Matthew B. McDonald

Today’s world has some unique challenges. One of them is that there’s still a pandemic going on (I don’t think I need to reference any source for you to notice that this is still the case).

Part of the challenges of today’s world have nothing or very little to do with the pandemic, however (although the pandemic has created numerous large problems, and it has wreaked havoc on the world, killing millions).

The challenges I’m referring to have to do with the communicative situation in the world. That is, the way in which we communicate with one another, especially across cultures and languages.

That is essentially what translators do - they communicate across languages and cultures in order to bridge the gap (so to speak) between one communicator and another.

But how does that fit into today’s world?

It fits into today’s world because translators are in high demand. That is, people who can communicate effectively across cultures and languages.

I am using a more informal definition of “translator” here, but hear me out.

I think that anyone who can competently communicate (whether in writing or speech) across a cultural or linguistic barrier and who can confidently and effectively achieve an understanding between two or more linguistic and/or cultural communities ought to be considered a translator.

There are differences between types of translators.

And, of course, there are many more formal definitions of what translation is and how it ought to be defined.

The main takeaway is that a translator can help bridge the gap between cultural and linguistic communities.

Do you have a different perspective or a different idea on what a translator is or ought to be defined as?

Please comment in the section below if you do or if you have any other ideas, suggestions, or contributions.