Introduction to French Translation and Interpretation

Translation and interpretation are the ultimate jobs for people who love language. However, there are a lot of misunderstandings about these two fields, including the difference between them and what kind of skills and education they require. This article is an introduction to the fields of translation and interpretation. Both translation and interpretation (sometimes abbreviated as T I) require superior language ability in at least two languages. That may seem like a given, but in fact, there are many working translators whose language skills are not up to the task. You can usually recognize these unqualified translators by extremely low rates, and also by wild claims about being able to translate any language and subject. Translation and interpretation also require the ability to accurately express information in the target language. Word for word translation is neither accurate nor desirable, and a good translator/interpreter knows how to express the source text or speech so that it sounds natural in the target language. The best translation is one that you dont realize is a translation because it sounds just like it would if it had been written in that language to begin with. Translators and interpreters nearly always work into their native language, because its too easy for a non-native speaker to write or speak in a way that just doesnt sound quite right to native speakers. Using unqualified translators will leave you with poor-quality translations with mistakes ranging from poor grammar and awkward phrasing to nonsensical or inaccurate information. And finally, translators and interpreters need to understand the cultures of both the source and target languages, in order to be able to adapt the language to the appropriate culture. In short, the simple fact of speaking two or more languages does not necessarily make a good translator or interpreter — theres a lot more to it. It is in your best interest to find someone who is qualified and certified. A certified translator or interpreter will cost more, but if your business needs a good product, it is well worth the expense. Contact a translation/interpretation organization for a list of potential candidates. Translation vs. Interpretation For some reason, most laypeople refer to both translation and interpretation as translation. Although translation and interpretation share the common goal of taking information that is available in one language and converting it to another, they are in fact two separate processes. So what is the difference between translation and interpretation? Its very simple. Translation is written — it involves taking a written text (such as a book or an article) and translating it in writing into the target language. Interpretation is oral - it refers to listening to something spoken (a speech or phone conversation) and interpreting it orally into the target language. (Incidentally, those who facilitate communication between hearing persons and deaf/hard-of-hearing persons are also known as interpreters. So you can see that the main difference is in how the information is presented — orally in interpretation and written in translation. This might seem like a subtle distinction, but if you consider your own language skills, the odds are that your ability to read/write and listen/speak are not identical — you are probably more skilled at one pair or the other. So translators are excellent writers, while interpreters have superior oral communication skills. In addition, spoken language is quite different from writing, which adds a further dimension to the distinction. Then theres the fact that translators work alone to produce a translation, while interpreters work with two or more people/groups to provide an interpretation on the spot during negotiations, seminars, phone conversations, etc. Translation and Interpretation Terms Source languageThe language of the original message. Target languageThe language of the resulting translation or interpretation. A language  - Native languageMost people have one A language, although someone who was raised bilingual may have two A languages or an A and a B, depending on whether they are truly bilingual or just very fluent in the second language. B language  - Fluent languageFluent here means near-native ability — understanding virtually all vocabulary, structure, dialects, cultural influence, etc. A certified translator or interpreter has at least one B language unless he or she is bilingual with two A languages. C language  - Working languageTranslators and interpreters may have one or more C languages — those which they understand well enough to translate or interpret from but not to. For example, here are my language skills: A - EnglishB - FrenchC - Spanish So in theory, you can translate French to English, English to French, and Spanish to English, but not English to Spanish. In reality, you only work from French and Spanish to English. You wouldnt work into French, because you recognize that my translations into French leave something to be desired. Translators and interpreters should only work into the languages that they write/speak like a native or very close to it. Incidentally, another thing to watch out for is a translator who claims to have several target languages (in other words, to be able to work in both directions between, say, English, Japanese, and Russian). It is very rare for anyone to have more than two target languages, although having several source languages is fairly common. Types of Translation and Interpretation General translation/interpretation is just what you think — the translation or interpretation of non-specific language that does not require any specialized vocabulary or knowledge. However, the best translators and interpreters read extensively in order to be up-to-date with current events and trends so that they are able to do their work to the best of their ability, having knowledge of what they might be asked to convert. In addition, good translators and interpreters make an effort to read about whatever topic they are currently working on. If a translator is asked to translate an article on organic farming, for example, he or she would be well served to read about organic farming in both languages in order to understand the topic and the accepted terms used in each language. Specialized translation or interpretation refers to domains which require at the very least that the person be extremely well-read in the domain. Even better is training in the field (such as a college degree in the subject, or a specialized course in that type of translation or interpretation). Some common types of specialized translation and interpretation are financial translation and interpretationlegal translation and interpretationliterary translationmedical translation and interpretationscientific translation and interpretationtechnical translation and interpretation Types of Translation Machine translationAlso known as automatic translation, this is any translation that is done without human intervention, using software, hand-held translators, online translators such as Babelfish, etc. Machine translation is extremely limited in quality and usefulness. Machine-assisted translationTranslation that is done with a machine translator and a human working together. For example, to translate honey, the machine translator might give the options  le miel  and  chà ©ri  so that the person could decide which one makes sense in the context. This is considerably better than machine translation, and some argue that it is more effective than human-only translation. Screen translationTranslation of movies and television programs, including subtitling (where the translation is typed along the bottom of the screen) and dubbing (where the voices of native speakers of the target language are heard in place of the original actors). Sight translationDocument in the source language is explained orally in the target language. This task is performed by interpreters when an article in the source language is not provided with a translation (such as a memo handed out at a meeting). LocalizationAdaptation of software or other products to a different culture. Localization includes translation of documents, dialog boxes, etc., as well as linguistic and cultural changes to make the product appropriate to the target country. Types of Interpretation Consecutive interpretation  (consec)The interpreter takes notes while listening to a speech, then does his or her interpretation during pauses. This is commonly used when there are just two languages at work; for example if the American and French presidents were having a discussion. The consecutive interpreter would interpret in both directions, French to English and English to French. Unlike translation and simultaneous interpretation, consecutive interpretation is commonly done into the interpreters A and B languages. Simultaneous interpretation  (simul)The interpreter listens to a speech and simultaneously interprets it, using headphones and a microphone. This is commonly used when there are numerous languages needed, such as in the United Nations. Each target language has an assigned channel, so Spanish speakers might turn to channel one for the Spanish interpretation, French speakers to channel two, etc. Simultaneous interpretation should only be done into ones A language.

Armenian Massacres Essay - 1538 Words

Armenian Massacres This order was made knowing that the Armenians would never make it through the desert, as they were given no food or water. What resulted was the genocide of the Armenian race. When Hitler addressed his henchmen on the topic of clearing Poland for more German lebensraum (living space) he was speaking of the genocide of the Polish Jews. Seeing the hesitant reaction of some of his generals, Hitler asked them â€Å"Who remembers the Armenians?† In fact, Hitler was correct. Although the term genocide had not yet been used, the Turks, in their systematic killing of Armenians in 1915, initiated the practice (Alexander 1). Years later in 1982, the United States Department of State issued this report: â€Å"Because the†¦show more content†¦has decided to declare a national remembrance day on April 24. Naturally, many Armenians feel as if their struggle was for nothing. Not only is the Turkish government not held accountable, they also refuse to admit that the Armenian massacre ever happened. They claim that the Armenians were an aggressive people and the Turks were simply acting in self -defense. Donald and Lorna Miller recount these actions of â€Å"self-defense† through the stories of many survivors, which they have collected in their book, Survivors: An Oral History of the Armenian Genocide. The survivors tell of the atrocities that they witnessed when the Young Turk regime decided to empty the Ottoman Empire of the Armenian race. One survivor from the town of Khapert explains the scenario as her father was taken away, (the men were the first to be killed): â€Å"My younger brother, Boghos, who was only three years old, was yelling after him saying, â€Å"Daddy let me come with you.† [But he did not return.] They took him [his father and other prisoners] near the River Euphrates, made them sit down as though to eat. The person who had seen this said that my father first bowed his head to pray, and when he was done, the Turks attacked them. I cannot tell you what brutalities they committed. It’s unbelievable and almost cannot be repeated. They used whatever they could [to kill them], from bottles on. He died there and was thrown in the river along with everyone else† (Miller and Miller 67). This isShow MoreRelatedThe Armenian Massacres Of The 1890 S1417 Words   |  6 PagesThe Armenian massacres of the 1890 s are an important marker in the history of humanitarian aid by the United States. Before this point, American humanitarian aid had been up to small committee efforts thrown together for an individual international crisis. During the 1890 s humanitarian reformers became more organized and elected officials began to look at the role the United States federal government could play in international humanitarian aid. (Wilson 27) At this time Protestant missionariesRead MoreMy Great Grandmother s Diary2378 Words   |  10 PagesToday I found my great grandmother’s diary in the attic while I was rummaging through old boxes. I learned that my great grandmother, Mari Hovhanness, was an Armenian living in the Ottoman Empire during the time of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Born in 1888, Mari lived through the first bloody massacres in 1894 and again experienced the brutal attacks during the deportations in 1915-1917. She was married to the love of her life, Tavit Hovhaness, and had two children. Dying in November of 1915, theRead MoreThe Armenian Genocide And The Decline Of The Ottoman Empire1671 Words   |  7 PagesI. 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It occurred in the Ottoman Empire - present-day Turkey - where 2 million Armenians lived. The Armenian Genocide i s the second-most studied massacre, after the Nazi Holocaust. Twenty-two countries have officially recognized it as genocide, but the Republic of Turkey rejects the characterization of the events as genocide. Many ArmeniansRead MoreEssay on Recognizing the Armenian Genocide1266 Words   |  6 PagesThe Armenian Genocide, also known as the Armenian Holocaust, was the organized killing of Armenians. While there is no clear agreement on how many Armenians lost their lives, there is general agreement among Western scholars that over a million Armenians may have perished between 1914 and 1918. It all happened during the Ottoman Empire, present-day Turkey, where 2 million Armenians lived. The Armenian Genocide is the second-most studied massacre, after the Holocaust. To date Twenty-two countries

Influence of Culture Versus Communication Free Essays

First of all, defining â€Å"organizational culture is what employees perceive and how this perception creates a pattern of beliefs, values, and expectation (Matteson, 2002)†.Of course, any group or organization or human beings which gets together for a purpose has a kind of assumption invented, discovered or developed to learn and cope any issues/problems of external adaptation and internal integration that has a valuable to be thought to new members as a correct way to perceive, to think and to feel in relation to those issues/problems. At the other hand, communication is glue that holds organization together. We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of Culture Versus Communication or any similar topic only for you Order Now Without this valuable interaction, nothing can be perceived, created and everyone in the organization would act as differently with no control for an unsustainable result. The two have a relationship because, for the organization to be effective, it has to have an effective communicator in the group who must understand not only general interpretation communication concepts, but also the characteristic of interpersonal communication within the organization or organizational communication. Since influencing is the process of guiding the activities of the organization members in the right and appropriate directions with effectiveness, there is ample coloration between both, the organizational culture and communication. Without the communication, nothing can be considered, encouraged, motivated, leaded, thought, understood and leaded. For and an appropriate organization. For a formal or informal culture within an organization, the input portions are: people, money, raw materials, and machines. The process seems to be the influence process where the consideration of the group, the motivation of the group, leading as managers to supervision, encouraging the group who after all understood through the communication. How to cite Influence of Culture Versus Communication, Essay examples