Translation and languages

1
Translation and languages taking a glance at
the future

• Karl-Johan Lönnroth, Director-General of DGT

2
Challenges for the future

• Multilingualism
• Commercial translation
• Translation in the EU institutions
• Translator training

3
Multilingualism in the EU
4
The new Communication on Multilingualism
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The future of commercial translation
Commercial potential
Languages
Competitiveness
6
Translation cant be left to the amateurs!
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Translation is too frequently perceived simply
as a cost

• The cost of translation
• must be balanced against
• the cost of bad or
• mis-translation

8
DGT brings the EU closer to the citizens
9
The vision of the founders of Europe?
?
10
Pages translated 2000-2007
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Pages translated into Danish in 2007
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New DGT products

• Editing
• Terminology
• Web translation
• Localisation

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Developing language technologies
14
DGT investing in translator training

• Welcoming trainees

The Danish winner in 2007, Isabella Dahlberg
15
The future of multilingualism
Will we all speak English?
How many official languages?
Will non-European languages take root?
Institutionalised regional languages?
16
Four key translation challenges

• Language teaching policy
• Results in translators with limitedrange of
  languages
• Increases the need for translation

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Four key translation challenges

• 2. Invest in ensuring people have a better
  command of English

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Four key translation challenges

• Mutual understanding and real multilingual
  communication
• Between citizens
• Between officials
• Between citizens and officials

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Four key translation challenges

• Resources
• Draw on infinite resources?
• Do more with less, but with the same quality?
• Let quality slip?
• Manage demand

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Facilitating communication and safeguarding
Europes linguistic mosaic
Language in the Institutions
Translation
Citizens
21

• Mange tak!