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Because of the increasingly
‘global’ nature of communication, predominantly using English,
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 the relevant 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. |
