Language and Communication or a Picture of Me | April 2017 | Translation Journal

April 2017 Issue

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Language and Communication or a Picture of Me

This is me in the picture. Me, who drew me. In this drawing, I look sad, also in the original picture. But, in the original, I had no idea what I'd become when I grow up. Not that now I have a clue, well, maybe a little. But don't start worrying about me (hello mom) because every day I discover a little bit more.

About a week ago, a friend has asked me what I'd learned on that day, and it made me wonder. What I really learned on that specific day and on the days before it. And today, what I've learned today. In my current position as a CEO at a Translation and Localization Agency, I learn something new every single day. My brain is stuffed with words and their meaning, with different languages that need to be translated, with Legal and Technical and also Medical documents. With Chinese, French, British English, American English, Japanese, Greek, Yiddish, Spanish, Indian, Romanian, Arabic, Hebrew, German, Swedish, Bulgarian, Thai, Turkish, Polish, Dutch and so many more.

It seems that there is no limit to the knowledge contained in the Translation World. It is a wide world filled with information. If only we were wiser as a society, we would have created one language for all. I know, if it were the case, I wouldn't have a job, but at least we would all have a better communication that could eliminate the borders existed in our hearts, minds and countries.

Languages create communication. That is the language created by words, body gestures and also by agreeable signs. To complicate the matter, every type of language has subtypes and they differ between cultures, countries and even animals. Hence, Communication is made out of languages. Therefore, when we learn a specific language we actually learn how to communicate. Understanding a specific language creates communication, and communication creates understanding.

Drawing is also a kind of a language. Through the thin pencil, we draw dots, lines, and shadows that create communication between the pencil's holder and the observer. However, although I am sure that some of you will disagree, the drawing language cannot be translated. Because the language of drawing is private, in a world of a thousand public languages. Sometimes it's colorful, sometimes it's gray and sometimes both. But the language of drawing cannot be translated.

Then, you see, I translate wor(l)ds or at least make it happen, words in English, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian. And sometimes, along with the process, I can feel I contribute to the wor(l)d by helping to create an understanding that creates communication that creates understanding.

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