To be a professional translator is to be a professional writer...

The translator

needs to have the skills of a writer in his/her chosen fields in order to be

successful. Discuss.

Translation, according to the Oxford Dictionary is "a written or spoken rendering of the meaning of a word or text in another language”[1]. We can therefore conclude that there are two main tasks involved in the process of translating a text. The first is the comprehension of the text written in the original, or source language. This involves understanding the syntax, vocabulary, grammar and terminology used in the text and thus assumes that the reader (i.e. the translator) will be sufficiently familiar with the specific dialect of the language in which the text is written and the subject matter of the text, in order to understand its meaning. The reading of the source text however must be an active rather than a passive reading. The translator must profoundly and intimately grasp the nuances of the text and understand it from the perspective, not of a passive reader, skimming through the text to extract information, but as a writer, appreciating and absorbing the meaning of the diction and syntax chosen and studying the way the text has been constructed, the tone used and the purpose of the text. The translator must consider the audience of the text and the reason the text was written. Professional translators are sometimes provided with briefs from clients which answer questions such as: 1. who is the text aimed at? 2. why was it written? 3. what is its aim? as well as providing background information on the author and the subject matter of the text. This information is invaluable as it facilitates the translator's next and most significant task in the process of translation which is the re-writing or rendering of the source text in the target language.

When a brief is not provided by a client, the translator must assess and study the linguistic devices used in the text all the more closely in order to find the answers to these questions and to understand how to proceed with the task of writing the translation. Reading and understanding the original text is therefore a crucial step in the process of translating a text; without a sound understanding of the original, there is little hope of a coherent and usable translation being produced. Terminology specific to certain industries and fields whether it is medical, legal, technical or artistic in nature, is one of the biggest challenges faced by translators in their work. That is to say, the specific terms used in a given discipline are almost a language in themselves and as such familiarity with these terms is essential, in addition to familiarity with the language of the text, in order for the translator to sufficiently comprehend the aim of the text to the point that they are able to accurately and correctly express it in their own language. The terms used in the translator’s native language, into which they are translating, must match those in the original text both in terms of basic meaning as well as suitability, in accordance with the level of formality and the style of the original text. Therefore the consideration of the audience and the objective of the text come into play in choosing a suitable translation for specialised terms and jargon. It is essential that the translator correctly understands the level of knowledge of the subject matter of the text possessed by the target audience, in order to ensure that they understand the terms the translator chooses to use and can extract the information required from the text so that it can fulfil its aim. The translator wants the text, in short, to be authentic and functional.

The process of translating consequently requires, before a single word is ever written, a great deal of effort, concentration and skill in order to decipher the source text in addition to copious amounts of research into both the language used as well as the subject matter. This step is clearly extremely important and its success or lack thereof highly influential in determining the quality of the translation. However it is the translated text which is the ultimate aim and the translator's comprehension of the source text will be judged based on the quality of the text he or she produces. In this way, the translator is essentially evaluated in the same way as a journalist, copywriter or any other professional writer is; on the quality of their writing. However, in many ways, the translator’s work is more challenging and complex than most other professional writers. Firstly, they do not have the same level of creative freedom as most writers do; they must communicate the meaning of the source text, in the way the author of that text has chosen to express their thoughts and ideas and as such they are somewhat restricted in terms of their artistic license in creating a new text. There is, nonetheless , a great deal of creativity and linguistic manoeuvring involved in attempting to faithfully replicate a text in another language while ensuring it reads fluently and precisely in the target language. The translator simply has much more direction in terms of the subject matter and overall tone of the text, but this requires, if anything, more resourcefulness and originality than writing a text from scratch, with free reign, does.

The translator, therefore, must produce a piece of writing which is of the same professional standard as the original text. As such, the bulk of the work involved in translation is actually writing; writing with a professionally acceptable level of expertise and skill and producing a piece of work which is suitable for publishing, in many cases. This, of course, implies that the translator will possess the knowledge and expertise pertaining to the field of the text. As such, in addition to an extremely advanced level in the source language and the skills of a professional writer in the target language, the translator must thoroughly understand the subject matter of the text. This often involves, in the case of legal translation for example, an active knowledge of the legal system of a given country meaning that the translator also needs to possess many of the skills that a professional working exclusively in that field must possess. Linguistic knowledge, cultural sensitivity, professional writing skills and a professional level of proficiency in a given field are the essential aptitudes which any professional translator must display in their work. An additional concern is the visibility of the translation. Most professionals in the translation industry agree that a translation should read fluently, coherently and elegantly, as if it was an original piece and not a translation.

In the words of Norman Shapiro, quoted by Lawrence Venuti in chapter 1 of “The Translator’s Invisibility”:

I see translation as the attempt to produce a text so transparent that it does not seem to be translated. A good translation is like a pane of glass. You only notice that it’s there when there are little imperfections— scratches, bubbles. Ideally, there shouldn’t be any. It should never call attention to itself.[2]

Avoiding these imperfections, often in the form of slightly unnatural or jarring wording, syntax and terminology, are one of the greatest challenges faced by professional translators. Often these scratches are a direct influence from the source language. As the translator must have a profound knowledge of this language and spends time reading and rereading the source text, it is only natural that some of this language’s shape and form may spill over into the target language, effectively corrupting and “foreignising” the target text, creating “translationese”:

There is even a group of pejorative neologisms designed to criticize translations that lack fluency, but also used, more generally, to signify badly written prose: “translatese,” “translationese,” “translatorese.”[3]

In conclusion, the translator’s work is complicated, multi-faceted and incredibly challenging. To remain “invisible”, by creating an entirely natural and fluent piece of writing while remaining true to the original meaning and style, to understand and reproduce complex concepts from specific fields and to master two languages, requires a great deal of professionalism and dedication. The translator is most certainly a professional writer. To be a professional translator is, however, in addition to being a professional writer, being a professional linguist and a professional terminology specialist.

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Bibliography

http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0877800#m_en_gb0877800

Venuti, Lawrence (1995), The Translator’s Invisibility, A History of Translation, London, Routledge.

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[1] http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0877800#m_en_gb0877800

[2] Venuti, Lawrence (1995), The Translator’s Invisibility, A History of Translation, London, Routledge. Page 14.

[3] Venuti, Lawrence (1995), The Translator’s Invisibility, A History of Translation, London, Routledge. Page 17