The evolution of the translation profession

Over the past decades, the translation profession has undergone a significant transformation. Martin de Haan, known for his translations of Michel Houellebecq's works, stresses that translation is a creative process that requires dedication. “It's a calling,” he says. “You have to be really passionate about sitting in front of a computer for days.”

From pencil to keyboard

Karina van Santen, a field veteran, remembers the time of handwritten translations and mechanical typewriters. “It was physically demanding work,” she says. Today, she sees translators as essential cultural mediators, making literature and ideas accessible to a wider audience.

Technology as an ally

Brenda Lelie, a specialist in Latvian, sees technological progress as a blessing. “Modern tools allow us to focus on the essentials: capturing an author's unique style and cadence,” she explains. Lelie also stresses the importance of translating from lesser-known languages, thereby promoting literary diversity.

The intensity of literary translation

De Haan describes translating Houellebecq's' Destroy 'as an all-encompassing experience. “It's like spending years immersed in the author's words, even in your dreams,” he says. This dedication illustrates the profound connection that translators have with their work.

The challenge of artificial intelligence

The rise of AI in the translation world is a cause for concern. De Haan predicts that simpler texts may be translated by machines. However, he is not so much afraid of the disappearance of the profession, but of the loss of “typical human language”.

“If we outsource communication to machines, what does that say about ourselves?” he asks. This question underlines the continued value of human translators in an increasingly digitized world.

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