It’s important to realize the importance of literacy translation when it comes to being an effective author or publisher. The most common way people communicate is through speaking their native language.
Although English has become an international language, many people around us still don’t feel comfortable communicating in English or, more precisely, reading English literature. That’s why it has become important to translate literacy into as many languages as possible.
The following are 10 reasons why literacy translation should be valued.
- Develops New Market for Writers
Literacy translation has the potential to bring new markets for writers since it enables them to convey their message in a language other than their own. This has the potential to make them more money by opening up their work to an audience that would not have had access to it.
For example, if an English-speaking writer wants to publish a book in German, they can do so by availing book translation services, translating the book into German, and publishing it in Germany. It is true that the writer will have to invest some money in this process, but it will be worth it following the success of the book in the new market.
- Show the Uniqueness of Your Work
Getting your book translated will come with a lot of benefits that you will enjoy for a long period. This work will help to bridge the gap between cultures in ways that are often overlooked. Here are some reasons why literacy translation and interpretation are important for new cultures.
- Literacy translators and interpreters help preserve endangered languages.
- High-quality translations help to keep people from being taken advantage of by those who can’t read or understand the language they’re reading in.
In short, by translating your book into multiple languages, the whole world can benefit from your perspective and thoughts using different mediums available.
- Get Recognized Internationally
Book translation will also help writers reach a wider audience and allow them to sell their work more easily. Book translation will also help writers get recognized internationally. This is especially true for English-language books that are translated into Spanish, for example.
Readers who speak Spanish but not English will be able to purchase and read the book instead of having to rely on translations from one of the larger languages, such as French or German. This will open more ways for your success as a writer and will motivate you to write more and express your thoughts in more than one way.
- Develop New Readers and Writers
Despite the improving technology and digitalization, there is still a lack of literacy rate across the globe. There are many reasons for this, but it can often be attributed to a lack of literacy and educational opportunities, poverty, low levels of education, and more.
That’s why it is important to get more and more books translated into native languages, so they can reach more people. Also, the translation of books into native languages will develop more writers around the globe.
- Revitalize the Literature
The purpose of literacy translation is to revitalize literature. It’s a way to re-release books from languages that are no longer spoken or are spoken by minorities.
In doing so, it preserves the cultural heritage and identity of people who speak these languages and provides access to literature for people who can’t read them in their original language.
The UNESCO Courier published an editorial arguing that literacy translations should be done not only with the goal of revitalizing culture but also as a preservation project. Most importantly, it exposes readers to new perspectives on life.
- It can Help People Learn New Languages
Learning new languages can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many different tools and methods that can help you learn a new language, and literacy translation is one of them.
Literacy translation involves translating words or phrases into the reader’s native language, so they understand. It’s often used in comics, children’s books, and magazines to make sure young readers know what the story is about.
- It can Help Promote Global Understanding
With literacy translation, we can promote global understanding because it helps bridge communication barriers. Educating children who cannot speak English or any other common language has always been a challenge and an obstacle for those who wish to teach them.
Using books written in their native language and then translated into English or another common language breaks down these communication barriers and provides a way for teachers to provide quality education while simultaneously helping with cultural understanding.
- It Helps Children Learn to Read
Literacy translation can help children learn to read by providing them with books in their native language. Having access to literature in their own language can allow more children to read and develop a love for reading at an early age.
Children who are exposed to different cultures through books also grow up with a greater understanding of other people’s lives and perspectives. Translations of classic books help young readers get acquainted with cultures from other countries.
- It Helps Promoting Shared Values
Translation helps bridge cultural gaps by promoting shared values. It allows people to learn about one another’s cultures and traditions, as well as participate in them.
Literacy translation is also important for those who are not literate in their second language or do not have access to books in their native tongue. For example, many English literature classics have been translated into multiple languages, which has helped cultures exchange their values with English culture.
This is the actual reason why English culture is known and understood all around the world.
- It will Help Make the World a Better Place
Literacy translation is important because it can help make the world a better place. For people who are illiterate in their native tongue, literacy translation can provide a new way of expressing oneself. It also provides access to knowledge that would otherwise not be available to them.
To understand this concept, imagine reading a book about engineering from your first-language point of view. Imagine how difficult that task might be if you do not know what the words mean or how they sound.
Now imagine reading about engineering from your second-language point of view. That book on engineering might have been very easy to read and understand.
