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Sarkis Antonios MOUBARAK CERTIFIED PUBLIC TRANSLATOR Registered under the Lebanese Ministry of Justice Decisions Number 181 /1998 & 28/2011- Beirut. Member of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters- English (NAATI - Australia), Number 12568. Office: 4-655 Al-Tal Street, Facing North Lebanon Finance Ministry- Tripoli, North Lebanon- LEBANON  Phone: 961 6-426570 --

I- Focus on Ordinary Translation By shedding lights on translation activities in North Lebanon we find that this profession is in no doubt paving the way to prosperity in the city of Tripoli, via bringing human communication, education, trade and development much closer. Translation formalities vary from a mere vital records documents to a more complicated ones, e.g. scientific articles, legal and commercial documents, and so on.

The following initial statistics conducted by S. M. Translation Services in Tripoli revealed the following:

a- Translation formalities coming from establishments, companies, and other private and government sectors in Tripoli Lebanon:

Statistics focusing on translation formalities coming from establishments, companies, and other private and government sectors in Tripoli Lebanon revealed that

•	Travel agents, including travelers, and Visa applicants, etc… constituted 31% of daily translation workload, while local companies involved in importation and exportation, general trade, including foreign companies contractors and entrepreneurs in the Middle East etc... constituted 17%, Parents + Students 20%, Public Services, Government Departments, 7%, Attorneys at law, judicial bodies and medical authorities 10%, Lebanese migrants coming to Lebanon 6%, and Tourists 3% (see chart 1).

b- Documents that are most used in daily translation:

Documents that are most used in daily translation revealed that the vital records documents and ID documents of customary usages ranked first, while educational documents come next followed by legal documents, etc. (see chart 2):

•	Vital records and mayor's certificates 50%, Educational documents 20%, Legal documents 10%, commercial documents 10%, Religious documents 5%, Curriculum vitae 3%, while books and articles, etc… represent a mere 2% (see chart 2)

c- Areas where translation offices are located: Accredited translation offices in North Lebanon are mainly found in the city of Tripoli, in Halba (Akkar), Batroun, Zgharta, Becharree, Dannieh and Amioune and so on (see chart 3, see also map at the end of document): City center	Neighboring          Translator's home streets Tripoli		50%	10%	40% طرابلس Halba-Akkar		40%	10%	50% حلبا-عكار Batroun [Al Batrûn]	40%	10%	50% البترون Zgharta		30%	10%	60%زغرتا Becharree [Bsharri]	30%	10%	60% بشري Dannieh		20%	10%	70%الضنية Amioune [Amyûn]	30%	10%	60% أميون

d- Foreign languages that are most common for translation in Tripoli- Lebanon: Statistics on foreign languages most common in translation in Tripoli- Lebanon revealed that French language represents 33%, English language same ratio 33%, Spanish 8%, German 9%, Italian 9%, Portuguese 3%, Russian 3%, Ukrainian 1%, Other languages such as: Turkish, Romanian, Moldovan, Chinese, Japanese, etc…1% (see chart 4): At the background of chart above is a photo of Al Tal square in Tripoli Lebanon with “Al Tal” Clock Tower. II- Students- trainees in Translation Offices a- Students performance in translation offices in Tripoli:

In the main, students work and translate all works given to them quite independently i.e. without supervision in general, meeting their own priorities on one side, and established deadlines and criteria on the other. They have confidence in what they do and this is quite manifested by the achievement of translation duties quickly and without hesitation, or delay. They can sit down and operate the computer with confidence and assurance. They rarely have problems with computer hardware and software or how for instance they would run computer applications such as windows based Word Processors programs or Excel, or other fundamental applications.

Dictionaries are great tools for translation students, for they provide synonyms to produce a successful translation. Students are accustomed to the use of common dictionaries of English, French and Arabic as well as of more specialized dictionaries such as: medical, legal, economical, scientific and linguistic dictionaries that our translation office library encompasses.

Translation students have applied the translation main criteria i.e.: to transfer honestly and without deviation data and texts from the source language into the target language.

Students are aware that translators in general are required to witness their true translation achieved as follows: “ This is a true translation into (English) of an (Arabic) text annexed hereto”. Translators in general are required to sign the finalized translated document and set their own official seal, this is a must with the certified public translators in order to legitimize translation work. Certified Public Translators are required to set their seals and signatures on official documents that require follow up and have them ready for additional legalizations: ex. notarization, legalization from Interior Ministry, Ministry of Justice, and finally from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants in Beirut. The translation office always recommend to translation students to ask questions, and communicate in English, or, French with trainer.

Translation output during training as well as handling normal workload are much appreciated and most students-trainees are recommended as very suitable in the field of translation. Students in general favored a paid career that is to work on monthly salary basis rather than running their own translation offices. They believe it is too expensive to invest in this domain alone under the current economic situation.

Based on our own statistics, we are more than sure however to say that students -trainees will become qualified translators, matching as such the supposed importance of their translation career and are seen competent to handle such domain in the future.

b- Translation students bridge the gap between theoretical translation and applied translation:

Students favored translation, and therefore gave their precious time and exerted more of their efforts in an attempt to bridge the gap between theoretical translation in universities, and applied translation as required by an ordinary translation office such as ours in the city of Tripoli, and consequently fulfill their ambitions to raise in the future the logo of their translation business. They adhered always to the criteria set out by the office, and made good progress. In general, all works submitted by them were achieved within the time frame provided for them in every session. Indeed, they are encouraged to make further use of library as well as their own university references and be aware of office practices. Translation’s capability and accuracy as well as their potential advance in this arena in the future are imminent. c- Translation students are well presentable and keen at work:

Students are well presentable and keen to do a perfect translation without hesitation. They rests energetic all the time through, in every session attended by them. During translation time students are expected to develop good translation skills as demonstrated in their work. They carried out translation duties of varied materials ranging from simple documents (e.g. civil status documents), to a more complicated ones (e.g. scientific articles, letters, legal and commercial documents, etc…), and they have done so with assurances, and confidence. They handle tasks with capable hands.

III- Translation face to face with modernization:

Main source of “modernization” is technology which is advancing forcefully quicker than lightning. In every second there exists an “influx” of new technical terminologies arriving from around the world. Therfore we favored the establishment of a new public relation section in the office to monitor the development of modern scientific terminologies and discuss same with the medical board, order of engineers, judicial body, real estate registrars, etc.. in order to enlighten the path for translator. Specimen of already ranslated materials have been put in the hand of students so as to compare their own work to them.

PC is the Backbone of our Project: This Project is juxtaposed to (data processing) for PC has been around for more than four decade now. This Project constitutes suitable Database program to organize translation daily workload. Therefore, it furnishes already translated work into groups (please see the paper attached “Daily Translation Services in North Lebanon”) subject to this project. This program tends to sort the domains dealt with, code them so that a student or even a translator, can successfully and easily refer to them, so as to carry out a translation work as accurate as possible. IV- Daily Translation Services in North Lebanon: The following table treats main domains covering translation daily workload as perceived at any accredited translation office in North Lebanon. Almost same subjects treated apply elsewhere in Lebanon:

Group	Translation services A	Vital records including documents issued by the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities and by other vital records offices in the Middle East and abroad: 1) Individual Civil Record, 2) Family Census, 3) Marriage Certificate, 4) Birth Certificate, 5) Death Certificate, 6) Divorce Certificate, 7) Residency Certificate, 8) Mayor’s Certificate, and other references. B	Ministry of Education: educational certificates issued by schools, secondary schools, institutes and universities: (elementary, intermediate, secondary and tertiary education) including baccalaureate part II, technical baccalaureate, Superior Technician, Technical License, university certificates and attestations etc… C	Judicial: judgments and sentences rendered by courts and other local and international judicial authorities, also sentences rendered by the spiritual courts (Christian and Muslim) such as court of instance, appeal and cassation, Public Prosecutions, religious courts in Lebanon (Christian, Muslim, and Druze), marriage contract, and divorce -“mukhalaa” etc… as well as other documents issued by the Judicial Police such as the Penal record number 2 (or police certificate, statements of “no prior conviction“), etc… D	Power of Attorneys, (comprehensive, specific, power of attorney to sell a real estate, authorization to travel, pledge, custody of children, affidavit, declaration, acknowledgment, etc…) E	Agreements, contracts, draft projects, bylaws, and internal constitutions form business firms and companies (local and foreign), notary public documents, court proceedings and judgments, wills, limited and detailed Wills, Codicil, representation of foreign companies etc… F	Internal Security and General Security Minutes, Procès Verbal, Police Certificates, driver’s license, municipalities, UN, Embassies, etc… G	Registration of commercial companies, Court of First Instance in North Lebanon, Commercial Register, commercial Circulation, Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry, Affiliation ID Cards, Certificate of Origin,etc… H	Real Estate documents (Title Search, Title Deed, Registration Certificate, Identification and Intelligence, Real Estate Agreements and Contracts: Sale, Lease, etc... I	Statements issued by the Order of Engineers and by the Ministry of Labor and Public Works, consumers, employment, applying for positions, work certificates, job applications, culinary arts, catering, Hotel services, restaurants, menus, etc… J	Ministry of Public Health and Medical Board: medical reports and other documentations issued by physicians, specialists, and medical corps, or by hospitals and medical institutions including test results, laboratory reports, various tests and graphs, surgeries, etc K	Baptism, marriage, birth and free estate certificates issued by the church authorities. Prayers... L	Financial Matters, loans and fund release, certificates and statements issued by banks and other financial departments, bills, invoices, social security, retirement, pension, etc... M	Insurance documents, bills of lading, pro-forma, goods inspection forms, forms and certificate issued by ports and airport customs and authorities, transport offices, travel agents, airports, ports, customs, driver’s license, sea agencies, sea agent, N	Political and social articles, excerpts from books & Media etc.. Books and manual instructions, and brochures.. Religious, social, cultural, heritage and archeological documents. Courses, educational programs, Syndicates, Sports, O P Q R	Curriculum Vitae (in many languages) S	Others: information technologyتكنولوجيا المعلومات, computer technologyتكنولوجيا المعلوماتية , telecommunication, computing, e-mails, and other related electronic media, and other fields … T	Travel, application for Visa, tourism, geography, maps, commercials, advertisements, etc...embassies consulates (see F above) U	Specimen: Commercials, flyers, ads, etc….

V- Lingua Franca Phenomena, and efforts exerted to handle modern effects of technology on translation - (Part of text of the Speech said on December 9, 2005) In the past century, some Arab countries suffered from a language condition called the “Lingua Franca” (this is a language the basis of which is the mother language mixed with other languages). Some of these countries had approved the use of the Western name in their mother language, such as “telephone,” “television,” “radio,” “Internet,” and the like. In truth, history witnessed a broad exchange in this domain, which was manifested in the transfer of technical terms from one language to another. Whoever opens the dictionary, for example, especially the section “English Words of Arabic Origin,” sees with his own eyes the huge quantity of words that are of Arabic or Semitic origin and that have become an integral part of the English language. This is evidence that peoples complemented each other, and that at no period in history was there a fixed language that civilization adopted as its identity, in the sense that civilization was making use of the technical terms that it inherited from this or that language all through time until today. We, in the midst of this reality, which is not devoid of challenge by its very nature, see the Arabic language standing up with courage and patience to keep up with the dimensions of the sciences, probing the depths of technology and knowledge of the secrets of the technologies and techniques, and we know that destiny is in our hands. The medical, technical, engineering, and technological lexicons, as well as uncountable computer dictionaries, are testimony to that. From here it becomes clear the pressing need for translation and Arabization in numerous fields like the media, wired and wireless communications, the sciences, medicine, technology, computer sciences, environmental sciences, education, research, linguistics, and many others, so that it is necessary to double our efforts and to preserve the Arabic language for it has participated in the enrichment of the world civilization, and to develop the level of translation and the translators, and to nourish this vital sector with the academic sector so that one complements the other. It is necessary that we apply the concept of theories + practice as a concept that is susceptible to growth, in the sense that students of translation contribute to the work of legal translation, in addition to considering the profession of translation to be one of the pillars of the service sector in a society that has an urgent need for services. The translator was and continues to be one of the fundamental guarantees of progress and development and an intermediary in the relations between states. The office of the translator is a meeting place for the educated class of lawyers, engineers, physicians, and teachers, in addition to businessmen, artists, photographers, tourists, painters and others. The Lebanese translator is the Arabs’ translator par excellence, and the center of attraction of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean basin. Our young Association of Certified Public Translators (Alias, Syndicate of Sworn Translators) works to protect the translator and to apply the laws that are in effect, in the appropriate ways, and to consolidate the authority of the state. Therefore, I call upon you, brothers and sisters, to make a great effort in this period of time, in which the Arabic-speaking countries are witnessing a qualitative transformation and rapid development. Likewise, I call upon the Arab governments and Arab financiers to spend money on intellectual institutions, on translation, and on sciences, and to support public libraries in order to achieve the goal mapped out for them. Nothing is impossible for us, and difficulties are overcome with determination, boldness, persistence, and perseverance.

Map of Lebanon :

Tripoli, Becharree, Batroun, Dannieh, Amioune, Akkar and Zgharta areas (all in North Lebanon) are in box.