Writing in English or in Arabic_ issue of Translation Emerges

by Khaldun Alqaisi

Sadly, I do not write often in English but in Arabic which is my native language and which I love very much.

But the current audience and the largest one is English-speaking. In fact, one of my goals is to reach as much larger audience as possible not only to probably make more money from the ads, an advantage which I currently ignore how to have. But also to get to know more people on the Internet.

I am mostly interested in making friends from the United States and Europe and China and Japan and the developed countries.

The issue of reaching out to a specific audience could be addressed and eventually solved by the translation which is, unfortunately, unprofessional by the machine translators. Interestingly, my profession is a translator and just now only now, the moment I am writing these lines I realized the paramount importance of translation.

I really endeavor to reach a larger audience of readers and followers and translation turns out to be the key. My most production is in Arabic, and that is evident because I think in Arabic mainly but fortunately I can write in English and therefore, I am in dire need for translation but I cannot afford to hire a translator. However, so many gifted people do not speak English or they do not have enough command of the same to convey their knowledge.

The fact is that there are two efforts being made; the first is write in Arabic (1) and then translate the Arabic into English (2). 

The need for those who speak other than English is greater nowadays for translation and research than those who speak English only.

What strikes me the most is that I know many people who underestimate translation as important as it should be in the world of today. I work with a corporate which has made of English a main language of communication because it has an international presence. They are right because the global trend is to use English a language spoken by a greater number of people worldwide.

But I believe that the weak nations swap the language in favor of a language which not theirs.

Within this context, I wonder what is the need for the native language if all people speak and write English as a common language for all inhabitants of the planet. Well the answer, in my opinion, is that there are a lot of people who are illiterate and others who do not feel comfortable communicating in other than their native language. 

To further explore the subject matter, I have to inquire the people like international organization how they feel the need for language in the countries where they operate, what the language needs of the locals are, what the actual linguistic needs of the foreign organizations? So many questions that need answers.