International Translation Day

The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals. Several hundred language staff work in UN offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, or at the United Nations regional Offices in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva and Santiago. Translators are one type of language professionals employed at the UN. UN language specialists include: Editorial and desktop publishing assistants ; Editors ;  Interpreters ;  Précis-writers ;  Production editors and desktop publishers ;  Translators ;  Verbatim reporters United Nations translators handle all kinds of documents, from statements by Member States to reports prepared by expert bodies. The documents they translate cover every topic on the United Nations agenda, including human rights, peace and security, and development. New issues arise every day. UN documents are issued simultaneously in the six official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian...

The United Nations uses simultaneous interpreting to make easier communication during meetings and events. The interpreters don’t have any breaks during the speech. They have to juggle, listen, translate, and talk at the same time. They must travel and be objective when translating arguments that they don't agree with and they often work under extreme stress. These professionals need years of training to accumulate the skills needed to interpret during meetings and conferences .

The United Nations has six official languages  which are the  English , Spanish , French , Chinese , Russian , and Arabic . The organization edits and publishes documents in all UN official languages , but generally uses English and French for internal communication. The other languages are used during discussions in the Regional Commissions. Mastering a language is just the first step in becoming a good interpreter. In a UN guide aimed at those looking to become linguistic experts , the job appears to be a mix of a diplomat, engineer, and traffic driver. “ A good translator knows the techniques for dealing with difficult situations, has nerves of steel, doesn't freak out, and can keep up with fast speakers ”, says the guide. In 1946, English and French were the only working languages. Due to the United Nations General Assembly all six official languages have become working languages too. The majority of speakers at the United Nations communicate in one of six official lan...

They live and make history every day, fighting cultural and language barriers at global levels, dealing daily with some of the most important and influential people on the planet, and speaking for them during meetings and conferences . It seems like the perfect job, but nothing is simple when the slightest translation error can have serious consequences in world politics. United Nations interpreters are fully aware of the responsibility they bear. The Interpreter, film directed by Sydney Pollack, starring Nicole Kidman

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights holds the Guinness World Record as the most translated document. It exists in more than 500 languages . The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals . There are six official languages of the UN - Arabic Language , Chinese Language , English Language , French Language , Russian Language and Spanish Language . A delegate may speak in any official UN language. The speech is interpreted simultaneously into the other official languages of the UN .