International Translation Day falls on September 30th every year and every year the day seeks to celebrate language professionals whose work plays an important role in bringing together nations.
The day has been in existence since 2017 when the General Assembly of the UN adopted resolution 71/288 to foster peace and it takes place on 30th September in order to celebrate the feast of St Jerome – the Bible translator considered the patron saint of translators.
As a translation agency, we of course couldn’t let this occasion pass by without a little celebration and we wanted to share this celebration with you by offering some translation facts. We hope you enjoy learning a little more about translation.
An Old Profession
Firstly, did you know that translation has been around for centuries? The Old Testament is thought to have been translated into Greek in the 3rd Century BC!
Most Translated Authors
Agatha Christie, Jules Verne and William Shakespeare are the three most translated authors of all time. Three incredible authors, we think you’ll agree!
Latin Roots
The Latin root of ‘translator’ is ‘translatus’ which means to be carried over. Consequently, the literal meaning of translation is to carry something from one place to another.
Most Translated Children’s Book
The most translated children’s story is Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It has been translated into more than 500 languages!
A Dangerous Profession
Did you know that translation used to be quite a dangerous profession? William Tyndale, for example, was executed in Holland in 1536 due to his translation of the Bible into English being labelled as heretic.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a few translation facts! If you have any facts that you’d like to share, please reach out on social media. Equally, if you have any projects that you require our assistance with, please get in touch!
4 October 2023 09:50