Image by Alison Innes from Pixabay

It’s impossible to say exactly how the very first translator learned a second language, as it happened so long ago! We’re talking about times before written records were common, making it difficult to pinpoint the specific methods used. However, we can make some educated guesses based on how people learned languages in ancient civilizations and how languages evolve naturally.

Imagine a time when people lived in small, isolated communities. They likely only knew the language spoken by their own tribe or group. But as people started to interact with other communities, they needed ways to communicate. Here are some possible scenarios for how early translators might have learned a second language:

• Natural Immersion: Imagine two groups meeting at a trading post. Through repeated interactions, they would begin to pick up each other’s words and phrases. This is called “natural immersion,” where language learning happens organically through regular exposure and communication.
• Sign Language: Even without shared spoken languages, people can communicate through gestures and body language. This “sign language” might have been used to convey basic needs, emotions, and ideas. Over time, these gestures could have developed into more complex systems of communication.
• Trade and Diplomacy: As civilizations grew and trade routes developed, the need for communication across language barriers became more important. This led to the emergence of “interpreters” who could facilitate transactions and negotiations between people from different language groups. These interpreters would have learned the languages they needed through a combination of immersion, observation, and perhaps even formal instruction.

It’s also important to remember that languages don’t develop overnight. They evolve over time through contact and interaction between different groups. As people from different communities interacted and traded, their languages gradually borrowed words and grammatical structures, leading to the development of new languages and dialects.

While we may never know for sure how the first translator learned their second language, we can appreciate the complex and fascinating process of language evolution and the essential role that translation has played in connecting people and cultures throughout history.

References

1. The History of Translation
2. Past, Present, and Future: A Brief History of Translations
3. A Very Brief History of Translation
4. The History of Translation: A Journey Through Time and Its Modern Impacts
5. A short history of translation through the ages (Marie Lebert)

Explore More

• What are some of the earliest documented examples of translation?
• What are the different methods of language learning used today?
• How does language influence culture and identity?
• What are the challenges of translating languages with no written form?
• How has technology changed the way we learn languages and translate text?