Top Five Reasons Why Translation Is An Intellectual Pursuit

An intellectual pursuit is something akin to the pursuit of knowledge. It is doing something that requires the use of research and intellect to find the answers to questions of your own, or those of others. Studying for a college degree is an intellectual pursuit, as is becoming a history buff.

Learning a different language and translating it for others is a major example of an intellectual pursuit, and here are five ways to show it.

1 – It keeps your skills and brain sharp.

An intellectual pursuit is that which continues to grow your intelligence, sharpen your skills, and enhance your knowledge. Learning a second (or third…or more) language expands your brainpower and leads to positive cognitive connections that keep your mind strong and active. A second language can improve your memory, help you “stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia,” and even improve your English skills (Merrit, 2013).

2 – It helps you do what you love without doing what you don’t.

Some people love to learn new things, and some people love to help others learn new things; these are people who often go into the teaching profession. There are many people, however, who simply do not wish to teach in a classroom setting. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a teacher in the scholarly sense to marry these loves; becoming a professional translator is the perfect way to make a powerful path to your intellectual pursuit.

3 – It expands your cultural and historical knowledge.

Those who pursue another language are also pursuing historical and cultural knowledge. The need to know about the culture, and what formed the world view of those who are absorbed in it, is essential to providing a wholly accurate translation. Certain words “belong to their culture” and translators need to know how to “describe the reality of one culture using the language of another,” according to Tomlinson (2017).

4 – It teaches you how to research.

If you are translating a document about HR procedures, you’ll need to become well-acquainted with terms you might never have heard of in any language. Translation can give you the opportunity to dive deeper where you never thought you could go. You’ll become an expert in “general and specific fields.”

5 – It builds your objectivity.

Language translation requires not only the general knowledge of terms and words but a deeper knowledge of nuance and a lot of objectivity. Tomlinson writes that “The translator is a chronicler, a participant observer who rarely ‘steps-into’ the text” and needs to use “objectivity to translate well.” Learning the difference between fact and opinion, and knowing how to translate that, is essential to any intellectual pursuit.

ITC Global Translation’s many translators have turned language and translation into their personal intellectual pursuits. If you’re ready to call on their skills, contact us today.