11 Weird Facts About Translation

Like everything, there are an array of extremely weird and intricate facts about translation and the industry. So, this begs the question, what are they?

1. A dedicated day

Every year on the 30th of September, it is International Translation Day. It was started to promote and celebrate translators and their expertise, who would have thought that?

2. Patron Saint

The translation industry has its own patron saint, his name is Saint Jerome. He gained this accolade and became the guardian of the profession after he translated the Bible into Latin in the 5th century (that Bible went on to be called ‘The Vulgate’).

3. Work load

It’s no secret that being a translator is a physically and mentally demanding task. So it came as no surprise when a study showed that the average translator. Translates around 750,000 words per year! That is around 2,055 words per day! Every Day!

4. Likely or unlikely origins?

It is common knowledge that the vast majority of technical words in English have linguistic roots in either Ancient Greek or Latin. Or sometimes in both! The word ‘translation’ is no exception. It has roots that stem from Latin. Where it literally meant ‘the carrying of one place to another’. 

5. The first in the world?

The first translation of the classical period (the earliest period where we have written records that we can verify) is likely to have been the translation of the Hebrew Bible. From Hebrew (it was called the Hebrew Bible after all) into Greek in 200BC. The Greeks called it the ‘Koine’. The translated Hebrew Bible gained this name due to the fact that there were 70 translators that worked on the translation.

6. Unusual Titles

There have been some books that have been translated into a staggering number of languages:

• The Universal declaration of Human Rights, originally written in: English, French and Spanish, it has been translated into over 438 languages, so all the worlds population can understand it
• Pinocchio, originally written in Italian, Pinocchio has been translated into over 240 different languages!
• The Adventures of Asterix, originally written in French, it has been translated into a slightly less impressive, but still staggering number of 112 languages!

7. The most languages?

Whilst not strictly about translation, there is a Canadian man by the name of Alexander Arguelles. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, he can speak 43 languages. Although he has claimed in an interview that he studied many more languages than that. But he just can’t read or speak them to a high standard, so he doesn’t count them. 

8. How many languages?

There is around 6500-7000 languages spoken on Earth. Yet the vast majority of the world’s population only speak 23 languages as their mother tongue. How on Earth did this happen? The answer is only two words long ‘European’ and ‘Empires’. So I guess maybe something good did come out of Global Empires after all… or maybe not.

9. What is the most difficult?

A common thing linguists and translators argue over, is what the most difficult language to learn? This question is often different and it is inherently difficult to answer. It depends on what languages you grew up around. And what you learn mother tongue is, the languages can vary widely. However, we are lucky, as the FSI (Foreign Service Institute) has compiled a list on what the most difficult languages for a native English speaker is. Here they are in order from hardest to easiest (within reason):

• Arabic 
• Mandarin (and all other Chinese variants)
• Japanese 
• Korean 

10. The value of the Translation Industry 

Many investors often look for an industry they understand and is the best value for money. The translation industry may be just that! According to GALA (Globalisation and Localisation Association) the overall size of the International Translation Industry is estimated to be at a staggering $40 Billion! With it being anticipated that by 2020 the industry will be worth around $45-50 Billion!

11. The United States of… Languages?

Despite President Trumps seeming hatred for foreigners, especially the Mexicans. He would likely be unhappy to hear that there are an estimated 350 languages spoken in his country. English is the most spoken by far, followed by a large minority of Spanish speakers, then followed by a minority of Chinese speakers. And after that, there is a small minority French speakers in the United States.

So what does this mean for the translation?

There is a phrase in Spanish that I like and it is “En este mundo mundial, tu necesita hablar dos idiomas o más.” (In this globalised world, you need to speak two languages or more). Never has this sentiment been more true than now, it’s more important to help us understand the world around us. If you need a professional translation done, talk to a company with years of experience in the translation industry!