Not love, not money. It’s translation that makes the world go round.

In an article in the Huffington Post marking International Translation Day (celebrated on 30 September), Nataly Kelly, Chief Research Officer at Common Sense Advisory and co-author of “Found in Translation”, listed 10 ways that translation benefits us all:

1. Translation saves lives.
2. Translation prevents terror.
3. Translation keeps the peace.
4. Translation elects world leaders.
5. Translation creates jobs.
6. Translation fuels the economy.
7. Translation entertains us.
8. Translation tests our faith.
9. Translation feeds the world.
10. Translation makes us fall in love.

Here’s Nataly’s full article: 10 Ways Translation Shapes Your Life.

Do you agree with Nataly’s points, translators and non-translators? Can you think of other ways translation shapes our lives?

By Marian Dougan

Published by Marian Dougan

Marian is a translator and editor (specialising in web content) currently based in Glasgow, Scotland. Marian previously lived in Italy for over 20 years, working as a language teacher, translator and policy analyst with the British Embassy in Rome. A qualified member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and its Italian-language and ITI Scotnet networks, she is currently Scotnet's Convenor and Deputy Webmaster. From 2003 to 2006 Marian taught translation skills at the Italian Department of Glasgow University and now gives Master Classes as part of the new Masters in Translation Studies course. She also conducts web-writing and usability workshops to help people improve their websites and communicate more effectively with their readers, users and customers. In September 2014 Marian obtained User Experience Certification, with specialisation in Web Design, from the Nielsen Norman Group. She loves language, especially English, and is convinced that learning languages opens up people’s minds and horizons (and increases their brainpower!). To share her enthusiasm, she advises schools and educational authorities on language skills and enterprise. She gives talks to pupils on how to combine language studies with other subjects and so enhance their potential and increase their career options. Marian is an active member of organisations such as: Scottish Council Development and Industry (SCDI); Association of Scottish Businesswomen; Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Scotland. She also loves architecture, design, fashion (British Vogue!), cities and chocolate. She’s a great fan of Twitter and you can also find her on Linkedin.

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4 Comments

  1. I agree with all these points and would add that translation tries to share beauty. One of my friends asked me to read Pablo Neruda’s Sonnet 17 at her wedding – it made me emotional in English but it was the original in Spanish that really made me cry! If only the congregation had been bilingual…

    1. Thanks for that Kim. I’d never read that sonnet – it’s so beautiful! There’s so much wonderful literature and poetry that we never find out about if we stick to our own little world.

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