One of the most significant fields of translation is book translation, which is needed by many due to its numerous benefits for cross-cultural interaction and intellectual comprehension, its importance for academic and scientific purposes, and the fact that it supports nearly all other translation disciplines. In this section, we will look at book translation in more detail and learn about the difficulties it faces.
What is the meaning of book translation?
The process of translating a book from its native language into another is called book translation, and it requires a translator who has both the linguistic skill and the comprehension of the book’s content to express its message.
“The translator is well-educated even if he doesn’t mean it.” says Ashraf Amer.
This article explains many aspects of book translation.
The importance of Arabic book translation
One of the earliest forms of translation is book translation, which is linked to both the development of nations and cultural elements. However, it has additional significant features, the most notable of which are listed in the following points:
- The process of translating books into different languages is very important because it encourages a form of cultural exchange between diverse communities and raises awareness through learning about the lives of individuals from other cultures.
- In regards to the scientific aspect, translating works on experimental research promotes scientific progress in society and, at the very least, acts as a first step toward finding practical solutions to some of the current issues.
- you will be familiar with different stylistic schools of writing and will not be restricted to native writers. Translations of books can also help to improve the average level of writing in any community and enhance the cultural field as a whole.
- Researchers and the academic community gain from book translation since it increases their knowledge and introduces them to works written in other languages.
- The translation of literature is good for humanity since it connects the rich cultural legacies of many civilizations, allowing them to be built in other cultures in a very sophisticated way.
The advantages of Arabic book translation
Is it worthwhile to translate your works into other languages if you are a book publisher or author? Here are 5 suggestions that will help you find the solution:
- Books have great value, but who doesn’t like having more sales of his books?
You can profit from translation in this way as some books are sold because they are better suited for a certain community or have become more popular there than they had in the native tongue and its region.
- The translation makes your book more popular.
- The writer is a messenger, and translation is the tool by which he delivers his message to millions of people. you can’t imagine how far away from you a person who is reading your words, and how it will affect him just if you translate your book to his language.
- There is a shortage of books in specific areas in certain languages like Arabic, and translating your book into these languages guarantees you success as there are no competitors and there is a thirst for what you write, so try to determine which languages your translation is in.
How does translating books affect you?
Even if they are not the main motivation behind the translation process, the following benefits come from translating books:
- When a reader reads books translated into another language, especially if it’s his first time reading in that language, the book adds value and educates him by exposing him to information beyond his usual reading material.
- Scientific studies become richer, more objective, and more comprehensive; they are not affected by a limited view of a language or samples within a specific geographical range.
- The book industry is expanding due to an increase in book translation, which is improving the skills of more translators and enabling them to translate more effectively.
- Identify the cultural and anthropological aspects of people who are different from you.
Book translation challenges and solutions
The translation of books of science, culture, and literature requires great effort to be done with the highest quality and accuracy, but many problems are considered challenges for the translator to overcome. We mention the following:
keep the original author’s style
When translating a literary book, the translator must preserve the general style of the original author, since it is always the literary people who have their own unique style that attract readers of different nationalities and languages to them.
This does not mean that the texts are translated literally, but at the same time, the translated expressions should not be exaggerated compared to the original text; they should be done normally, and the style of the translated text becomes very close to the original text.
experience in the field of writing
It makes no sense to ask a translator specializing in chemistry to translate a work on human development only if he has a passion for this field and has extensive knowledge of it.
For instance, at Fast-trans Company, our translation team consists of a diverse collection of creative individuals, each of whom specializes in a particular area, to ensure the highest caliber of book translation.
considering the cultural context culture
Cultures differ from one society to another. You may find a word or a specific expression that has a deep meaning in one society, but if you use it in another country, people will not understand its meaning accurately. Here, you should look for what corresponds to it in the culture of the target language society.
Some may think that you should not change the expressions used in the source language when translating, and others may think that the most important thing is to convey the meaning. If you are a supporter of the first point of view, then at least it is better to add an explanation of those expressions in the footnote of the translated book to help readers understand the meaning without making a big change in the expressions used in the original version.
language translation of specialized terms
One of the most prominent challenges of translating science books in general is trying to translate specialized terms and words correctly to convey the desired meaning carefully, and many translators fall into the trap of translating those terms verbatim, which causes a flaw in the meaning.
Before beginning to translate a book, the translator must make a list of all the complicated terms and then search for the appropriate translation in the target language. The translator’s job would be easier and more accurate with this hack while using the dictionary.
handling different dialects
Some books whose authors may use words from informal dialect, especially in literary books and poetic translations such as novels and short stories,. where the use of informal dialects is frequent, aim to be closer to the minds and hearts of readers.
The translator must be fully familiar with the informal words used in the text to look for their equivalent meaning when translating. Still, it is worth noting that some words differ not only from country to country but also vary according to the territories of one country, which makes the translation process more difficult.
Be accurate
For example, there is more than one verb that refers to the idea of love, but adoration differs from fondness in the degree and strength of the intended love, and the same thing is true in many other cases.
Therefore, the translator must understand the context very well, and this is what book translators do at certified translation companies to finally get the highest accuracy and quality required.
translation of specialized books
One of the most important challenges of translating books is if the book to be translated is one of the specialized books
For example, there are many challenges facing Islamic translation; it needs a translator who is familiar with the Sharia and is professional in the linguistics sid. The same is true for medical translation challenges, which require a professional translator with a background or degree in medical sciences to access correct medical translation.
Fast-trans company specializing in book translation
Fast-trans Professional Translation Company has a team of professional translators specializing in translating books in various fields, like scientific, cultural, literary, religious, or others.
If you need someone to help you translate a book as soon as possible, do not hesitate to order a book translation from us, and be sure that you will get a translation of the highest quality and accuracy from a group of professionals at very competitive prices.
For large projects, fast-trans grants a 30% discount on the first three months of ongoing and large annual contracts to check the quality of translation.
