented translators, and communicating questions and project updates between translators and clients.
I also draft quotes, review translated files for errors (even in languages I do not read), and make sure our clients are satisfied with our work.
At the end of the day, we, as a department, try to ensure all clients feel taken care of well. We value quality work, timeliness, and impeccable customer service.
What’s Your Favorite Part About Working in Document Translations?
Corissa: My team is my favorite part! I work with a great team of incredible humans, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
I also love working with our clients, because they are easy to work with and it’s fun to build relationships with our returning customers.
What Do You Find Most Fulfilling About Your Work?
Claire: I love seeing the ways that we help people with limited English proficiency access the world around them more fully.
Whether it’s translating medical records, flyers for programs or events, or employee handbooks, we’re helping people understand and participate in their communities, which is really fulfilling.
What’s Something You Wish More People Knew About Translation?
Corissa: The translation process takes longer than people think. Many assume it’s as simple as reading a document and putting the translated words on a page, but translation work is much more involved than that, and it takes time for talented folks to make it happen.
I also wish people knew more about the intricacies of human translation vs. machine translation because, although machines can do many things better/faster/cheaper/more efficiently than humans, translation is not one of them.
What’s Something Interesting You’ve Learned About Translation?
Claire: One thing that I find interesting is the discipline of transcreation.
Translation is used for more straightforward, informative text, but transcreation is used when a piece of art, like a song, poem, or figure of speech, needs to be translated. It’s a creative endeavor that requires the translator to rework and represent the original art without losing its meaning. It’s almost like an art form in itself.
Can You Give an Example of a Time When You Were Able to See the Impact of Our Translation Services?
Julia: Just a few weeks ago, we received a rush request. Projects that must be translated on a tight timeline come to us often, and we are always glad to help. However, this one was rushed for an especially important reason.
The forms were adoption papers being translated from English to Spanish, and we didn’t realize how much they were needed until the requestor followed up to say a mother was in labor, and they needed the papers by the time the baby was born!
Thankfully, the translator sent the project back soon after, and we were able to quickly send it off to the adoption team and new parents.
What’s Your Favorite Language to Review for Quality Assurance and Why?
Claire: Amharic! It’s a language from Ethiopia.
It’s definitely the most interesting script I’ve ever seen, and it’s very different from any other one I’ve seen.
To readers of Latin (English) script, it resembles a variety of interesting symbols. It’s very cool!
What’s the Most Unusual Request You’ve Ever Gotten?
Corissa: We have had many unusual requests throughout my years in Translations, things like rare languages, documents that are nearly impossible to read, etc. But I think the strangest request I have ever seen is either one for translation from American English to British English or one for English to English transcription. We have also had some very interesting content submitted for translation about conspiracy theories and it was . . . riveting, to say the least.
Every Year, the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT) Picks a Theme to Celebrate International Translation Day. This Year’s Theme Is “Translation as an Art Worth Protecting.” What Are Your Thoughts on This Theme?
Julia: This is such a beautiful theme! Not only does “protection” speak to the importance of maintaining art for cultural purposes, but it also speaks to the beauty of language.
Through translation, cinema, books, poems, and other incredible pieces of art can be shared between cultures and people who would not be able to access them otherwise. This makes the act of translation a type of art itself.
One way that we have facilitated the art of translation within our department came in the form of a recent project request from a university art show.
The art pieces were all accompanied by a short description written by the respective artist. Even without seeing the art itself, reading the descriptions for the students’ art and their inspiration behind their pieces painted incredibly beautiful images.
Knowing that Spanish speakers will also be able to enjoy reading these reflections enhances the art, as well as protecting the artists’ reflection on their work!
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