Practicing Translation as a Life Experience

This presentation is not really academic, but a testimony of a translation experience. It is a strictly personal reflection on what I can a life experience of translating. From early primary school to university level I have been exposed to many languages where many translation techniques were constantly practiced.

I did Latin and English and some Greek at secondary school, and Italian, German, Greek and Hebrew at tertiary level. The habit was by starting with the literal translation before attempting the literary translation. I then participated in the translation of the Catholic French Missal into Kikongo Fukimina Mfumu, which was published in 1986 by Father Nicolas Berends. In Rome a book written in English titled New Testament Greek was used for Greek lessons whereas the course was held in Italian. When I worked in Kenge (DR Congo) in the 80ies, I used to interpret speeches from French, German, English into Kikongo and vice-versa. Later in Switzerland I used to proofread confidential texts submitted to me a German association, which advised people in difficulty. My job was to make sure that the French version corresponded to the German original. At UWI Barbados, I co-taught for two years the course of translation with Dr Bernadette Farquhar.

This presentation will try to draw some reflections from these experiences. Since it is on ongoing process my purpose will be to retrace what can be learnt out of this constant practice of translation. Not only the professional translator practices translation but also everyone who shifts from one language to another. Even from Bajan, Creole or Patois to English or French.