The Nature of Translating
Because of the increasingly
‘global’ nature of communication, predominantly using English as a medium,
language formality in business and even in official documents is declining in favour of a
more simplified mode of expression. This
has made it easier for an amateur translator to make an approximate translation. However, it has made it more difficult to
transcribe exact meanings, mainly because the meaning in the original language may be ill
defined and therefore open to different interpretations.
Translating information from one
language into another, is more than substituting one set of words for another. It is the skill of capturing and accurately
transcribing the meaning of written material into another language. To be able to do so requires a standard of
literacy in both languages well beyond ordinary, every-day usage. A rare thing, unless a person has been
educated, and lived and worked in separate countries, using both languages extensively.
Since the client is more often than not
unable to check the quality of the work performed, it is also necessary to have confidence
in the skill, professionalism, and honesty of the translator. In other words, choose a skilled,
experienced professional you can trust. In
Australia, translators have to be accredited by the ‘National Accreditation Authority
for Translators and Interpreters’ (N.A.A.T.I.).
A tough, practical examination ensures that only the most skilled are accredited.
