Comments on: Can Translation Change the World for the Better? http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/ Web Localization, i18n, Web 2.0, Culture, Translation 2.0, New Media and New Tech.... Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:21:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: To John from Transhorsa.com/org http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2699 To John from Transhorsa.com/org Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:21:22 +0000 http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/05/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/#comment-2699 [...] However, you posted the same message today (July 21, 2008) on my post “Can Translation Change the World for the Better” (http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/#comment-2590) [...] [...] However, you posted the same message today (July 21, 2008) on my post “Can Translation Change the World for the Better” (http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/#comment-2590) [...]

]]> By: Jianjun http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/comment-page-1/#comment-1918 Jianjun Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:37:23 +0000 http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/05/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/#comment-1918 Natine, actually I thought the same before (translation -> better communication -> fewer confrontations). But recently I'm having a feeling that the world may not benefit much from my work (I mean all those poverty, killings, bombings, etc.). Hmmm... Natine, actually I thought the same before (translation -> better communication -> fewer confrontations). But recently I’m having a feeling that the world may not benefit much from my work (I mean all those poverty, killings, bombings, etc.). Hmmm…

]]> By: Nadine http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/comment-page-1/#comment-1917 Nadine Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:14:02 +0000 http://www.yeasir.com/blog/2008/03/05/can-translation-change-the-world-for-the-better/#comment-1917 I beg to disagree slightly here, Jianjun, as I feel I might be the person you are referring to. I do believe that our job is to help people communicate, for whatever purpose, so there is no moral underpinning here, provided that we are aware of our mission, and take our job to heart. I can see this in my own practice, but that may be because I don't work exclusively for industry, and I also do a lot of interpreting that involves real communication. My feeling, however, is that those who breed cynicism and destroy this superb capability we have are those who, as you are rightly pointing out in the latter part of your post, have turned translation into an industrial product to the point of serving their customers unintelligible and perverted translations. Cheer up! There are many translators out there who believe in real communication: one obvious example is court interpreters. I beg to disagree slightly here, Jianjun, as I feel I might be the person you are referring to.

I do believe that our job is to help people communicate, for whatever purpose, so there is no moral underpinning here, provided that we are aware of our mission, and take our job to heart. I can see this in my own practice, but that may be because I don’t work exclusively for industry, and I also do a lot of interpreting that involves real communication.

My feeling, however, is that those who breed cynicism and destroy this superb capability we have are those who, as you are rightly pointing out in the latter part of your post, have turned translation into an industrial product to the point of serving their customers unintelligible and perverted translations.

Cheer up! There are many translators out there who believe in real communication: one obvious example is court interpreters.

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