Translation Blog

The history of translation has long been debated by translation studies scholars. There is broad acceptance that translation predates the Bible. The Holy Bible speaks of various languages while providing insight into interactions between speakers from varying areas. One of the critical languages in the history of translation is Ancient Greek, with Roman translator experts playing a pivotal role in the translation movement.

The demand for translation has continued to develop, with growth in the translation movement more vital than ever. Today, businesses have acknowledged the need for translation services to penetrate foreign markets. Nevertheless, this article isn’t about the future of translation; rather, it is about its past. Let’s delve deeper into the history of translation and its ties to Ancient Greece.

Origins of Translation Terms

Since the dawn of human interaction, translation has been needed. This communication could be for survival, trade or emotional purposes. The term “translation” originates from a Latin term that means “to carry” or “bring across”, stemming from the idea of carrying information from one language to another through translation.

Another relevant term that we will focus on in this article is “metaphrasis”. This an Ancient Greek term that a Roman translator roughly translates to “to speak across”. It is from this term that the word “metaphrase” was created, which means a word-for-word translation. These and many other terms have been at the centre of theories relating to the history of translation. They have also helped to provide insight into where and when translation scholars utilised this skill through the ages.

The Ancient History of Translation

It isn’t easy to pinpoint the true origin of the history of translation. Many believe the first record of translation was in Mesopotamia when the Sumerian poem The Epic of Gilgamesh was translated into various Asian languages. This translation can be dated back to the 2nd millennium BC! The poem survived Ancient Mesopotamia only due to its translation and the longstanding tradition of adapting material into various languages such as Hebrew, Anatolian, Syriac, Mesopotamian and Egyptian.

Another key text of the translation studies has to be The Treaty of Kadesh. The Treaty of Kadesh was created in 1274 BCE and is a bilingual Egyptian-Hittite treatise. It is the only ancient Near Eastern treatise to have both versions survive. Other ancient works were also translated—for example, Indian documents translated by Buddhist monks into Chinese.

In later periods, Roman translator scholars adapted Roman poems into Ancient Greek text for the purpose of entertainment. Horace and Cicero employed translation scholars in Rome specifically for this purpose until the 17th century. After this time point, newer translation practices were developed and implemented throughout Greece and the world to replace the ancient methods.

Translation of Religious Texts

As people started to follow religious faiths, the need for translation became much more significant. Religious texts and spiritual theories needed to be available in multiple languages so that supporters of different religions could spread awareness.

The history of translation states that the Old Testament is one of the first religious texts to be translated. Roman translator experts and scholars translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek in the 3rd century BC. This translated adaptation is known as the Septuagint. The term Septuagint originates from Septuagainta, the Latin word for seventy. It is also referred to as the Greek Old Testament.

No less than 70 linguists translated the Bible into Ancient Greek. Back in the 3rd century BC, there were no tools to help speed up the process. Each translator had to work in solitary confinement, and according to legend, all versions had identical translations. This Greek Bible became the basis for adaptations of the Bible into other languages. One can say that the Greek Bible was a turning point in the history of translation.

Development of Translation Methods

The history of translation, especially during ancient times, was fraught with debate. The debate was between translation methods: word for word vs sense for sense. The sense for sense term was said to be coined by St Jerome when he translated the Bible into Latin. He stated that a translator needs to translate “not word for word, but sense for sense”.

The famous Roman scholar Cicero was also notably against word-for-word translation. “I did not think I ought to count them [the words] out to the reader like coins, but to pay them by weight, as it were”. As a prominent writer and philosopher, he viewed the work of a Roman translator as that of an artist. This translation type is used today to ensure the intended message is retained.

The Renaissance Period & Translation History

As time went on, Arabic translation scholars took the works of the Ancient Greek and Roman translator experts. These scholars of translation studies then translated the works, creating their own versions. Their versions included philosophical, entertainment and scientific understandings.

One can argue that civilisation widely understands the findings and knowledge the Greek academics created due to the work of Arabic translation scholars. And their role in the history of translation did not stop there, as the Arabic versions were then translated into Latin. This translation movement occurred during the Middle Ages, mainly in Spain. The culmination of the works created by Ancient Greeks and translated into other languages became the foundation of the Renaissance.

History of Translation: Ancient Greek & The Rosetta Stone

Another important icon in the history of translation is the Rosetta Stone, a rock slate with an inscribed decree issued in 196 BCE in Memphis, Egypt. The Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799 during a Napoleonic expedition to Egypt. It held the key to understanding Egyptian Hieroglyphics and has been on display at the British Museum in London since its discovery.

What makes this decree so special is that it was written in three different scripts. The top part of the text is written in Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs, the middle part is written in Demotic script, and the bottom part is written in Ancient Greek script. The appearance of Ancient Greek on the bottom of the stone helped Roman translator scholars understand the context of the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs for the first time in the history of translation.

Renaissance Translations’ Professional Translation Services

The history of translation is long and complex, with new findings and translation methods helping with its evolution and development. The Ancient Greek language played a pivotal role in the movement. Roman translator scholars were involved in many vital steps that have moulded the translation industry into what it is today.

If you need a professional translation agency, talk to our experts. Our skilled translators have extensive experience in the translation industry and can help you with your translation needs in more than 120 languages and all industries. Our company is also an associate member of the Association of Translation Companies in England as well as the SDL LSP Partner Programme. Contact us today to discuss your project.

The Urdu language is a member of the Indo-Aryan group of languages, a subgroup within the Indo-European language family. The majority of the speakers of the Urdu language live in Pakistan, where Urdu is the official Pakistan language. However, a version of the language known as Indian Urdu is spoken in India, where it is one of 22 official languages.

Although both Pakistani Urdu and Indian Urdu are forms of the same language, there are significant differences to be aware of. This article uncovers these differences and highlights why defining your target audience is essential when translating to Urdu.

History of the Urdu Language

The Urdu language came to life in the twelfth century CE. It originates from the regional Apabhramsa of north-western India, where it served as a linguistic modus vivendi. The role of Urdu was further cemented due to the Muslim conquest. The very first poet of the language was Amir Khosrow, who created riddles, folk songs and dohas or couplets in the newly formed speech.

The Indian Urdu spoken then was known as Hindvi or Old Hindi. The language gradually evolved to include many Persian loan words. The newly formed speech was known by various other names, including Zaban-e-Hind, Zaban-e-Urdu, Dakkhani, Hindi, Zaban-e-Urdu-e-Mualla, Rekhta, Gujari, or Zaban-e-Delhi. It was also referred to simply as Urdu, which means “the language of the camp”.

Eventually, there became a sectarian divide between “Urdu” written in the Perso-Arabic script for Muslims (mainly used in Pakistan) and “Hindi” written in the Devanagari script for Hindus (predominantly used in India, known as Indian Urdu). However, it wasn’t until 1973 that Urdu became the national Pakistan language.

Pakistani Urdu spoken in the country day-to-day is closely related to Indian Urdu, and both can be referred to as “Urdu”. The Urdu language is today the native language for 70 million people, while over 100 million have it as their second language. Outside of India and Pakistan, there are significant enclaves of Urdu speakers in the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistani Urdu & Indian Urdu Use Different Scripts

Although Indian Urdu and Pakistani Urdu are akin, the languages are written using varying writing systems. Indian Urdu utilises the Devanagari script, a Sanskrit-based system. On the other hand, Pakistani Urdu utilises Nasta’liq, an adapted version of the Arabic script. Where the Pakistan language script is written from right to left like Arabic, Indian Urdu is written from left to right.

The Devanagari script is perceived as better equipped for writing Urdu as Hindustani languages can be traced back to Sanskrit (the language from which the Devanagari writing system developed). The script has a letter for every Hindi sound and most sounds in Urdu. Nevertheless, there are some exceptions, with the Devanagari script adapting to add new letters like z and j with a dot underneath. The z is utilised when foreign loan words are used.

On the other hand, the Nasta’liq script isn’t the best choice for writing any Hindustani language. A significant reason for this is the vowels. Arabic, the source of the Nasta’liq script, has three vowels in short and long variants, while Pakistani Urdu has thirteen! Therefore, vowels are typically omitted when writing Pakistani Urdu.

Pakistani Urdu is More Difficult to Learn

Because the Nasta’liq script omits vowels, Pakistani Urdu is almost written in a type of shorthand. Unless you know what vowel is used in the word, pronunciation is complicated for people that don’t know the language. The Pakistan language is also more challenging to read and write due to complex Perso-Arabic script and right-to-left reading pattern.

Conversely, the Devanagari script is phonetic, meaning everything written in Indian Urdu is pronounced as imagined. As soon as you memorise the character pronunciation and know the writing system, you can pronounce just about everything in Indian Urdu. When Urdu translation services are offered with this script, it is much easier to ensure that accuracy is followed as there isn’t a steep learning curve associated with this script.

Vocabulary Differences in Urdu Languages

You are unlikely to notice a difference between Indian Urdu and Pakistani Urdu in everyday speech. For the most basic of conversations, daily discussions in Hindi and Urdu are completely the same. It is only when you begin delving deeper that you see vocabulary differences, particularly when it comes to more formal, political, or scientific terms.

A reason for this can be traced to the Hindustani language history. Persian and Arabic influences were brought into the Hindustani language via the Mughal Empire and Delhi Sultanate. This means that foreign loan words came from invaders, and they required vocabulary that was strictly formal and political. The Pakistan language is more Persianised with a greater influence from Persian and Arabic countries.

Are Pakistani and Indian Urdu the Same when translating?

Quite a number of people believe that both Indian Urdu and Pakistani Urdu are the same. The main difference is that both languages use different writing scripts or alphabets. However, linguists do not see alphabets or scripts as part of a language but rather as a way to express language on paper. Therefore, many argue that the Indian and Pakistan language are akin.

Yet while both languages have an everyday vocabulary in common, there are still some stark differences between them. As highlighted above, there are major differences in the formal registers. Pakistani Urdu, as its name states, has been developed in Pakistan. While everyday speakers can understand Hindi, there are more than a few differences to make both languages stand out.

Renaissance Translations’ Urdu Translation Services

If you have a document to translate into either Indian Urdu or Pakistani Urdu, get in touch with our project managers today. They will help you choose between the Indian and Pakistan language variant for your document. We have a team of over 10,000 qualified native speakers that understand the complexities of the language. They can understand both writing systems and nuances in vocabulary to ensure a high-quality translation. Let us be your trusted language partner and provide your business with our professional translation services.

The Portuguese language is a globalised language, with people speaking Portuguese on four continents. It is the official language of Portugal and the official language of Brazil, and a fast-growing language with plenty of new learners worldwide.

If you’re thinking of learning the Portuguese language, this article might convince you! Here we reveal eight fun facts about Portuguese culture, the history of the language, and trends in learning and translations. If you feel discouraged in learning or speaking Portuguese, these fun facts will provide the motivation you need!

1. People are Speaking Portuguese on Four Continents

It is well-known that Portuguese is the official language of Brazil and Portugal. However, it may surprise you that the Portuguese language is the sixth most popular language worldwide. Over 200 million people are speaking Portuguese as a native language, and it is spoken on four continents.

Eight different countries use Portuguese as their official language. Aside from being the language of Brazil and Portugal, these countries include Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, and more. Dialects vary between these regions, but the language is easy to understand across the board. There are also sprinkles of Portuguese culture throughout all these places, and more!

2. Only 5% of Portuguese Speakers Live in Portugal

Many people assume most Portuguese speakers live in Portugal. But while it is the official language of Portugal and the heart of Portuguese culture, only 5% of speakers live in the country. The rest of the people speaking Portuguese live in the countries listed above, with a massive 80% of speakers living in Brazil—it is no wonder that the official language of Brazil is Portuguese!

There are also many Portuguese speakers elsewhere around the world. English is the fastest-growing European language worldwide, but the Portuguese language comes in second place. The number of Portuguese speakers is growing so fast that experts think it will soon be used as an international communication language and join the current six official UN languages.

3. Portuguese became an Official Language in 1209

The Portuguese language derives from Latin, making it one of the Romance languages. When the Romans finally made it to the Iberian Peninsula, they brought their language with them, blending Latin with the language of the local people to form the language of Portugal. Portuguese is also influenced heavily by Arabic, as are all languages of the Iberian Peninsula.

The Portuguese language was first used in official documents in the 9th century and continued to grow in use and popularity. Portugal became its own country in 1139, and Portuguese became the official language of Portugal in 1209. Along with the language, Portuguese culture thrived.

4. Portuguese was the Language for Trade in Asia

As Portugal joined the European race to discover new places, Portuguese culture and the language of Portugal spread throughout the world. It quickly reached Asia, Africa, and South America. It became the official language of Brazil in the 18th century as Portugal increased its political power.

In fact, the Portuguese language was used for all official communications between Portugal and its colonies. It was also the language for administration and trade throughout Asia after the Portuguese took control of the Spice Road between South East Asia and the Persian Gulf in the early 1500s. The language was used until the 19th century when Asian languages took over.

5. The Portuguese Alphabet Changed in 2009

When you start learning and speaking Portuguese (regardless of whether you’re learning the language of Brazil or Portugal), you’ll notice that the Portuguese language uses the same alphabet as English. There are 26 letters, ranging from A to Z. However, back when Portuguese was made the official language of Portugal, this wasn’t the case.

In the original Portuguese language, there were only 23 letters–letters K, W, and Y were missing. These three letters were added to the official alphabet in 2009. They were integrated into the alphabet to help with foreign loanwords added to the Portuguese culture from other languages. Examples include “software” and “yoga,” which many Portuguese-speaking people use as part of daily conversations.

6. Many English Words Come from Portuguese

Several English words have been borrowed from the Portuguese language. Here are a few examples used in both English culture and Portuguese culture today:

• Embaraçar/Embarrassed: The Portuguese word “embaraçar” has a literal translation of “to tie in knots.” Or, as the English say, “embarrass.” This gives a good description of how embarrassment feels!
• Feitiço/Fetish: Portuguese-speaking people also use the word “feitiço,” another word that has lent its use to the English language. The direct Portuguese-to-English translation is “a charm or sorcery,” but in English, we say “fetish.”
• Fato/Fact: Another example of a similarity between the Portuguese language and English is the word “fato,” the Portuguese-to-English translation of which is “fact.” The plural is even more alike to the English term, spelt “factos” in Portuguese.

There are many other examples found in the Portuguese language. The word “compacto” in Portuguese is “compact” in English, “objecto” is “object,” and “intelecto” is “intellect.” These similarities between English and Portuguese make speaking Portuguese easier for language learners. This is true regardless of whether you’re learning the language of Portugal or the language of Brazil.

7. Portuguese is a less Popular Language to Learn

Though Portuguese is the official language of Portugal, the language of Brazil, and widely spoken worldwide, it has always seemed to be in the background behind its closely related cousin: Spanish. This is the same when it comes to those who are learning a new language. There are many more people learning to speak Spanish than Portuguese.

Spanish isn’t Portuguese’s only rival: the Portuguese language did not make the top ten list of languages being learned around the world, despite its popularity. However, plenty of people are starting to learn more about the Portuguese language and Portuguese culture. Hopefully, the number of language learners will continue to increase!

8. Learning Portuguese Can Open up Opportunities

Though it is not a popular language to learn, there are many benefits to learning Portuguese. Firstly, speaking Portuguese can lend you a better chance of learning another Romance language. All Romance languages are related and share a certain amount of similarities across the board. Likewise, if you know a Romance language, it can be easier to learn Portuguese.

Learning the Portuguese language can also open many opportunities for anybody planning on travelling a lot. As the language of Portugal and the language of Brazil, learning the language enables you to fully immerse yourself in Brazilian and Portuguese culture and others worldwide!

Renaissance Translations’ Portuguese Translation Services

These facts on the Portuguese language and Portuguese culture should inspire you to learn more about this fascinating language. As the official language of Brazil, Portugal, and many other nations, it is widely spoken. However, it fails to be a popular language for people to learn—all the more reason to pick up this language!

If you need help with a translation, look no further. We provide Brazilian, European, and even African Portuguese translation services. That’s why we have professional translators in every region. Get in touch with our translation project managers to discuss your project or request a translation quote online. 

With so many businesses requiring Spanish translation services, these businesses must specify whether they need to translate English to European Spanish or South American Spanish. This distinction might seem surprising since populations in Spain and Latin America speak Spanish. However, South American and European Spanish have distinct differences.

This article uncovers the significant differences between the two languages, highlighting the importance of defining your audience when seeking professional Spanish translation services.

Defining South American & European Spanish

South American Spanish and European Spanish are distinct variations of the same language. A good way to understand this is to make the same distinction with versions of the English language. For example, a Briton can understand an Australian, an American, and a New Zealander. However, each speaker has different expressions, accents, and vocabulary. The same is true for Spanish.

The European version of the language originated in Spain in the central province of Castile. This type of Spanish is known as Castellano of Castilian, called so due to its place of origin. Spaniards refer to the language as this rather than “Spanish” or “Espanol”, as many other languages are also spoken in the country. Examples include Basque, Galician, Catalan, and Valencian.

Conversely, the Spanish language is called Espanol or Spanish in South American nations. This name highlights the fact that the Spanish language originated in the country of Spain. Although the South American version originated from Castellano, it has evolved over time to have distinctions in pronunciation and vocabulary.

Speakers from both parts of the world can understand the Spanish spoken in the other, but they respond best to content in their native tongue. It helps ensure your audience connects and engages with your text rather than simply understanding it. Thus, you must decide whether to translate English to European Spanish or South American Spanish for your translation to be effective.

Differences in European vs South American Spanish Vocabulary

The term “continental lag” was first introduced by a linguist called Albert Markwardt. It was a term to describe the idea that a language was less likely to change than the language spoken in the origin country. For example, South American Spanish is less likely to change than European Spanish. This idea could explain why specific phrases and words used in South America differ; the language hasn’t caught up with the evolution of European Spanish.

Perhaps one of the most significant differences in vocabularies between both languages is the use of the pronouns “vosotras” and “vosotros”. This word is a second-person plural used when addressing a group of friends, but it is only used in European Spanish. In South America, the pronoun vosotros doesn’t exist! This means that when you translate English to European Spanish, you have this other pronoun to memorise.

South American Spanish is also heavily influenced by the countries and people around it. There were numerous native languages in South America initially, so the original Spanish language merged quite a number of these words from other languages with the Spanish vocabulary. South American Spanish has also borrowed certain words from English due to its close proximity to the US.

Differences in South American vs European Spanish Pronunciation

Although some differences in vocabulary exist, the major difference between both Spanish variants is pronunciation. The pronunciation of Z differs significantly. South Americans pronounce Z as S, while when you translate English to European Spanish, you’d use the TH pronunciation. Let’s take the phrase “la taza es azul” as an example, which means “the cup is blue”:

• In South America, this phrase would sound like “la tasa es asul”
• In Europe, this phrase would sound like “la tatha es athul”

Another difference is the pronunciation of double L and Y. In certain parts of Uruguay and Argentina, these sounds are pronounced like the SH sound in English. In European Spanish, the Y and LL are both pronounced as Y. An example is “esta lloviendo en la playa,” which translates to “it is raining on the beach”:

• In Argentina, this phrase would sound like “esta shoviendo en la pasha”
• In Europe, it would sound like “esta yoviendo en la playa”

Apart from the differences in particular letter sounds when you translate to Spanish, there are differences in how people speak. Some linguists can say that some South American nations speak Spanish in a sing-song accent. Those that translate to Spanish say that Colombian Spanish is neutral sounding. Even some countries drop the S in the middle or end of words!

Renaissance Translations’ Professional Spanish Translation Services 

One of the most crucial decisions for any business is whether to translate English to European Spanish or South American Spanish. As this article has demonstrated, there are considerable differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. Choosing the most appropriate language version is crucial for creating content that connects with your audience.

If you want to translate a document to Spanish, the first question our project managers will ask is about your target market. We have available Spanish translators in all Spanish-speaking countries, so ensure the local dialects and nuances are considered. This produces genuinely authentic content that sounds as if it were written by a local.

Our company is an associate member of the Association of Translation Companies in England as well as the SDL LSP Partner Programme. Get in touch today to discuss your South American or European Spanish translation project or request a quote online. A member of our team will be in contact shortly!