Concerns about translation

Assessment of the amount of translated texts

There are no comprehensive statistics, mainly because of a large number of translations made in the gray literature or disseminated via the Internet without going through the traditional networks.

Worldwide, the most translated document would be, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with 406 translations, although the Bible is deemed translated into more than 2,000 languages and the prayer Our Father in 1698 languages.

Translation and interpretation

These two concepts differ, the translator translates the ideas expressed in writing from one language to another, and the interpreter translates the ideas expressed orally, or through the use of body parts (sign language) of a language to another.

The interpretation can be considered a subfield of translation in terms of processes implemented (translation studies), but in practice these activities require very different skills, and also a report to different time.

Translation documents

Translate suppose to master at least two languages, but also to have access to the text to be translated (or its copy), during the time required for its translation, and possibly face an original (possibly annotated) rather than copy or translation already done in another language.

Or, the works have long been long time ago copied and recopied by hand. Sometimes they are rare or unique.

Libraries and archives places (municipal, royal, religious, industrial, etc.) contain rare books and heritage collections, teaching and / or research and public reading book collections. They have a priori been important places for translators. Today, it is not always possible to take out or touch a book or photograph or microfilm. Libraries have been long time places places where students, teachers, researchers and other professionals came and still come to translate elements of books or old books. For the philosopher Robert Damien, beyond a place of juxtaposition of authors and languages, texts and knowledge, the translation is – as a library, a “place of connections.”