Let’s take a step back in time
Where it all began… We have been using the language industry for years! The service that we are in all stems back to our roots. From as far back as we know people have needed to communicate to survive.
Translation is intertwined with that of language itself. The word translation stems from the Latin word ‘translatio’ which means ‘to bring or carry across’. As the world has developed this so has the formalisation of translation for business purposes, with the internet and mechanical translation revolutionising the field.
Here we have found some of the oldest types of correspondence in the world…
1. The first record we have of specific medical advice is in the form of an Egyptian papyrus. This document is 4,000 years old and is known as the ‘Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus’. It was discovered in 1889 and contains information on the diagnosis and treatment of a number of ailments.
2. Early literature often came in the form of poetry. Before writing, verbal stories were passed on through the generations and poetry was an easy way to learn and recite tales. ‘The Epic of Gilamesh’ is a contender for the first poem. The earliest surviving written versions are dated to around 2000 BC.
3. Thought the oldest message in the bottle, ‘Chunosuke Matsuyama’ supposedly sent out a message in 1784, asking for rescue after he became shipwrecked. The message washed up on a beach in 1935.
4. The world’s first newspaper was launched in Germany in the early 1600s and was called ‘Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien’ (Collection of all Distinguished and Commemorable News). The papers were published in Strasbourg, a Catholic city, so the protestant ‘Relation’ was published anonymously to avoid given away the printing location.
5. The oldest correspondence ever sent were diplomatic letters between the pharaohs of Egypt and other political leaders. These clay tablets, known as the Amarna letters, were sent in the 14th century BC.
For more information on our translation services give us a call today on 01273 473986 or email translations@vlslanguages.com.
Vandu Language Services is based in Lewes, Sussex and has been helping organisations overcome the language barrier since 1999. We provide interpreting, translation, bilingual advocacy and cross cultural training for when you need to communicate clearly across cultures.
