The Relation between Translation and Sociology

Language and communication make the cornerstone of our society. Vocabulary

plays a really important and significant role in the formation of a language. Translation
plays another major role when it comes to understanding the problems of society, their
culture or translating any documents or speeches in the respective culture.
In my opinion, there is much relation between translation and sociology.
Sociology is a study of society, social interaction, social relationships and culture of
everyday life. Sociology includes various cultural problems and, respectively, their
solutions.
A good translator and interpreter is not the one who just gives the right equivalent
from a language into another one, he ought to possess the required knowledge in
different domains like human relationship, culture, health, politics, and other problems
regarding human life. Sociology is the science of understanding someone, similar to
translation.
If a translator knows about a customer’s way of thinking or his culture, he will
succeed in his job, because it is very important to know such things when translating.
For instance, if a translator or interpreter doesn’t know about people’s culture, he can’t
analyze their behavior, social habits, beliefs, traditions and customs, therefore some of
his translations may occur on unspecified terms of the client’s culture. Culture reflects
the ways in which people behave.
If we speak about an interpreter, he often travels to many countries for his job.
There are different countries in which he meets new cultures, diverse traditions, rules,
behaviour and ways of speaking. A good interpreter doesn’t only have to translate
orally, he is also a mediator between people, cultures, behaviour, certain problems and
it is the interpreter’s role to solve this, and to behave like a psychologist in various
situations. But, at the same time, the interpreter should bear in mind that he is to
translate the message and not interfere with people’s personal affairs and feelings.