In light of the age of openness and the spread of information technology, the urgent need for translation becomes apparent. As it is an effective tool in the transfer of information between all civilizations, and an important means of individual and collective communication between people of different tongues, including translation from Arabic into English and vice versa, which requires a set of correct foundations, so that the translated texts appear optimally and achieve their goal.
The importance of translation from Arabic into English
Some may ask from time to time about the feasibility of hiring a translator from Arabic into English, especially for business owners. Is it an urgent necessity or a luxury that can be dispensed with?
The fact is that the English language, although it ranks third among the most widely spoken languages, remains the preferred and most influential language in the world.
In view of the language of numbers and statistics, English is characterized by the following, according to the estimates of the International Economic Forum:
- It is spoken by about 1.5 billion people around the world.
- There are about 400 million people who speak it as their first language.
- It is the language that people are most likely to turn to if they do not share a first language.
- This is the official language in 53 countries.
- Almost 85% of international organizations use English as one of their working languages.
- More than 80% of academic journals are written in English.
The English language is the backbone of the business sector
The English language is the first dominant in the business sector, so it has become necessary for people to speak English if they want to enter the business world.
Research shows that business communication across borders is most often conducted in English and that many international companies require employees to be proficient in English.
To confirm this, international companies such as “Microsoft” and “Nokia” in Beijing have applied English as the official language of the company.
The most prominent areas of translation between Arabic and English
The translation process from Arabic to English and from English to Arabic is considered among the arduous tasks that require expertise, and its importance is highlighted in the following:
Assistance in scientific research
Some scientific research written in Arabic may require, after completing the discussion of the thesis, translation and publication in foreign scientific journals.
Assistance to investment companies
There are investment companies that deal with other English-speaking countries, for the sake of trade exchange, whether goods or services.
This requires providing a means of communication between the two parties, especially in light of the existence of financial transactions and mutual proposals between the different parties.
Assistance with religious translation
Translation from Arabic into English for religious texts is of great importance, especially in light of the increasing number of Muslims abroad.
Assistance in literary translations
Literary translations are among the important elements of translation, and some may believe that the translation movement in this field passes in one direction, which is an English-Arabic translation, and this is contrary to the current reality, where translation from Arabic into English is also active in the field of literature, others want to see and enjoy Arab culture, especially with regard to poetry and Arabic stories that are rich in their content.
Assistance with media translation
At the present time, the media has spread between the press and satellite channels, and this permeates important issues at various levels, and this necessitates communication with foreign parties, and then transferring texts or articles from Arabic into English.
Difficulties in translation from Arabic into English
The Arabic language has a special character, and is classified among the Semitic languages. While English belongs to the Indo-European language tree.
With regard to translation from one of these two languages to the other, researchers highlighted the problems faced by practitioners of translation from Arabic into English, which can be summarized as follows:
- Sentences in the Arabic language are very long.
- The sentence structure in Arabic is complex.
- Phrases in Arabic are syntactically difficult, due to grammatical relationships, word order, and content.
- One word in the Arabic language may carry several meanings.
- The Arabic alphabet consists of 28 letters, some of which have no equivalent in English.
How to translate from Arabic to English easily
The most important tips that can be given to those in charge of the translation process from Arabic into English are as follows:
- Understand the subject fully and comprehensively before embarking on the translation process.
- Having a cultural background and ample linguistics in Arabic and English.
- Make more effort and brainstorming to understand what is behind the meaning.
- The use of many different mechanisms and means of translation.
- Periodic self-evaluation of performance.
- Comparing your personal translation with the content of other professional translations.
Skills required for proper Arabic-English translation
Translation is a professional profession that requires those who practice it to have creative tools that contribute to obtaining good results.
In addition to the knowledge of the language, which was previously mentioned above, among the most important skills that must be available in the translator from Arabic to English are the following:
Writing Skills
Some may think that writing is only a talent. But the truth is that it is also a skill that can be honed with constant training.
Therefore, the translator from English to Arabic or vice versa shall be able to write well from either language to the other with the same professionalism.
According to researchers, reading helps improve writing skills, so the translator needs to read at least one book per month in the languages in which he works.
Computer Skills
Computer use is an indispensable skill for anyone who wants to work as a translator from Arabic into English and from English into Arabic.
Where the Arabic translator needs to develop his use of translation-related programs and applications such as Microsoft Office programs, and to have good writing skill, and the individual may need to know the use of CAT (Computer Assisted Translation) tools.
Research Skills
The translator shall be patient and eager to search for the smallest details that he needs in the translation process, such as local terms, words and concepts, and learn to access the best resources available online.
Time Management
Commitment to the deadline and delivery of translation projects on time is the most important feature that distinguishes a translator who is good at organizing his time, from another who is negligent and does not appreciate the value of responsibility and work.
The difference between a written translator and a simultaneous translator
Although both Written and Simultaneous translation are two different linguistic fields in the nature of performance and practice. But some points of similarity bring them together, such as:
- Source language and target language are two essential elements that both a translator and an interpreter deal with.
- Both translators convey the message or content by translating the words and the entire context from one language to another.
What are the differences?
- An interpreter delivers an oral message while a translator works with written language.
- The Simultaneous translation synchronizes with the source’s speech to transmit his or her statements into the target language in real time, while translation takes time to complete the task.
Best translation company from Arabic into English
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