Odia is one of the oldest languages in India, spoken by millions of people in the eastern state of Odisha. As the demand for Odia content increases, the need for accurate translation has become more urgent than ever. However, English to Odia translation does not come without its problems. In this blog, we'll discuss the challenges that face translators in English to Odia translation.

To build cross-cultural relationships, maintain interpersonal communication, and share knowledge among a different language community, there has to be the use of translation.

Most countries use the lingua franca that is, the English language for people to pass their thoughts, ideas, and feelings to be agreed upon and put down on papers to sign memoranda of understanding. But in India where diversities cut across the lives of the people; here, language remains an essential tool for inhibiting communication as they speak in local tongues and, therefore, translations will be required to enable efficient communication among local populations.

Historically, English is the dominant language of education, Laws, policies, plans, information, communication, administration, governance, etc. On the other hand, the state-specific or vernacular language is equally vital. In a bilingual environment, one faces information/communication gaps, which are possible to overcome through translation from the English language to the concerned vernacular or regional language.

1. Linguistic and Cultural Differences

Odia and English have distinct grammatical structures, vocabularies, and cultural nuances. Odia is an Indo-Aryan language with its own set of rules and idioms, which can be difficult to translate accurately. For instance, Odia has a complex system of case markings, which can change the meaning of a sentence entirely.

2. Limited Resources and Reference Materials

As compared to other languages, Odia has very limited resources and reference materials available for translators. English to Odia Translation can be a challenge for translators in finding the right words, phrases, and expressions that will convey the intended meaning.

3. Dialectical Variations

Odia has many dialects. Each dialect has its characteristics and vocabulary. The translators should be aware of the dialectical variations so that the translation is correct and relevant to the target audience.

4. Technical and Specialized Terminology

Translating technical and specialized vocabulary from English to Odia is quite a challenge. There may not be corresponding words in Odia for some technical words; hence, new terminology needs to be coined or descriptive phrases used.

5. Idioms and Colloquialisms

Idioms and colloquialisms are generally culture-bound and thus prove to be difficult to translate accurately. Odia has its idioms and colloquialisms that do not have corresponding English idioms.

6. Font and Encoding Issues

Odia has its script, which sometimes is quite tricky to deal with when it comes to font and encoding issues. English to Odia Translation experts must ensure that the translated text is displayed correctly and consistently on different platforms.

7. Quality Control and Editing

The quality of the translation from English to Odia may be challenging to ensure, especially in the stages of editing and proofreading. The translator must know the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of Odia so that the translation may be accurate and free of errors.

Why English to Odia Translation is difficult?

It is often claimed that English is a very tough language to learn and translate. For the speakers of Indian languages, translation from English is much tougher than from Indian languages because Indian dialects follow common sentence patterns and share a considerable amount of vocabulary since they are originally rooted in Sanskrit. Commonly, translators find it challenging in these fields:

Before any attempt is made to find the meanings of words in English to Odia Transliteration, readers or speakers of one language must first have a good grasp of the context in which the words are spoken or written. Translation can be of various types and the skills required for each of them can be different. We have commercial translation, website translation, e-commerce translation, document translation, transcreation, technical translation, legal translation, and travel and tourism translation.

Conclusion

The task of English to Odia Translation is truly a work that requires a profound knowledge of two different languages and cultures. Awareness of the linguistic, cultural, and technical challenges will help them know how to overcome some obstacles and bring the translations together with great quality according to the expectations of the clients.

Source: https://medium.com/@devangriai/what-are-the-problems-that-may-arise-with-english-to-odia-translation-b6985c35e06e