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Problems to be Addressed
Coordination and cooperation with a variety of organizations like the Commission
for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), National Council for Educational
and Research Training (NCERT), National Book Trust (NBT), University Grants Commission
(UGC), Sahitya Akademi, Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore, Granth
Academies, Public Library Networks etc. would be needed for avoiding overlapping
and duplication. Similar linkage would be needed with publishers, newspaper/media,
corporate houses, booksellers. The point is to engage in strategic interventions
building on and developing synergies with existing public institutions and private
agents.
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To elaborate all the major issues to be addressed by the NTM, the following is listed:
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The multilingual situation being present in India, there is a plenty of scope for
the easy flow of translation from one language into another without the creation
of hierarchies among the languages, provided we find ways and means of facilitating
this free flow.
One crying need in the translation of knowledge texts will be the standardization
of terminology as also disallowing the use of non-standard terms and slang words,
as well as conceptual formulations so that the movement between languages is made
easier. This remains one of the major problems to be addressed through NTM.
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Translation itself is a specialised activity and may require further specialisation
when it comes to the question of translating texts in specific disciplines. The
Mission can take initiative in the area of translator education by
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1.
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Organising short-term training programmes for specific purposes like interpretation,
subtitling, translation of law, pure sciences, applied sciences, social sciences
etc involving scholars/experts in the areas concerned;
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2.
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Producing course modules and packages for translators that could be incorporated
into language teaching programmes across the country or run as special courses during
vacations, post-work or post-class hours etc;
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3.
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Encouraging, supporting and assisting in the development of specialised courses
in translation technology and related areas in universities and other institutions;
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4.
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Encouraging research projects, including student research, intended specifically
for making available good translations of identified texts as examples and generating
resources that could also serve pedagogic purposes;
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5.
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Instituting Fellowship programmes that would allow exchange of scholars between
institutions with special emphasis on translation between Indian languages;
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6.
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Organising workshops taking up specific texts as examples where experts and trainees
come together and discuss and solve specific issues relating to the text in terms
of knowledge content, terminology, cultural and linguistic context etc. and,
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7.
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Organising workshops in vetting, editing and copy-editing translations.
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The knowledge about the available translation capabilities in the country is still
inadequate as there is no single source where such information is available. This
is particularly true about language translators as English translators enjoy greater
visibility on a pan-Indian plane.
The Mission can address this difficulty in acessing texts in translation and finding
out about available skill in the following ways:
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1.
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Creating a data repository of translators in different disciplines and areas with
diverse skills and qualifications;
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2.
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Producing an on line bibliography of existing translations of different works in
all the Indian languages as also Indian works in English and other foreign languages,
with search facilities based on disciplines, languages and areas as also facilities
for users to have in-puts. Both these should be constantly updated through linkages
with Universities, Publishers, National Libraries, Akademies, the National Book
Trust and Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) etc.
Sahitya Akademi has put together a bibliography of translations in literature which
is already available on the Anukriti website of the CIIL. Sahitya Akademi has also
published a Translators’ Register that lists many translators in the Indian languages,
which could also be put on the NTM web-site. Both these need to be updated as well
as expanded to include the newly recognized languages of India. As these are confined
to literature, lists of translators and translations in other areas need to be developed
afresh for which NTM may engage collectors and editors from different parts of India.
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Translation and translators need to be more visible. This has also something to
do with the translators’ remuneration levels, which need to be looked into afresh.
Since we are now thinking of translation as a profession so that India eventually
has a ‘Translation Industry’, we need to create a circumstance in which the translators
can make a decent living out of translation alone, whatever is their specific area.
It is also possible to evolve a mechanism to get translators in different areas
registered with NTM so that there is quality control as well as recognition for
merit. Experts from the concerned disciplines, scholars in the original and target
languages and enlightened readers can constitute these evaluation boards which will
look at the quality of the translation and decide whether a translator is worthy
of being registered and taken into the national pool. They could also be given the
benefit of accreditation or certification and their names can be displayed on the
NTM website.
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Some other means to promote and make visible translations are:
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1.
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Organising book launches for translations;
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2.
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Instituting Translation prizes and fellowships;
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3.
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Organising regional Festivals of Translation (Anuvaad Melaa) with readings, discussions,
book exhibitions, honoring translators of the area etc;
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4.
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Linking up with library networks in order to ensure an initial market for quality
translations;
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5.
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Buyback arrangements under the NTM-Grants-in-Aid Scheme based on applications from
publishers, authors and translators;
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6.
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Subsidies to translators and publishing houses out of NTM-GIA to encourage the activity
of translation;
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7.
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Downloading facilities for translated pedagogic material, preferably from an open
source site or by paying publishers a nominal fee per download as may be decided;
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8.
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Providing an interface between translators, university departments offering specializations
in translation, publishers interested in bringing out more and more translations,
public as well as private sectors, and most importantly – the buyers, or the consumers
of translation;
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Grants-in-Aid subsidies for publication of the journals in English and Indian languages
with a focus on translation, or to those journals that are engaged in bringing out
e-contents in translation, or in publishing, in print, versions of important professional
journals or serial publications in English in diverse disciplines into regional
languages;
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10.
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Suggesting and persuading to get translated material incorporated into the National/Regional
Curriculum Framework – and into the syllabi of schools, colleges and universities;
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11.
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Helping to set up language resource centres and book nooks/book corners dealing
in translated books in educational institutions at all levels;
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12.
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Projecting the importance of bilingual/multi-lingual skills by pointing out the
areas of its use and application, including examinations and job tests; and
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13.
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Linking up with public and civil society organisations to ensure greater access
to translated materials especially in smaller towns and villages of India.
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