Translation is as basic a human activity as creating originals. Its a natural trait of mind to express anything noticed new in the language one follows naturally. This has inspired the human beings to translate almost ever since the beginning of human civilization. Before the advent of modern technology, translated word was the only way to know that, in fact, there exists such a vast and diverse world beyond what we could see.
The world is as much indebted to the amateur translators as to the great scientists and inventors, revolutionary thinkers, prophets and social reformers. But for the translators efforts, the inventions, the thoughts, literature and mythology, and the revolutionary ideas that changed the world could not have traveled so far and wide.
In contrast to translation of literature and mythology,
translation in technical domain has its own typical challenges and methodologies. It has developed a specialized process of migrating to other languages that we call localization. Localization is a broad sphere of activities of which translation is a major component. Technical adaptation with due respect to cultural sensitivities are the basic tenets of localization. This calls for a perfect blend of technical and linguistics skills.
Web and telecommunications are new and evolving domains. They are spreading at a speed that no other domains have achieved so far. Their user base is growing by leaps and bounds. Unlike other technologies, the web and telecommunications did not have time to mature first in the native land and language and then migrate to other lands and languages. Their technical maturity and widening of base have been simultaneous. This is the challenge for the translators: to be faithful to the domain and yet be welcome to the common user.
Almost every other day some new features are added to enhance mobile experience. Engineers and enthusiasts are working round the clock. Mobile manufacturers are in a cut throat competition to score over one another. The convergence of different technologies and domains has blurred the divide among them. So the translators now have to translate keeping this convergence in mind.
With the evolution of localization as a specialized offshoot of translation, highly technical domains such web and telecommunications have developed industry specific standard terminology. This is a great help as well as a challenge for the translators. Its a challenge because at times you have to accept a terminology which you do not find welcome from the language point of view. This underlines a fundamental rule of translation: consistency.
Translation always requires an active human involvement to come out in a welcome shape. Machines would always have a limited and supporting role in translation because they can only perform in a defined way. They cannot think. But human translation can help you a lot.
Aunes Oversettelser AS has been in the business for 26 years, and we are specialized in technical translations. We are specializing in the Nordic languages, and can offer services into Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Icelandic. The premier translation agency for Norway and the Nordic region! Technical translation services for businesses in the Nordic countries and translation agencies world wide.
