30 September is celebrated as International Translation Day, an anniversary that was first established in 1953 by the International Federation of Translation (FIT), but was not made an official holiday until many years later, in 1991.
On this day, we pay tribute to the work of language professionals by emphasising the importance of literary translation as a tool for international dialogue.
Why this day?
The date of 30 September is no coincidence, as this day is also the feast day of Saint Jerome, who is considered the patron saint of translators. St. Jerome, an Italian monk, was chosen as patron because he was the author of the ‘Vulgate’, the first translation of the Bible from Hebrew to Latin, which enabled the Romans to understand the Holy Scriptures.
Why is World Translation Day a day to celebrate?
García Yebra, a famous Spanish translator, said that ‘a translation must say everything that the original says, say nothing that the original does not say, and say everything as correctly and naturally as possible in the language into which it is translated’. He adds: ‘Translation is perhaps the most important process in the dissemination of culture.
Translators have the task and the ability to connect the realities of two different cultures, their presence is necessary and even if it is sometimes taken for granted, it can facilitate our everyday life.
Of course, for us at Finking, this day is a way of celebrating our profession, which we exercise every day with great passion.
