Microsoft Word Revised Syllabus Ver doc

LESSON - III 
TRANSLATION AND CULTURE 
Translation has been used as an instrument to communicate across different linguistic 
groups from time immemorial ever since language became part of human activity there arose 
a need, especially when languages diverged, to transfer messages and information from one 
linguistic group to another and vice versa.
The advancement of humanity lies in the growth of knowledge. It indirectly derives 
its functioning on the basis of human activity through language. Diversity in languages stands 
as a barrier to free now of knowledge and interaction between different speech communities. 
Advancement of knowledge does not confine itself to any particular linguistic group. It 
comes through all groups cutting across languages. The same type of knowledge may or need 
not necessarily occur and prosper in more than one language at any particular point in time. 
There may be either individual developments or parallel developments. Even in the latter it 
need not happen in all languages and dialects. It can be found only in a few linguistic groups. 
In this world, we have more than 3000 distinct languages and dialects. It is not possible for a 
man to learn all of them in order to gain knowledge found in tongues other than his own. 
Nevertheless it is also not desirable to ignore acquiring knowledge. Therefore it becomes 
quite necessary that one in some other tongue or tongues which he may understand. This inter 
alia brings in the need for translation is greatly felt now more than ever before.
In ancient times, Greece was at the zenith of civilization and literary advancement. 
The Greek language produced masterpieces of philosophy and literature, Scholars from other 
languages looked on them in awe. They were interested in bringing out these materials in 
their languages. There was a mad rush to translate them into Latin during the pre-Christian 
era. Greek philosophy and literature became models for other languages. As humanity 
entered the Christian era passing through various phases - such as religion, renaissance, 
reformation, counter-reformation, advances in sciences and changes in the form of 
governments and societies - the need was felt more and more to transfer ideas, ideologies, 
messages, inventions and discoveries from one language to another. Thus the flower 
'translation' began to blossom in its full form.
It may be seen here that the need for translation is motivated by different purposes. At 
one extreme the focus is on translation for aesthetic purposes and at the other a transferring 
current messages that emanate from various parts of the world at all levels of human activity 
from one group of people to another. In between there are many other areas where the need 
for translation is felt. In fact there is not even a single human activity that is left untouched by 
translation. Some of the broader areas where translation has had its impact on a massive scale 
are briefly traced hereunder.
The world is divided into developed and developing countries based on achievement 
in science and technology. If the ultimate aim of mankind is to live peacefully and happily 
anywhere in the world with equal facility this 'Utopia' or 'Brave New World' cannot be 
realized without sharing the total knowledge of mankind among the totality of nations.
That translation is a must in this context is easily perceived. The alternative of 
reestablishment of a single language in the world will be to the detriment of mankind as it 
would mean the total loss of the historic past of all the three thousand languages of the world 

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and their culture. The difficulty in cracking the hard nut of Mohanjadaro and Harappa script 
may be quoted as an example for the loss of our understanding of the obviously advanced 
civilization of those times. The present situation is that unless we stumble upon another 
Rosetta stone we would still be in the dark about that bright past in our history.