Introduction
Professional translation is a field widely applied in day-to-day activities due to the globalization that the world is moving towards, and online platforms that can be accessed from most countries worldwide. However, the current state of professional translation as a segment directly correlates with its beginnings. Needless to say, the need for communication and the presence of different languages have always generated a need for acquiring language skills to generate an understanding among people.
However, it is essential to acknowledge that professional translation has been majorly enhanced with the development of printing machines and the advancements of printing presses. The occurrence has forever changed the language’s meaning, essence, and impact. Furthermore, since professional translators apply linguistic elements to emphasize the initial message, they, directly or indirectly, affect the future development of societies as a whole. In this paper, professional translation is examined from the perspective of the impact of the printing press, emphasizing effects such as the importance of the field in shaping language, creating standards, changing cultures, and preserving history.
Background
For professional translation to be examined from the viewpoint of printing press impacts, it is essential to provide context for the correlation between the two elements. The printing machine was developed in China, yet appeared in Europe due to the invention of Gutenberg in the 15th century (Embark, 2020). After a relatively short period, the printing machine became a staple in England, and William Caxton popularized it.
The changes due to the invention are difficult to portray, as entire societies have transitioned and changed due to the event. For example, Martin Luther used print media to establish an international, multilingual movement against the catholic church, which would be impossible without Gutenberg’s machine and translation as a field (Helmers et al., 2021). Furthermore, the invention has generated movements against monarchies facilitated by the availability of information previously hidden from the eyes of the public.
It is vital to acknowledge that professional translation has a significant role in the aforementioned events and phenomena. The printing press allowed information to be efficiently preserved and shared among people. Communication and knowledge acquisition have become more effective, so literacy, creativity, and overall understanding of the world have become more paramount. On the other hand, translation has generated a wide availability of knowledge beyond language barriers. As a result, the world became connected since the limitations were diminished through the printing press and translation.
Impact
Translation has always been present despite the lack of various ways to incorporate it. Nonetheless, translators were needed in politics when the delegates of different countries negotiated, in trade when traders exchanged goods, and in multiple other areas. However, the development of the printing press has generated the need for a more standardized translation practice as well as professionalism, ethics, and objectivity. It is crucial to consider the pressure on translation as a segment since some of the duties connected to language transitions were to preserve messages. At the same time, professional translation was to create a standard for writing, a unified way of communicating messages, and a language that most would accept despite different dialects and regional speech.
Newly Acquired Responsibilities of Professional Translation
Professional translation is significant in sharing essential messages and creating a worldwide community around specific subjects. An example of the newly acquired responsibility experienced by professional translators was printing the Bible in multiple languages. The subject’s sensitivity implied that translators would be considered anti-Christian and labeled heretics for choosing the wrong word to portray the religious message (Flüchter & Nardini, 2020). Such drastic punishments were facilitated by the fact that people understood the power language has. Thus, since language was in the hands of translators, the area became more standardized and verified by authorities.
While the negative aspects are emphasized, such as punishments for formulating ideas in specific ways, the responsibilities that have appeared are vital to consider. The Bible remains one of the most essential books historically and currently. Professional translation made the Christian message more easily accessible, available, and globally shared.
Similarly, religious books of different confessions, religions, and beliefs were professionally translated and spread worldwide. Thus, one of the impacts the printing press had on translation was the additional opportunities, the importance of the field, and the acquired responsibilities. Translation became more than just translating a message from one language to another. It was a segment that could influence the message through the formulation that was being applied and impact readers depending on the approach of the professional translators.
Agent of Change
Professional translation is often regarded as a tool secondary to shaping the language, the first being the written art. However, the segment is an agent of change, as evident by the analysis of how the presence of the printing press impacted it. Specifically, Gutenberg’s invention has facilitated translation as a driving force in certain areas.
One area mentioned in this regard is the evolution of vernacular languages (Doborjginidze et al., 2021). For professional translation to be efficient in spreading the message from one culture to another, it needs to be comprehended by the masses. Thus, language became less dynamic regarding existing dialects and vernacular speech. Instead, a more homogenous approach was achieved as the translation created a unified way in which text was constructed and, as a result, consumed by the public.
Creating a Standard
Another impact the printing media had on professional translation was standardizing a segment. As mentioned, translation certainly existed long before printing books and newspapers. However, it was not an industry and was certainly less rigidly regulated and standardized. However, the need to translate important political, literary, and religious pieces on paper has advanced, and the field cannot maintain the same dynamic.
Knowledge in itself has become more available compared to when only the elites could acquire it (O’Donnell, 2022). Since more individuals had the opportunity to access different written messages through newspapers and books, translation needed a more widespread approach. This was needed so that individuals from different regions speaking in contrasting dialects would understand the written text.
Before the advances in the printing press, language was more dispersed, and unity was required to generate a more widely accepted style. Translators specifically were impacted by the new writing requirements in the most widely understood dialect. For example, Martin Luther made the dialect of his hometown the main one in Germany by translating the Bible (Embark, 2020). Since the Bible was and remains one of the most commonly read books worldwide, the population of the country certainly has, to a certain extent, adapted to the language used to share the Christian message.
Furthermore, as religion was a prominent aspect of medieval life, the language read in the translated Bible became the main one, country-wise. The phenomenon highlights another impact the printing press had on professional translation. Namely, it became a tool to create a standard for the language in a particular area or country.
Shaping Cultures
As highlighted previously, there were industries in which translation was needed before the invention and advancements of the printing press. Nonetheless, an influence generated upon professional translating due to Gutenberg’s developments was the power to shape cultures and impact individuals on the highest levels. On the one hand, the elites and monarchs stopped gatekeeping knowledge (O’Donnell, 2022).
Translation enabled people to acquire knowledge of legal terms and jurisdictions implemented in other countries (Williams, 2019). As a result, popular opinion shifted when it became clear that specific systems work better than others and that aiming for political changes may benefit the general population. While translation affected this particular segment indirectly, the impact is certain.
Furthermore, as mentioned previously, translation has become a way for people to seek out and establish specific movements and international groups. One of the examples that can be applied to support the argument is the creation of the protestant movement (Helmers et al., 2021). Professional translation became a connecting point for like-minded people worldwide to learn about each other’s ideas and create a community not limited by territorial borders. Thus, from this perspective, the impact was the opportunity to impact the international community and create more outlets for individuals who share the same ideas and values.
One of the main changes for translation as a field was its significance in preserving, enhancing, and promoting art. According to researchers, professional translation became a measure that popularized and, as a result, created demand and supply for literature (Jara-Figueroa et al., 2019). A similar effect can be highlighted regarding science. Translating a scientific work into a different language implies that more scientists could implement newly discovered theories and hypotheses and add to the pool of knowledge with personal discoveries and additions.
On the other hand, literature became more available and less restricted by language barriers. As a result, people in the arts were inspired by foreign writers, learning about new writing techniques and becoming more proficient in the field. Thus, translation transitioned from being a technical segment to an indirect driver for scientific and literary advancements.
Subjective Messages
The previously highlighted influences on professional translation as a field that have occurred due to the invention of the printing press are, arguably, positive. Translation has become a driving force for knowledge sharing and promotion, and is recognized as influential and powerful in delivering specific messages. However, recognizing said power implied that professional translation became an element of control and impact on people.
For example, researchers mention that translators are responsible for sharing the message intended to be promoted by the author while considering the cultural considerations of the language into which the text is being translated (Asiri & Metwally, 2020). Thus, on the one hand, the message is to be intact. On the other hand, the translator has a level of freedom regarding certain elements, such as figurative speech, which allows for political and religious interests to be developed regarding influencing the masses. Since language, as established prior, impacts the world’s perception, translation has become somewhat of a tool to achieve specific goals.
Professional translation is not the only industry or segment that has been impacted in this way. Arts and science have similarly been censored and affected by the rigidity of political and religious authorities to control speech. An example is the conflicts occurring with the interpretation of religious speech in scriptures and the Inquisition as a result of interpreting the said messages against the ideas of the church (Romeiras, 2020).
Thus, the printing press’s negative impact on professional translation generated the potential for manipulation through subjective messaging and language for specific goals to be achieved. On the one hand, the effect can be associated with censorship and punishment for political and religious nonconformity. Nonetheless, translation as a field was affected as it partially became a tool for oppression rather than a channel for diminishing the gatekeeping of knowledge.
Early Professional Translation Transformation
Early professional translation cannot be compared to the same field currently due to the significant shifts in globalization and the opportunities for acquiring information and communicating through online platforms. It is a well-defined field and a segment that is required in most industries and international companies (Bassnett & Johnston, 2019). However, it is also vital to acknowledge the printing press’s significant impact on translation in the early days.
The profession transitioned from merely being a way for individuals from different countries to communicate to a more standardized unity of professionals who could impact cultures. As soon as books, texts, and newspapers started to be published in more substantial numbers, translators were the ones who would generate global attention to said messages. Both negative and positive impacts were achieved as a result. From one perspective, international communities were formed concerning specific ideas, and geopolitical borders were less likely to limit individuals from believing in an idea or a value.
On the other hand, more people were likely to be manipulated through words, such as in the cases above with religious texts. However, the newly acquired power that professional translation has experienced was the element that generated more globalization to a certain extent, even though connecting points between countries were not readily available. Instead, opportunities to access art and scientific literature from different points of the world created a more unified community of scientists, artists, and regular people sharing similar beliefs.
To a certain extent, professional translation was influenced by its potential and opportunities. For example, researchers point out that the segment was partially responsible for preserving certain societies’ cultural characteristics and elements (Hue & Nguyen, 2019). Skilled translators started to understand that their job is not merely to change the words and make the message understandable for a foreign audience. Instead, they used various linguistic measures to maintain the initial characteristics of the text, its cultural representation, and individuality (Hue & Nguyen, 2019). Thus, the professional area developed into an art while remaining true to the source and professional in its goals and measures.
Translation also became a more widely sought profession. As highlighted previously, it was required in various industries and segments, such as politics and trade. However, the printing machine and the new way information was shared created a demand for more individuals who knew multiple languages and had the skills to transform a text without changing its message and main ideas.
Translators became cross-cultural channels rather than bilingual individuals (Sun, 2022). Thus, every religious, scientific, or literary work requires a particular approach allowing a different audience to understand its message fully. The impact of translation could be viewed in the development of international scientific communities.
Specifically, scientists managed to access knowledge that would contribute to their discoveries. Hence, it can be stated that translation has become an impactful field that has contributed to discoveries. The same outcome can be emphasized concerning the arts. Writers were inspired by translated works from other countries, empowering them to create further and add to the literary pool. Professional translation also became a significant influence in art and literature.
Currently, professional translation is different from the early translation that happened after the appearence of the printing press. Due to existing techniques and technological advancements, the field is more efficient regarding the time and effort necessary to translate a piece (Vardaro et al., 2019). Nonetheless, the initial influence on the field has shaped the current industry. Namely, it was recognized that language is a powerful tool, and while translators do not change the meaning of the text, they can alter perceptions. Hence, the element is an art form combined with structural and professional characteristics required to transform a text into another language.
Conclusion
The invention has majorly impacted early translation and advances in the printing press. Specifically, translation transitioned from merely a knowledge of multiple languages to a cross-cultural art. It acquired new possibilities, such as generating global communities and diminishing the gatekeeping of knowledge.
On the other hand, it also became a political and religious manipulation tool as sacred texts were used to portray a specific message, and deviations were frowned upon. Nonetheless, the significant influence has continued and transitioned into the primary industry required in every multinational segment, entity, and platform. Hence, the influence it experienced due to Gutenberg’s invention is detrimental, as the early professional translation has become a driving force in science, literature, cultural preservation, and the establishment of international communities.
Reference List
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