World Translation Day (ITD, International Translation Day) is a date that falls on every 30th September aimed at celebrating the role of translators and interpreters and celebrating the importance of translation.
It is no coincidence that the date chosen for this day falls on the very in conjunction with the feast of San Girolamo. In fact, the Roman theologian was the first author to edit the translation of the entire Bible into Latin, the Vulgate.
The translation assignment was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382: to complete the translation of the entire Masoretic text into Latin, St. Jerome took a good 23 years of study intense. The day of his death was chosen to establish World Translation Day-as a eulogy to his commitment and majestic feat and dedication.
In the 1953, is recognized as the patron saint of translators by the Fédération internationale des traducteurs (FIT) - the same year that World Translation Day is unofficially established. Officiality from FIT is not given until 1991, while in the 2017 UN approves the resolution A/RES/71/288, which legitimizes the role of the translator as a promoter of cooperation and understanding.
The profession of translator is one of the oldest in the world. Ever since man began to cross his territorial boundaries, he inevitably had to interact with cultures and peoples other than his own. A lack of communication, point of contact and dialogue could be a reason for disputes or mishaps.
What happens today is what accessed in the past - albeit with less drastic and dramatic endings. Especially in business, it is on the basis of good mediation what business deals and partnerships do they have the chance to be born and grow.
The work done by translators and interpreters is invaluable. Without linguistic and cultural mediation, losing credibility and trust is a matter of moments. History shows us how much the heirs of Saint Jerome they are indispensable for establishing contact, a relationship between countries through the promotion and sharing of knowledge and information.
It is not enough to have studied a language in school to be able to run an international business meeting with foreign clients and business partners. Behind each individual, a world is hidden. Personal life, cultural, social, economic factors are hardly perceptible during a business meeting.
Let us imagine that we have to represent an encounter with a person: what is perceived, what is seen "with the naked eye" is the tip of an iceberg. While everything that lies beneath the surface of the water-the rest of the iceberg-coincides with the background of the individual in question. What is certain is that a professional linguist, translator, interpreter, mediator, knows aspects of the culture, society, or elements of business etiquette-however closely related to the target culture-usages and customs of the interlocutor.
Through professional translation work, you would have a better chance of Getting to the heart of the iceberg. Of melting that hindering ice in order to be able to connect with each other.
St. Jerome viewed translation as a process engaged in the search for meaning rather than the word itself. A professional translation differs from a machine or amateur translation in the Attention that comes given to the meaning, the essence ofl message rather than a mere transposition of words.
International Congresses Press Office
