More to come …
Update June 2021
Starting today, Textbureau shines in new colors showing off brand new contents
At this spot you will now find the text blog containing short essays on language and culture and referring to updates. Until now you can read through two new interesting “snippets” about the nature of translating and on marketing language and language impact.
Also, check out the entirely new flyer on culture (partly German) to be found here.
Overcoming Language Borders
When you take a closer look at media publication, especially at renowned press, you may often see the use of foreign-language expressions. Think of “zeitgeist”, “joie de vivre”, “machismo” or the like.
The truth is, national languages are to a great extent blends of other languages. For English this is in particular the case, since it draws its native vocabulary from two sources: Germanic and Romance stems.
Yet not only European languages have influenced and still do influence English speech and writing but languages from all over the world. This can be exemplified by listing words from the area of food and cooking, like, e. g., yogurt (Turkish), mocha (Arabic), soy (Japanese), curry (Tamil), bagel (Yiddish) und so on.
Transcription or New Creation?
In Germany, almost one of two fiction books are translations from another language. Given this, people working in this field provide for a vast body of publications and bear a lot of responsibility. But what’s the nature of translating? Is it a detailed transcription –– word by word –– or is it the creation of something completely new?
While translators in literature are generally seen as creative authors, technical and academic translators supposedly aim for precision and clarity. Yet, even those have to select between alternate wordings and make choices following their individual experiences and their own grasp on language.