3. Translation Studies as an Academic Discipline

Translation studies is the academic discipline related to the study of the theory and phenomena of translation. By its nature it is multilingual and also interdisciplinary, encompassing any language combinations, various branches of linguistics, comparative literature, communication studies, philosophy and a range of types of cultural studies (культурология) as well as sociology and historiography. (Introducing Translation Studies, p. 1)

Translation studies contains elements of social science and the humanities (гуманитарные науки) and deals with the systematic study of the theory, the description and the application of translation, interpreting or both these activities.

Translation studies has become more prominent in recent years due to:

1. a proliferation of specialized translating and interpreting courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, which are mainly oriented towards training future professional translators and interpreters.

2. a proliferation of conferences, books and journals on the theory and practice of translation (The Journal of Translation and New Voices, The Linguist, The ITI Bulletin and In Other Words).

3. The work of such international organizations as the Canadian Association for Translation Studies, the European Society for Translation Studies, etc., which bring together translation studies scholars nationally and internationally.

This thesis can be illustrated with the following example: the book by Jeremy Munday INTRODUCING TRANSLATION STUDIES. Theories and applications contains material on historical sources, the works on ethics, ideology, sociology, historiography and other branches of science.

3. A Brief History of Translation

Throughout history, written and spoken translations have played a crucial role in interhuman communication. The first traces of translation date from 3000 BC during the Egyptian Old Kingdom, where inscriptions in two languages were found. The practice of translation was discussed by, for example, Cicero and Horace (first century BCE) and St Jerome (fourth century CE). Their writings were to exert an important influence up until the 20-th century. For example, St Jerome’s approach to translating the Greek Septuagint into Latin would affect later translations of the Scriptures. Indeed, in Western Europe the translation of the Bible was to be the battleground of conflicting ideologies. In China, it was the translation of the Buddhist sutras that inaugurated a long discussion on translation practice.

It should be mentioned that in academic circles translation was previously relegated to just a language-learning activity. But today thanks to cross-cultural communication translation got enhanced importance and we see the rapid growth in this area, particularly over the last decade.

4. Ethics of Translation

Criterion	Its characteristics
Preparation and qualifications	Professional translators need comprehensive mastery of grammar, syntax and vocabulary of both the source and target languages (linguistic competence), and in-depth understanding of cultural norms.
Knowledge of the subject of translation	Professional translators must have knowledge of the pertinent subject matter.
The relationship with the author	1. Professional translators should refuse to translate from a TT unless with the consent of the author. 2. If they want to alter some part of the text, they may do it only with the author's consent.
The relationships with colleagues	1. In the case of co-translation, the names of all the translators must appear on TT. 2. A translator must refuse work detrimental to a fellow translator.
Confidentiality	A translator must respect professional secrets. He must not divulge any information obtained during the performance of his services, including access to documentation or reports.
Impartiality	A translator should remain neutral, unbiased and impartial with regard to either party's gender, disability, race, ethnicity or national origin, age, educational level, socioeconomic status, religious or political beliefs.