Today is International Translation Day, so we wanted to celebrate and also bring some light to this topic since translation, and all that it encompasses, is sometimes misunderstood. The celebration was proposed by the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (Worldwide Federation of Translators) and the goal is to honor the work of Language Professionals (Translators, Interpreters, Terminologists, and more) who break down language obstacles.

Resolution 71/288

On May 24th,2017 the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted resolution 71/288 which recognizes the role of Language Professionals in connecting nations, fostering peace, understanding and development. In that same resolution, September 30th was declared UN International Translation Day, celebrated across the entire UN network.

 

United in Translation

There are several events and seminars across the world. One of these events is a Translation contest organized by the United Nations that celebrates multilingualism and the important role of translators and other language professionals in multilateral diplomacy.

 

The UN’s theme this year is ‘United in Translation’ after over a year of struggle with Covid-19.

 

Do not get lost in Translation

Language is a fundamental human right. It is key to basic survival because we all need it to participate in community and cultural life. Moreover, linguistic rights protect each person’s freedom to choose their own language or languages for both private and public communication. They include the right to speak your own language in legal, administrative and judicial acts, the right to receive education in your own language, and the right for media to be broadcast in your own language as well.

 

Here at Outlier, we have a mission to share the news in a language that most of us understand. At the same time, it is also part of our vision to promote the country’s culture. There is a saying that when a community or a group of people loses its language, it is more likely to lose its culture too. International Translation Day is also a reminder to protect our native indigenous cultures. Today and every day, we want to promote mutual respect and cultural understanding within a world that’s constantly changing.

 

Translation as a Profession in Costa Rica

In order to have your documents authenticated, as is a requirement for several legal processes, an official translation is usually requested. Does that mean that any translator can help you with that? Not really, and this is why:

 

Official Translators: individuals  who have passed the government’s test  must comply with a series of prerequisites to be eligible (to be Costa Rican, to have 5 years of experience, for example), while a degree is not necessary.

 

Professional Translators: those with a degree in Translation, in the majority of cases more than one degree is necessary to go after a specialization. Top specializations include Legal, Medical, Business and Finance, etc.

 

Of course, a Professional Translator can also become an Official Translator if they wish to go through the assessment. The same goes for Official Translators that want to pursue an academic degree as well. 

Official and Professional Interpretation works the same way – remember that translation is only written and interpretation is spoken or signed. Sometimes Language Professionals do both, interpreting and translating, but not all of them. They require different skill sets, although they have many of the same abilities.

The list of Official Translators and Interpreters is available at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, but the list is not up-to-date.

 

Finally, we want to embrace our international community. All of our different languages and dialects represent cultural diversity. Language Professionals help preserve cultural heritage and expose intercultural dialogue. Translation and interpretation are essential for harmonious communication among peoples and multilingualism.

We have colleagues from different countries and backgrounds in the office, and they all wanted to wish you a happy International Translation Day!

 

國際翻譯節快樂

Buona giornata Internazionale della Traduzione!

¡Feliz Día Internacional de la Traducción!

 

This blog is dedicated to all my fellow Language Professionals.

 

Resources

International instruments:

• Article 2, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Article 27, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• Articles 17, 29, 30 and 40, Convention on the Rights of the Child

• Articles 13, 14 and 16, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

• UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

• UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity

Regional instruments:

• Article 2, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights

• Article 1, American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San Jose)

• Articles 5, 6 and 14, European Convention on Human Rights

• Article 19 and Part V Article E, European Social Charter (revised)

• Articles 1 to 14, European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages