Poll: Is translation is a mostly acquired or mostly innate skill?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Oct 1, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is translation is a mostly acquired or mostly innate skill?".

This poll was originally submitted by patriciacharnet. View the poll results »



 
Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:07
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
Mostly acquired Oct 1, 2018

There are a number of things you have to learn and some of them are not intuitive. People who do not learn these things in the proper manner often end up producing the sort of literal translations that we all so rightly berate.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Gibril Koroma
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 22:07
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Oct 1, 2018

Innate? Innate means something that is possessed at birth, something that is inborn. Can babies translate? If it was an innate skill why did I need so many years studying and learning?

P.S. I’m aware of the theory behind natural translation…


Gibril Koroma
Mario Freitas
Debora d'Amato (X)
 
Jack Doughty
Jack Doughty  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:07
Russian to English
+ ...
In memoriam
Aptitude Oct 1, 2018

I think what the question means is, is an aptitude for translation innate or not? I doubt if you can acquire an aptitude,. so I would say not.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Depends Oct 1, 2018

It depends on the type of translation required - mechanical or creative.

Anyone can translate. Few can write.


Christine Andersen
Thayenga
Apolonia Dermit
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Ventnai
Mónica Algazi
Michele Fauble
 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 19:07
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Translation is not a skill Oct 1, 2018

It's a competency: a homogeneous mix of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Knowledge: both source and target languages grammar, vocabulary, phrasal structure, slang, meaning/semantics, culture, etc.

Skills: reading and understanding the source language, sensitivity to feel the tone and register in its particular cultural context, and converting all these ideas, feeli
... See more
It's a competency: a homogeneous mix of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Knowledge: both source and target languages grammar, vocabulary, phrasal structure, slang, meaning/semantics, culture, etc.

Skills: reading and understanding the source language, sensitivity to feel the tone and register in its particular cultural context, and converting all these ideas, feelings etc. into the target language, using excellent writing skills. research skills to discover unfamiliar words and their meanings, as well as their equivalent translations, computer skills for higher productivity.

Attitudes: Keeping a "dual mind", passing ideas - not merely words - from source to target language; writing in the target language like a native would, regardless of being a native or not; integrity, as the customer is often unfamiliar with the source, target, or both languages.

(These are just a few sketchy ideas that crossed my mind upon thinking about this question. They are not based on any more extensive research, nor copied from any anywhere.)


[Edited at 2018-10-02 09:13 GMT]
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Catherine De Crignis
Anna Herbst
Mónica Algazi
Maxi Schwarz
Mariana Borio
Paulinho Fonseca
Ricardo Suin
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:07
Spanish to English
+ ...
50-50 Oct 1, 2018

It's sort of the old nature versus nurture debate all over again. Or the right brain versus left brain theory.
I do think that some people tend to have more of a flair for languages than others. Personally, I was never much cop at maths or sciences - in fact as a teenager I had to have a private tutor to help me pass my 0-level maths, but I always did well in languages.

I assume that, as with any other activity, translators will tend to acquire, upgrade and polish their skill
... See more
It's sort of the old nature versus nurture debate all over again. Or the right brain versus left brain theory.
I do think that some people tend to have more of a flair for languages than others. Personally, I was never much cop at maths or sciences - in fact as a teenager I had to have a private tutor to help me pass my 0-level maths, but I always did well in languages.

I assume that, as with any other activity, translators will tend to acquire, upgrade and polish their skills on the job. Few of the translators I know personally actually studied translation; however, colleges and universities nowadays seem to be offering a lot of translation courses and degrees, and as a result, many new young translators come fresh from schooling into this highly competitive job market seemingly highly qualified, at least in terms of theory and technology, but little prepared for the cut and thrust of the free market economy we have to work in. Perhaps this latter aspect is something that these educational organisations should look into when designing their courses.
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Mónica Algazi
Mariana Borio
P.L.F. Persio
Ricki Farn
 
Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:07
German to English
+ ...
I couldn't have said it better Oct 1, 2018

All of the below.
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:

It's a competency: a homogeneous mix of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Knowledge: both source and target languages grammar, vocabulary, phrasal structure, slang, meaning/semantics, culture, etc.

Skills: reading and understanding the source language, sensitivity to feel the tone and register in its particular cultural context, and converting all these ideas, feelings etc. into the target language, using excellent writing skills. research skills to discover unfamiliar words and their meanings, as well as their equivalent translations, computer skills for higher productivity.

Attitudes: Keeping a "dual mind", passing ideas - not merely words - from source to target language; writing in the target language like a native would, regardless of being a native or not; integrity, as the customer is often unfamiliar with the source, target, or bot languages.

(These are just a few sketchy ideas that crossed my mind upon thinking about this question. They are not based on any more extensive research, nor copied from any anywhere.)


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 19:07
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
100% acquired Oct 2, 2018

There is no such a thing as an innate talent or competency. This is a huge falacy. All knowledge and all skills are acquired.

János Untener
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 15:07
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Natural aptitude comes first, then experience Oct 2, 2018

I have considerable experience assessing translators' skills, from: working on teams with colleagues in many contexts; teaching the subject for many years; testing dozens of job candidates; reviewing the work of freelances as head of a translation service in an international organization; and watching colleagues solve problems on KudoZ. I would say that a real aptitude for translation is rare. Just practice and learning terminology are not enough to make a good translator, whether technical or c... See more
I have considerable experience assessing translators' skills, from: working on teams with colleagues in many contexts; teaching the subject for many years; testing dozens of job candidates; reviewing the work of freelances as head of a translation service in an international organization; and watching colleagues solve problems on KudoZ. I would say that a real aptitude for translation is rare. Just practice and learning terminology are not enough to make a good translator, whether technical or creative.

[Edited at 2018-10-02 05:07 GMT]
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P.L.F. Persio
Ricki Farn
mariant
 


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Poll: Is translation is a mostly acquired or mostly innate skill?






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