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.