What Are You Doing for International Translation Day?

A global celebration of translation

It’s nearly that time again. As the song goes, ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year…’ No, not Christmas – International Translation Day! Once more, on the 30th September, translators from around the world will unite to celebrate all things translation.

Origins of International Translation Day

International Translation Day has been marked every year since 1991 – meaning this year’s is the 25th anniversary. It was started by the International Federation of Translators (FIT), based in Switzerland, to promote a unity of translation professionals all over the world. Even the date it’s held is significant – 30th September marks the feast of St. Jerome – the translator who translated the Bible into Latin and who was subsequently dedicated the patron saint of translators.

This Year’s Theme

Each year the FIT hold a competition to decide a theme for International Translation Day and this year was no exception, with the winner being ‘The Changing Face of Translation and Interpreting’, which we absolutely love. Not only is it relevant in an ever globalised society, but it asks questions that apply to every single translator working today. From old-school translators with 40 year’s experience to fresh-faced graduates, freelancers to in-house staff, everyone is required to adapt to new ways of working and translating. This theme aims to explore, amongst a plethora of issues, the rise in technology, the ease in which translators are globally connected and how expectations of cost, speed and volume have changed over the years, as well as looking towards what’s in store for the future of translation.

Get Involved

If you want to join in on the fun, there are a number of events being held across the globe, the largest of which has to be a global gathering at the British Library , London. The day will be jam-packed with speakers and seminars on topics like translating for the theatre, multimedia translation and employability. There’s even a chance to pitch a foreign language book ideas to publishers in a speed-dating style! The event starts at 9am on 30th September and tickets start from £25, available from the British Library website.

The Secret Behind Our Translators

Our translators are our biggest asset. Without them, we’d be completely lost! We know how important it is to provide accurate and reliable translation services, which is why we have a strict selection process before we put a translator on our books. With a bank of 2000 translators to call upon, every single one of them has at least one degree in translation/interpreting, and very often, another in a specialist subject. We have doctors, engineers and legal professionals. Marketing experts, business people and artists. What unites them all is a passion for languages. Not only that, but they all have experience on their side. We require a minimum of three year’s experience before taking on a new translator, and if they don’t meet our high standards, we don’t hire them. We’d like to take the opportunity to thank all of our translators, past and present, and wish everyone out there a happy International Translation Day! To chat to us about translation services, contact us today.