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Celebrating International Translation Day 2021
29 September 2021 · Fran Puddick
What is International Translation Day?
Celebrated each year on 30 September, International Translation Day pays tribute to the work of language professionals, who play a crucial role in bringing nations and nationalities together.
Where did International Day originate?
30th of September commemorates the feast of St. Jerome, patron Saint of Translators. A priest and philosopher, Jerome was the first person to translate the Bible from Hebrew into Latin in around 382AD, making it accessible to a wider audience than ever before.
Why have an International Translation Day?
In the 21st Century, the role of language professionals has taken on a new dimension. With today’s international brands, there is huge value to be gained from translation, interpreting and localisation services, not just in terms of reaching new markets and speaking to new audiences but to support a workforce that for so many organisations, is now global.
International co-operation has never been more essential. Businesses need to think very carefully about how they maintain and grow their customer relationships at home and overseas.
Why is translation important?
English is the most prominent language in the world. So perhaps the question ‘why doesn’t everybody just learn English’ has some merit…
But the reality is not everybody can speak English, fewer still can use it to communicate effectively. Even more importantly, language is about much more than words. It is also an expression of one’s culture, society, and beliefs. Inevitably, a single, universal language would mean losing rich cultural heritage, experiences, relationships and even beliefs, from communities across the world.
6 Facts you may not know about translation:
- The Bible is the most translated book of all time; it’s been translated into 3,384 languages.
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights holds the Guinness World Record as the most translated document. It exists in over 500 languages.
- There are around 7,100 living languages in the world today, 6,500 of these are spoken languages.
- The United Nations is one of the world’s largest employers of language professionals.
- A UNESCO database called “Index Translationum,” lists all the books translated globally; the top 3 most translated authors are Agatha Christie, Jules Verne, and William Shakespeare.
- The top 5 most translated languages in the world are English, French, German, Russian and Italian.
If your business needs support with languages, whether it’s translating key policies and documents, or cultural awareness training for key team members, please get in touch.