The thoughts of a translator

THE THOUGHTS AND THE VOICE OF A DETERMINED PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATOR

It’s this simple: what could be more important in my work – certainly when the sum total of everything I normally do just doesn’t quite cut it? Indeed, if there’s anything in which I would rather worry too much than too little, it is my career as a professional translator.

Having been a self-employed translator for ten years now, I have become “expression-conscious” on a whole new level. And, as I have so determinedly tried to put forward before in various verbose ways in previous blog articles, this is indeed not just about the question of being certain that what I say is grammatically correct, or using “clear” language. I mean, I have already discussed how I’m not given to using clichés and PBAs when I (try to) say whatever it may be that I have got to say – what matters is that I refuse to say the first thing that comes into my head without being sufficiently critical of it, as if I were in love with the sound of my voice over my reputation / dignity. Quite apart from the fact that I couldn’t tell you the worst that could happen as a result of that – I really, really couldn’t – in light of what I do for a living, unknowingly spouting incorrect information or encouraging any kind of deviate impression from that intended with the thing I am discussing – which I would not necessarily understand independently – is basically my worst nightmare, you know?

Let me state at this point that I hope I don’t sound too vague in this blog – vague enough to make readers look a whole lot less like they were listening to me, much to my chagrin and frustration (if only they would take the time to envision themselves in the present moment) when in reality they are trying to get a grip on it by seeking to form a working illustration of it in their minds in order to make things a bit more clear when what I am talking about is just too pithy for them. I really do do the very best I can to be properly articulate and clear about it all, but I understand that this a phenomenon which, depending on the particulars in any given case, can get in the way of understanding in communication. That’s what being a self-employed professional translator – a professional linguist, no less – worth the name is all about. This is what I look at, study, even interpret for others. This is a reference to the kind of approach and core values that, in my humble opinion, all professional translators should make a point of exercising. For I am the kind of professional linguist who, however ready they may be to do their bit for society at large from within their own psychological bubble which encompasses all that they are familiar with and embrace habitually, is ready to do more than just follow predefined methods in exercises of, say, speech therapy or elocution teaching. For it is not true that your brain hallucinates to create “reality”, a basis on which to justify explanation / coherence of your own experiences in life, along with all your convictions and opinions (some of which you may not even be aware you have)? Confusion can be a source of humour, but it can also be a curse – oh, yes.

It’s not just about things like applying labels coined by specialists for the sake of explanation of the components of language or its structure and where they are actually being exemplified in particular cases in real life, enough to develop an understanding of them or even assist with another’s understanding of them; true translators focus on matters of language in practice “as is” (i.e. language as it is forged by the hoi polloi in blissful ignorance through no truly shameful fault of their own, and what it actually means) – flat fact must always come first, and certainly over taking sides in terms of personal opinion. Think about it. Did you know that somewhere in the United States, it is actually illegal for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs? Well, how does the statement “my donkey does not sleep in a bathtub” actually make any more sense than the statement “my donkey sleeps in a bathtub” in actual practice? And professional translators should have the wisdom and the good grace to know when they are trying to answer a question only by answering another, hypothetical, imagined question. After all, it’s not just about taking the opportunity to draw attention to certain aspects of merit that you may or may not have good reason to believe that you have while your peers don’t; it’s about understanding.

Each translation essentially tells a story, and yet… such a story should also be the truth – even if it is perfectly possible for inaccurate information to prove conducive to personal development, or the development of a group, or society as a whole. But you can’t argue with scientific matter. It is my belief that very young children whose cognitive skills have not yet fully developed would be at a loss to conceive of “imagination” as anything other than what is strictly made up and not to be treated as real, like the content of a piece of fiction. And yet there comes a point where you just have to take responsibility for your imagination for the greater good, whether it’s indication of the simple truth of certain circumstances (however harsh they may be) which really should be reflected in a translation, or simply upholding social cohesion in the form of practicing basic good manners and kindness.

Now, it is important to get your thoughts organised if you’re serious about good translation – but all too often it’s just not as simple as scribbling whatever notes or little drawings come to your head, on a piece of paper (especially if we’re talking about ones of a specific / habitual kind), for the sake of clarification unto yourself as you perform a translation task. Hence, it’s often only a matter of time before cultural awareness / sensitivity will shape things. What if there are things which a given intelligent person could only come to understand in the event of some element of stupidity on the part of someone else?

People always say that it is essential to consider certain cultural aspects when it comes to translation, and that is very true. Now, personally, consider what this says about my own cultural awareness: born an autistic child, I guess that, back then, it was impossible for me to conceive of the opposite of happiness as being anything other than sadness. But… it can also be anger, can’t it? Getting back to the topic at hand: I never want to unknowingly create a situation I cannot change, or a situation which could only be changed at someone else’s expense and probably not my own expense along with it. In the context of translation, this would be sowing the seeds of a misunderstanding of something, or fallacious logic, possibly pernicious depending on the circumstances. Never forget that there are three essential categories when it comes to reference to something: known knowns (i.e. things we know we know); known unknowns (i.e. things we know we don’t know); and unknown unknowns (i.e. things we don’t know we don’t know). There is a quote that goes “If you don’t know how to explain it, it means it doesn’t make sense.” Amen.

Truly intelligent people understand stupidity and even embrace it, without letting it go to their head. For those who don’t know better, putting other people’s thoughts first – however irrational they may be – but without reacting to them foolishly, can weigh on their patience if they are not accustomed to it; and professional translators should be accustomed to it .

That said, let’s look at these examples:

Look at the various translations of “allenfalls” (a German expression) provided by Google Translate. They certainly differ a fair bit, certainly from the perspective of how we are inclined to view each one differently!
“Actions nominatives” in French is better translated into English as “registered shares” than as “nominative shares”. This coming from someone who, quite frankly, is no specialist in the subject of finance / economics by a long shot.
And I must confess that I am becoming a lot more aware of my limitations when it comes to languages. For example, I incorrectly guessed what “voyage de prévu” meant, which is why I had to look it up on Google Translate. I knew “prévoir” came from the infinitive “prévoir” but got sort of misled as to what that verb really meant in English.

At the end of the day, you can’t approach professional translation as “just a job”, for the knowledge and opinions of others play as much of a role as your own knowledge and opinions – sometimes more of a role. The sooner you get used to challenging / defying your own imagination, the better. But then maybe I would say that, seeing as I am an entrepreneur and all.