There is much more to translation than the rather mechanical job done by the app on your phone. Effective translation also needs to convey the nuances of meanings and feelings, Wang Yuting reports.

Every year on Sept 30, people around the world come together to celebrate International Translation Day. This globally recognized event, proposed by the International Federation of Translators and officially endorsed by a United Nations resolution in 2017, serves as a moment to reflect on the profound role that translation plays in our interconnected world.

This year, under the theme "Translation unveils the many faces of humanity", we delve into the diverse facets of translation through the stories of three individuals. From the realms of literature to the silence of sign language and the fusion of technology with the humanities, these tales exemplify how translation extends far beyond the mere conversion of words, serving as a vital bridge that connects cultures, emotions, and human experiences.

Xie Cun, a lecturer at the Beijing Foreign Studies University's School of English for Specific Purposes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The art of literary translation

In the view of Xie Cun, a lecturer at the Beijing Foreign Studies University's School of English for Specific Purposes, translators are like tour guides in the world of literature.

"A good guide doesn't stand in front of the scenery talking endlessly but uses their knowledge and experience to lead tourists to the best viewpoints, offering explanations when necessary, and allowing tourists to experience the rest on their own," he said. "I believe good translators do the same."

Xie's perspective comes from his eight years of experience as a literary translator. Over his career, Xie has translated numerous literary works for publication, including The Painted Veil, Last Train to Istanbul and The Daughters of Mars.

Xie's journey into literary translation began with his cross-linguistic academic background. During his undergraduate studies in Chinese language and literature, he discovered the transformative power of translation. "I noticed that the same sentence could be translated in a moving way by one person but in a lackluster manner by another. This comparison sparked the idea that I should give it a try myself," Xie explained.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Xie chose to pursue translation as his master's major, embarking on a path of research and practice in the field.

For Xie, the fusion of two languages can create marvelous interactions, infusing language with new possibilities. "Literary creation can only shape one author. However, literary translation allows me to become countless authors, forging a new self through the collision of different voices," he said.

To transition from words to literature, Xie noted, literary translators require exceptional linguistic proficiency, a keen literary sensibility, and precise, flexible literary command.

"The most challenging aspect of literary translation lies in the asymmetry between languages. The beauty of literary language often resides in the multiple layers of meaning it encapsulates. Ensuring that the translation also possesses this richness is the greatest test for a translator," he said.

Xie emphasizes the importance of continual re-translation of literary works. Readers' expectations and literary tastes vary widely, and different translations can expand the range of choices for readers. Furthermore, language evolves with time, and new translations can provide readers with an easier reading experience.

Xie stresses that a translator's language should be contemporary, but it should also preserve the valuable elements of the original work while filtering out the perishable ones. A translator's ability to discern and adapt to contemporary language, he contends, is a crucial criterion for evaluating the quality of a translation.

One of Xie's most fulfilling yet formidable translation projects was the epic masterpiece The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally, the Booker Prize winner and author of Schindler's List. The book spans over 400,000 words, and the translation and editing process took a total of three years.

"I experienced emotional lows following the novel's plot, and then found spiritual healing through it," said Xie. "This work not only gave me confidence as a literary translator but also empowered me with courage to confront various challenges in life."

In his university translation classes, Xie guides students to appreciate the intricacies and pleasures of language, starting from individual words and even punctuation marks at a microscopic level.

"I hope that the young people who are about to embark on the path of literary translation in the future can protect modern Chinese language with love and responsibility, nourishing the growth of our language and literature with the nutrients of foreign literature," he said.

Chen Xin, founder of sign language studio at Nanjing Polytechnic Institute. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Bridging worlds

On Sept 23 of this year, the world observed the sixth International Sign Language Day. The date also marked the third anniversary of the establishment of the sign language studio at Nanjing Polytechnic Institute, in East China's Jiangsu province.

The studio's founder is 22-year-old Chen Xin, the first certified sign language interpreter in China from the post-00s generation.

Chen's journey into the world of sign language began in 2017 when he witnessed some hearing-impaired college students struggling to communicate when trying to settle the bill. Chen approached and helped them. This experience alerted Chen to the significant need for social care and assistance among the hearing-impaired community, sparking his interest in learning sign language.

While Chen was still in the second year of senior high school in 2018, he would commute over an hour by bus each day to Nanjing Normal University of Special Education to learn sign language from hearing-impaired college students. In the same year, with the support of his parents, Chen became the youngest certified sign language interpreter at the time.

One defining moment in Chen's career came in February 2020 when he volunteered to interpret for a 75-year-old hearing-impaired patient at Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through countless video calls, he not only translated the medical condition of the patient accurately but also conveyed the doctors' encouragement, ultimately aiding in the patient's recovery.

Expressing sound-based elements such as tone, volume, and pauses are crucial in conveying information and emotions. This poses a unique challenge for the hearing-impaired.

To bridge this gap, Chen combines sign language elements such as gestures, facial expressions, and body language to convey these nuances effectively. For example, he uses the intensity and speed of gestures to convey volume, employs pause gestures or maintains stillness to signify pauses, and amplifies the emotional aspects of tone through facial expressions and body postures. But still, achieving a perfect equivalence between spoken and sign languages is not always possible.

"When faced with fast-paced dialogues or situations where translation cannot be directly equivalent, sign language interpreters have to make choices and prioritize certain aspects of expression," Chen said.

The path to mastering sign language translation is full of challenges because sign language expressions are intricate, demanding strong observation, memory, and comprehension skills, Chen noted. In addition, sign languages need to exhibit regional and cultural variations, further complicating the learning process. And with the development of social media, many internet terms and neologisms have found their way into sign language.

"The journey of learning sign language translation is never-ending. Only by maintaining a continuous attitude of learning and enthusiasm can one adapt to the ever-evolving sign language culture and modes of expression," said Chen.

For example, when communicating with younger members of the hearing-impaired community, he would incorporate new meanings of words such as "like" and "share", effectively conveying information and the particular sense of the words.

Chen's role as a sign language translator has not only made life easier for those he helped, but also changed his own life.

"It has transformed my introverted personality into an extroverted one, making me more willing to engage in communication with others," Chen said. "Through assisting the hearing-impaired community, I have obtained a tremendous amount of joy and fulfillment."

His career goal is to become a professional sign language interpreter, acting as a bridge between the hearing-impaired and the hearing community, facilitating the integration of more hearing-impaired individuals into the world of spoken communication. "I hope that more young people will take the initiative to understand and learn sign language, becoming a significant force in aiding disabled communities and propelling our society toward greater inclusiveness and equality," he said.

Nie Lei, master's degree in translation and interpretation from Beihang University. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Giving technology a human touch

At the age of 27, Nie Lei embodies China's Generation Z, a cohort deeply immersed in cutting-edge technology.

With a master's degree in translation and interpretation from Beihang University in Beijing, he now works at Centific, a global company specializing in digital and technology services, with a focus on language quality management.

While in school, Nie aspired to become a professional translator but eventually shifted toward non-literary text translation language services. In recent years, with the emergence of generative AI, the translation industry has undergone significant changes, sparking debates about the potential replacement of human translators by AI.

However, Nie maintains a positive outlook on this matter. "I believe that demanding and high-standard clients will always choose high-level, high-quality translators to provide translation services," he said. "AI may serve as a valuable tool, but it can never replace humans."

Nie emphasizes that technology should only be viewed as an aid, not as a replacement, and that translators should embrace new technologies and use them to improve their own skills.

"People are always the focal point of this world. Whether it's the translation tools I use in my work or the technological developments in relevant fields, their ultimate purpose is to serve humanity, reduce the burden on people's work, and enhance their efficiency," he said.

Through his translation work, Nie has found profound joy and a sense of removal from day-to-day life. "When I'm translating, I detach myself from the mundane realities and employ my industry knowledge, language skills, and cultural literacy to adapt the text more effectively to the market and the target readers," says Nie.

As globalization continues, language services play an increasingly vital role in facilitating dialogue, understanding, and cooperation between nations, driving global development forward. "At present, China's translation industry is continually going toward higher standards, superior quality, and more advanced technology," Nie said. "I believe that the future of this industry holds vast potential."

In order to nurture future talent in the translation industry and promote translation literacy, Nie dedicates his free time to imparting wisdom and practical knowledge to aspiring translation students. "I enjoy sharing the latest developments in the translation industry and the insights and experiences I've gained in my actual work with the younger students. This information is valuable for them to establish appropriate career expectations and start career planning," he noted.

Nie hopes that more outstanding young Chinese students will join the translation industry, embrace the changes in the industry and the outside world, and contribute their youthful vigor to China's global outreach efforts while enabling the world to better understand China.

Contact the writer at wangyuting@i21st.cn