Though the British Island had faced several invasions, but the cultural and linguistic identity of the Island was seriously challenged in just two of such invasions in history. First during the Vikings invasion which lasted from eight to tenth centuries and second during 300 years after the Norman conquest.
Throughout its history and during the several invasions, translators and professional translations played a key role in saving the linguistic and cultural identity of the British Island.
The Middle Ages in the island of Great Britain extends from 410 to 1485 AD. During the Old English period which lasted from 600 to 1066 AD, some notable translations were undertaken by Alfred the Great. Alfred the Great was the King of Wessex from 871 to 899 and successfully defended his kingdom against the Viking conquests. Realizing the decline in the intellectual life in England, he commissioned many translation works. He wanted few “books of wisdom” which he deemed “most necessary for all men to know” to be translated in the English language through an ambitious court centered program. He also encouraged education and primary education in English language.
Though Alfred had commissioned many books for translation such as the lost Handboc or Encheiridion, he himself along with the aid of his court scholars translated at least four works himself: Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Care, Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy, St. Augustine’s Soliloquies, and the first fifty psalms of the Psalter. In his preface to the translation of Gregory’s Pastoral Care he mentioned that “learning had declined so thoroughly in England that there were very few men on this side of the Humber who could understand their divine services in English, or even translate a single letter from Latin into English: and I suppose that there were not many beyond the Humber either”. He distributed his translations of Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Care to his bishops so that they might better train and supervise priests, and used those same bishops as royal officials and judges.
Other monarchs of the time who undertook notable translation projects were Alfonso X in Spain, Charles V in France and Ælfric, the English Abbot of Eynsham. Alfonso X was the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 30 May 1252 until his death. He is especially credited for the formation of the Escuela de Traductores de Toledo also called as the Toledo School of Translators which consisted of Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars. Through there translation services several important books were translated from Arabic and Hebrew into Latin and Castillian. Technical translation of astronomy and astrology were two of the main fields that were translated by these scholars. As a result of these translations, Castillian language was promoted which later established the foundations of the Spanish language.
After the Norman conquests, two main languages that were spoken by ordinary people of the country were Anglo Norman and English. Translators who translated for the elite, translated in Anglo Norman language instead of the English language. The elite who were mainly associated with the courts and monastic centers considered Anglo Norman to be a prestigious language than English. Extensively used in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Anglo Norman had continued to be used in courts in the fifteenth century as well. The late fourteenth century marked the onset of professional translation services. Translators evolved and moved away from literal translation towards better forms of professional translation which had the end reader at its center.
Looking for an experienced translation company to handle your next translation project? We can help! Find out more about our premier services by calling us at +44 (0)20 3940 3255. You can also email us at info@universallanguagesolutions.co.uk. To get an estimate for our services, please complete our free quote form to get an instant quote.
It may be a small world but communicating effectively in a global market place is a big challenge.
Universal Language Solutions is the company of choice for some of the world’s best-known brands who trust us to meet their translation and interpreting needs.
Combining the latest technology with the skill of our professional linguists, we offer a complete range of cost effective translation services in over 140 different languages, with the capacity to turn work around quickly to meet your deadline.
One thing that needs no translation is quality. Our experienced translators and interpreters take the utmost care to provide reliable, bespoke translations so you can be safe in the knowledge that what we deliver is accurate and meaningful.
How do you charge for translations? +
We charge a “per word” rate. The rate per word depends on the language combination, complexity of the subject matter and the turnaround time you require.
How do I count the words in my document? +
Doing a word count can be tricky, especially if your document contains pictures with embedded text or you have a PDF. The easiest way to get a word count is to send us all of your documents and let us do the word count for you. We have advanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) programs that can do word counts on any document or image and in any language, including Asian and Middle Eastern languages. Alternatively, if you’re working from a Word for Windows document that contains only text, Microsoft Word 2007 shows the word count in the lower left-hand side of the application.
How long will it take to translate my document? +
We endeavour always to meet our client deadlines. For very large projects we will assign as many translators as required to ensure the deadline is met.
What method should I use to send my documents, and how do you send them back? +
The best way to send the document(s) is to email us a copy of your document, or to upload it using our free quotation form. Alternatively you can send your document by fax or a photocopy by post. We are able to receive both PC and Mac formats, although our staff and administrators mostly use PC-based systems. We can send you your completed translations in any format and by any method you require.
Why an online translation service? +
Quite simply to save you time and money! Who has the time nowadays to carry documents up and down the UK for a translation? It is obviously much more comfortable to upload a document or email it as an attachment without leaving your home or office.
Can I deliver/collect the documents in person? +
We offer online translation services, but on rare occasions where a document is extremely urgent some clients do come in person to collect their material. However, it is much more practical to deliver documents using our website or by email, or post, where these options are viable.
How much do I have to pay extra for the translation to be posted to my address? +
The answer is short: Nothing at all. The cost of sending the translation by First Class Royal Mail is included in the price of service. In special cases, for a £15 surcharge we can use the Royal Mail Special Delivery service, whereby the delivery is guaranteed on the next working day after posting.
Who performs the translation? +
We use our in-house translators who specialise in western European languages. For any other combinations we have a team of high quality, certified, freelance translators with impeccable credentials and extensive experience. They are responsive, talented, trustworthy and 100% committed professionals with whom we have built and established a solid working relationship over time.
How do you ensure your translations are accurate? +
All Universal Language Solutions Ltd translations are accurate. We have designed our quality control system to allow each team member to perform their functions in real time, supporting each other’s specialised functions, checking each other’s work, sharing terminology databases and research. Continuous process improvements are built in. Our project management system adapts to the needs of any project, bringing in different and complementary skill sets as required.
How do you enforce confidentiality? +
We recognise that legal translations require absolute confidentiality. Every team member who handles your document signs (1) an in-house corporate non-disclosure agreement, and (2) a project-by-project confidentiality agreement. Our project management system allows us to control exactly who has access to your documents, and levels of access are adjusted according to the role of the authorised team member.
Is a more expensive translation necessarily a better one? +
In this industry, as in many others, it is usually true that you get what you pay for. When hiring a reputable company (like Universal Language Solutions Ltd) for a translation project, you are paying for their extensive resources and experience. If you care about the quality of your project, you should care about the quality of the translation. A poorly-executed translation will do more than just confuse its intended recipients, it might also destroy your professional reputation.
Sworn or certified translations? +
Yes. Universal In the UK, the sworn translation is purely theoretical whereas it is typically the principal term used overseas for official translations. The UK equivalent is simply referred to as a ‘Certified Translation’ and this is what the main UK authorities and institutions will require as part of an application.
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