The Art of Translation and Interpretation – why two final products will never be exactly the same

Human beings across the world have run into communication barriers since the beginning of the human race. Language is an extremely important part of culture and is what allows different people to relate to each other, but because there are currently somewhere between 3,000-5,000 languages on the earth today (Child 5), the art of written translation and verbal interpretation is still in high demand for anything in the range from scientific and/or medical information to poetry and everything that falls in between that broad range.

When bridging communication barriers, there are several reasons why two final language products will never be the same when the same source information is translated by two individuals. Firstly, the audience to which the information is beintranslated or interpreted is a huge factor. The final product must have a register and tone that is understandable by the audience of the final product. Secondly, each individual language professional has different educational and linguistic backgrounds and has had different experiences when performing those services for other audiences in the past. And of course, thirdly, the final product will be affected by the purpose of the having the translation or interpretation services available in the first place. For example, for a translation in a marketing brochure, the final product is bound to contain more promotional language than if the brochure was merely informational.

In talking about the different aspects that tend to affect the outcome of a translation or interpretation, there is a range that consists of six styles to which one can adhere (Child 25).

1. Word for Word
2. Very Literal
3. Somewhat Literal
4. Somewhat Idiomatic
5. Idiomatic
6. Unduly Free

Ideally, the majority of translations and interpretations that are done should appear somewhere between ‘very literal’ and ‘somewhat literal’ being that the goal of any translator or interpreter should be to capture the essence of the meaning while ensuring that the end product sounds natural in the target language. Translation Services in the ‘word for word’ category should be reserved for scientific, medical, or legal projects. The ‘unduly free’ side of the spectrum should be reserved for artistic works such as poetry and literature.

Because of the many styles and options that are available to a translator or interpreter, it is essential that the correct person with relevant industry knowledge, language skills and experience be selected for the job. The art of translation and interpretation is a challenging, yet fascinating field that takes years to master.