INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF TRANSLATORS
“The voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world”
FIT Secretariat, Aeschenvorstadt 71, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
+(41) 61 225 42 10 | +(41) 61 225 44 10 | secretariat@fit-ift.org | www.fit-ift.org
Registered Office: REGUS, 57 rue d’Amsterdam, 75008 Paris, France
Communiqué
INTERNATIONAL TRANSLATION DAY 2013
Beyond Linguistic Barriers – A United World
The enormous diversity of languages and dialects in the world creates barriers to
communication on a daily basis, affecting all areas of life. Human migration and globalization
highlight the need for seamless communication across cultures. Professional translators,
terminologists and interpreters have an essential role in this regard. Sometimes working
under difficult circumstances, for example in fluctuating market conditions or in conflict
zones, they nevertheless consistently work to overcome language barriers and bring people
closer together.
TTIs (translators, terminologists and interpreters) work at all levels of society. Not only do
interpreters help politicians negotiate complicated treaties and agreements to avoid
international conflicts and wars, but they also help parents obtain the necessary treatment for
a sick child in an emergency room. Translators ensure that machinery can be used safely
around the world through professionally-translated technical manuals, and that software is
localized so that we can all use it in our primary language. Thanks to translators, we can all
enjoy the great literary masterpieces. Terminologists are becoming ever more essential in
today’s society, as they support the work of translators and interpreters. The work of
terminologists in standardizing language in different domains also enables experts to
communicate more easily.
International Translation Day (ITD), celebrated annually on 30 September, is an
opportunity to showcase the profession and increase awareness of this vital work. FIT
encourages all to mark this occasion in a special way, using this year’s theme of
Beyond Linguistic Barriers – A United World.
