Translation and Interpretation: Retrospect and Prospect.

In the last 35 years, translation has become a profession. Its format has moved somewhat away from books to encompass all other print materials, its topic has broadened from literature to every kind of information, and its readership has spread worldwide. The profession has gained greater prominence due to the increase in international organizations, decolonization, acceptance of bilingualism, recognition of minority language groups, increasing importance of English as an international language, tourism, trade, and the widening of democracy. In language courses, translation has an improved image, and many books and papers have been published on the topic. Most of these materials have focused more on the theory of translation than on methods. Certification and specialization in simultaneous, consecutive, conference, or court interpretation are increasingly common. Too much research has been devoted to interpretation aptitude testing, when motivation is sometimes a more important criterion than aptitude. The field of translation will only become larger and more visible. Machine translation will also see great development, and the field will become more scientific. Interpretation also has a secure future, particularly as video and sound technology evolves. A 19-item bibliography is included. (MSE)