Translation Q & A

Is translation studies a science?

Translation is an interesting science. Or is it a science? I once argued in an academic paper that it is a humanities discipline. I still think this, but there is a sense in which translation can be considered a science. Only it doesn’t really possess the objective standards that natural sciences have.

Why is translation studies a science?

It is a science first and foremost because it uses measureable phenomena (words and definitions) and there is a direct process (translation) which transposes these words into another language. Some may argue that this is art — and while I agree that there are artful ways to translate, I still don’t think that the conversion of words into another language is artwork. I have conventionally thought that translation is a science in the sense that it is a form of alchemy. Word-alchemy, if you will.

What are we really doing when we translate?

I believe that the process taking place while translating is an analytical one. It is analyzing the word’s definition and meaning and context and trying to find a match in another language for that word. Thus, it is an almost computational process.

But why can’t computers translate, then?

They can, but they don’t understand nuance. Computers have been shown time and time again to lack nuance. And nine times out of ten, when given a hard translation problem, most computers cannot account for these very challenging translation problems. The computers will make a mistake; the human, professional, good translator will not.

How to be a translator?

Begin translating. Begin looking for words in a langauge distinct from your native language. Begin making comparisons between the meanings and contexts and the collocations of these words. Begin creating a network in your mind about how the two languages are related. Learn a new language. Perfect your abilities in the language from which you will be translating.

When will computers take over human translators?

Good question. I don’t think personally that translators have much to worry about given the state of affairs of machine translation, as the algorithms used are still so primitive (or at least they return primitive results). I don’t think the need for translation will go away. In fact, the need for good, quality translations will probably increase.

Why is translation interesting?

I find it interesting because it helps me put my language skills to the test, in short. It also is highly analytical. The act of translation is a game of thinking, if you ask me. It is an intellectual act.

So get out there and get translating.