by Maya Szaniecki

The
art of translation is one that is often overlooked or undervalued, as is the
skill of learning languages. Yet translation studies have recently become more
commonplace, as they begin to be recognised as an academic discipline, and
offered by an increasing number of higher education institutions.

What are Translation Studies?

The
term ‘translation studies’ refers to the academic study of the skill of
translation. Students who take translation studies learn about the theory
behind translation, as well as the uses and challenges of translation. They may
also learn about how translation intersects with different cultures and
languages, and what needs to be considered to translate effectively and
ethically. Students of translation studies learn how to read, interpret and
analyse texts, to then translate them. Learning about the history and
philosophy of translation and its developments up to the present day are also
all essential to understanding it as a practice.

Translation
studies can also include different schools of thought within them, concerning
different approaches and theories of translation. The academic discipline of
translation studies is sometimes referred to as ‘translatology.’

The History of Translation Studies

While
many believe that translation was invented by the Romans, the term ‘translation
studies’ itself was first used in a paper called The Name and
Nature of Translation Studies, written by the poet and translation
scholar James Stratton Holmes. In the paper, published in 1972, Holmes argued
that translation studies should become their own classified academic
discipline. He believed translation should be considered a separate science and
subject to linguistics or literature, which it wasn’t previously.

The
fact that the paper was published recently means that the concept of
translation studies is still relatively new, and still being expanded upon.

Why are Translation Studies Important?

Translation
studies offer students a wide range of transferable skills which can be used to
help with many fields and careers. Translation studies can teach strong
analytical and communication skills which are more valuable than ever in our
increasingly globalised and multilingual world.

Translation
studies can be used in conjunction with many other academic disciplines, such
as linguistics, computer science, gender studies and history, amongst others.
They can help reinforce what students learn about in these other fields, giving
them the advantage of approaching these subjects with unique knowledge.

Those
who study translation can go on to pursue various careers such as journalism,
publishing or teaching, as well as the most obvious one of translation which,
in itself, offers diverse opportunities.

Translation
studies also help with any international work, such as working for global
companies, as they teach students to think with an open mind and approach
problems from different angles. As translation continues to grow, such as with
recent rapid developments in machine translation, the field will become
increasingly more relevant to modern-day life.

For these reasons, it’s extremely important for translations studies to be recognised as an academic subject, and properly funded like any other subject. Solidifying translation as an independent field allows us to acknowledge that it is a discipline that raises new questions, and enriches our everyday lives.