The History of Translations

Translation has dramatically helped the development of world culture. It is a service that has existed for several millennia. Practices, traditions, ideas, and beliefs of one culture moved to and assimilated by other cultures with the help of translators. The history of translations, as seen in the infographics below, links to the cultural interactions between cultures that were invisible before, which are now visible and accessible to more people around the world.

Concepts and ideas from the East, particularly those coming from China, Iraq, and India shaped the culture in the West as early as 6 BC. Medical theories from Greece influenced the medical concepts in India. Greek scientific works and philosophies were translated into Arabic since 9 AD. These works were translated into Latin and Spanish by the translators from the Toledo school that was founded by Alfonso VI of Castile and Leon in the 11th century. These translated texts paved the way for Renaissance in Europe. From these early works, you can see the importance of translation to humankind.


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