LOST IN TRANSLATION

by Earlie Doriman
Although the movie in 2003 by the same title which starred Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson did not deeply engage in the challenges of language barrier and issues concerning two cultures, it certainly depicted the reality that every country, wealthy or poor; big or small, is distinctively characterized by its own language and set of idiom – an element to cultural history, attitude, and identity. Strangely enough, language creates division amongst nations and yet it also helps bridge this division and converge diverse people together to value each other and appreciate their presence. There are many people who are deeply passionate exploring and become skillful at different languages which indicate that these tongues are not impossible to learn after all.

I am always fascinated and amused to watch foreign movies with English translations at the bottom and I thought a translation service is responsible for bringing sensible life to many non English movies. With quality translations, French or Chinese movies for example, are brought closer to respective homes and this apparently provides a different sense of entertainment. I love to listen to different languages although I don’t have the skill to learn them easily, I find joy by plainly absorbing the strange accent and words of a particular language. I learned few Polish words and I find it amazing to use them in short sentences. I also learned common Japanese terms and I enjoyed using them in some informal conversations.. Urdu is another one that interests me. Chinese or Mandarin was the most difficult challenge that now I could not remember any of the words that I used to memorize.





The birth of internet provides a global library where everyone has an invaluable opportunity to learn many languages from any imaginable corners of the world. Translating one language to another has become more accessible and convenient as there are various websites that offer translation services. The onset of globalisation and its influence to almost every aspect of living including business, socio-politics, and medicine, is a given condition that language and the necessity to be understood are indispensable. It is equally essential that quality translation of language becomes a paramount concern. Translation services are widespread and most of them are simply ‘a click away’.
The world wide web is unsurprisingly an important source of translation companies and translation agencies that offer translation services. Agreeably, professional translation comes from quality and reliable translation company or translation agency. To say that Hollywood movies do not need translation services is an overstatement because the fact indicates that there is less than 20 percent of the global population that could speak English. When movie producers aim to reach a wider audience across the globe, it is essential to acknowledge the expertise of a translation agency to take charge of the different languages the movie requires.