Beyond Words: Exploring Techniques and Challenges in Translating Academic Textbooks for Cultural Transmission in Odia

Abstract: The relevance of translation as a means of advancing knowledge and culture within a society is emphasised in the provided text. Unfamiliar cultures and concepts can be communicated and shared through translation. Translating educational materials is particularly important when high-quality textbooks are not easily available. Textbooks are extremely difficult to translate, especially when there aren’t any well-established words or phrases in the target language to correlate to concepts in the original. As a result, translators face a significant challenge in accurately transferring thoughts and ideas from the source language into the target language. This paper examines the numerous methods textbook translators use and the methods they take to complete their work successfully. Specifically, the paper studies how a highly distinct target language (TL) like Odia with limited vocabulary translates the terms taken from the source language (SL), English. It explores the techniques and approaches translators use to guarantee that the translated version of a textbook faithfully conveys the ideas and content of the original source material. It clarifies translators’ challenges in this subject by examining the translation process. In order to make information and educational resources available to a wider audience, it emphasises the translator’s responsibility to bridge the linguistic and cultural gaps between the source and target languages. In conclusion, this article highlights how crucial translation is for enhancing a society’s knowledge and culture, especially when it comes to translating textbooks. It acknowledges translators’ difficulties and explores their methods and strategies to overcome these obstacles and complete their mission of translating educational materials.