Community Translation by Mustapha Taibi and Uldis Ozolins represents a significant contribution to the field of translation studies, being the first substantial book published on the topic of community translation. The book seeks to define community translation as a language service meant to empower communities of minority speakers by making written information available in their language. It is useful for a wide audience, including current practitioners, students of translation, and a general audience interested in aspects of minority language communities and their full participation in society. The authors effectively situate community translating as a practice distinct from international translating and community interpreting. Moreover, the authors argue for a functionalist approach to translation which places the empowerment and social context of minority groups at the forefront.
The book consists of eight chapters. Chapter 1 seeks to define the emerging field of community translation by comparing the merits of previous definitions and listing features characteristic of this type of translation. Chapter 2 further distinguishes this subfield by discussing unique aspects of culture which must be considered when translating for a minority community in direct contact with the larger linguistic community from which a text is being translated. Chapter 3 describes existing theoretical and practical approaches used in community translation, and proceeds to argue that a reader-oriented functionalist approach is best suited to the goals of community translation. Contextual constraints and the considerations translators must bear in mind are also presented.
Chapter 4 explores the scope and necessity of translating official documents out of a minority language into a majority language. This aspect of community translation is noted as crucial in an increasingly connected world where immigration and temporary visiting is becoming more frequent. The authors recognize that the available translators for such projects are often stronger in the minority language than the majority language, violating the popular view that one should only translate into one's stronger language. They begin a discussion of quality assurance that continues into later chapters. Chapter 5 depicts the challenges of translating for temporary multilingual populations such as refugees, religious pilgrims, or attendees of international sporting events.
Chapter 6 focuses on the relationship between translators and their commissioning bodies in identifying quality issues and assessing the efficacy of translations. It elaborates on the demands placed on translation project management for assuring quality in translations when translators are untrained practitioners. Chapter 7 details the importance of revision as a component of community translation. It provides various strategies for integrating organized and unorganized feedback into the translation process to ensure quality and usefulness for the intended audience. Chapter 8 provides a variety of community translation resources for current practitioners, students of translation studies, and further reading for a general audience.
Overall, this book outlines theoretical and practical challenges faced in community translation. Moreover, it details the socio-cultural issues that guide community translation. It convincingly argues that community translation plays a vital role in the empowerment of minority language speakers within a society.
