The Surprising Importance of Culture in Translations – 4 Important points to remember
The importance of culture in translations might be a real eye-opener for some. It certainly cannot be overlooked. Any translator who takes pride in their work must know as much as they can of the cultures of the language(s) they are translating from, as well as the language(s) they are translating to.
Language is inextricably linked to culture, and culture is inextricably linked to language. Each language has its own, unique culture. Many of the words used by a particular culture are a reflection of the culture they serve. They can be accurately translated on a purely technical level, but the true richness of their intended meaning is often lost without a proper understanding of the culture that has produced them.
Similarly, without an understanding of the culture that is being translated to, it simply isn’t possible to convey the full meaning and sense of the language being translated from.
1. Cultural differences in word choice
For example, someone with a lack of understanding of Spanish or English cultures might be tasked with translating a script for tourists visiting a famous ancient cathedral, of which there are many in Spain. It is common to see the Spanish word, templo, translated to temple. It is technically correct, but conveys an incorrect meaning in English. The correct word would be church. The word, temple, is very rarely used in English for a Christian church, especially a Catholic one.
There are many other culturally important facts that need to be understood for any language in order to accurately convey the intended meaning when translating to another language. It is possible to accurately translate the basic message, but to capture the richness of the writer’s passion requires more than just a knowledge of the basic dictionary meanings and grammar of the language.
2. Place names
Place names are often extremely culturally significant. A translator needs to take care not to quickly translate place names. It’s common to give places the names of politically significant people in many colonial European cultures, a practice that has infiltrated the African continent and crossed the Atlantic to the so-called New World of the Americas.
But in the the Celtic and Nordic communities, as well as in many cultures in the Americas, names take on new significance. They are part of the “map,” an oral tradition that has been carefully passed down from one generation to the next via stories told in community settings. Place names describe significant geological formations and let the traveler know exactly where they are by what they can see.
In these cases, it’s a good practice to include the place name in the original language with a translation in brackets. It isn’t necessary, but it adds great richness that the person reading in the second language would otherwise miss.
Again, taking the example of a country’s significant religious monuments, it is important for the translator to either be familiar with the site, or to do some careful research. Some religious sites are named after famous saints that are well known in multiple languages. Still others are unique to the country. In the case of the latter, their name is probably best to be preserved in the original language, whereas the well known ones should be translated.
3. Idioms and expressions
Another factor to consider regarding culture in translations is idioms and expressions. If you ever want to confuse someone who is learning your language in a hurry, start speaking in idioms and throw in some expressions, like “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence,” or, “the early bird gets the worm,” and so on. More often than not (that’s an idiom!) there is no direct literal translation. The only way to translate it is to understand the intended meaning, a “cultural thing” and to translate it into an appropriate expression that is close in meaning – or simply translate it to what it means.
Never be afraid to do a little research when translating documents. Unlike live translating on the fly, you have time to look a few things up. Never convince yourself that it will take too long, because it’s always likely you will run into it again, and this time, you will know!
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