If History Could Speak: “Translation is not a Commodity”

This post is based on my final blog post prompt for ENG 212 at BYU. The purpose of the assignment was to challenge a current dogma while discussing its history or origin. In a previous post, I addressed the dogma of credit. In the last couple of weeks I decided to change my topic from consumerism to translation. You will see key historical events that relate to translation highlighted. This was the end result:

Although many Americans don’t have a constant need for translation, those who do need to understand that translation cannot be bought as a commodity (Inspired by an ATA publication). When I say “translation,” what I really mean is any language service; be it sign language interpretation, literary translation, medical interpretation, etc. And when I say it’s not a commodity, I mean that translation services cannot be compared solely by price. Maybe one translator charges 5 cents per word while another charges 12. If translation were a commodity, the choice is obvious: buy the 5 cent translation. But there are many factors that play into the 7 cent difference. I’m not saying that you should always pay for the most expensive translation, but that you should know what you are buying. Consider the following:

A House is Not a Home

 
This video is the final product of the second mid term in ENGL 212 — a video challenging a modern-day dogma. I chose to challenge credit. This section of the class was meant to reflect the ideas of the Enlightenment.

Paper or Plastic?

For ENGL 212, we’ve been asked to address a modern-day dogma in true Enlightenment style. This is what I came up with:

Buying things now days has been made pretty easy; you don’t even need money! With the amount of consumption on the American credit card the question must be answered: Who’s paying for that?

I’m Gonna Kick Your [Trash]

In this assignment blog post for ENGL 212, we were asked to talk about a time that we experienced a lack of authority or chaos. I decided to write about middle school sports.

Sometime near the end of the season, he let me know how he really felt. During our warm up stretches, he looked at me and said,

“After the season’s over, I’m gonna kick your [trash]” (trash wasn’t what he really said).

The Grind

In ENGL 212 class (Rhetoric and Civilization) at BYU we talked about Francisco Petrarch and his climb up Mount Ventoux which lead him to do many of the great works that he accomplished. Our blog post assignment had us share our personal climb up “Mount Ventoux.”

After returning from my mission in Mexico, I was a walking bag of ignorant optimism…