Over 40 years' experience has taught me -
that a good translation is vital in a TV interview.
Not only because the viewers should understand what's being said.
A good translation also does justice to the interviewees -
and interprets their thoughts accurately.
I didn't really get the importance of translation -
until our show was translated from English into Finnish.
I realised that in addition to a firm grasp of the native tongue -
you need an excellent sense of rhythm.
Finns watch three hours of TV daily
It's culturally self-destructive -
to undervalue language and precise communication, including translation.
It's akin to environmental crime.
Over 60 per cent of TV programmes are subtitled
If the quality of the language which we are exposed to daily collapses -
our sense of language gets blurred.
Since we use language to formulate thought -
the impact is quite dramatic -
if language, our central thinking tool, -
gets muddled and debased.
Any good content takes time.
Any reporting, journalism, story or fiction.
You can't rush quality. And that includes translation.
Subtitles teach us languages, including our own
The best literature and films in the world are within our reach.
With one proviso: the translations must be spot on.
A good translation separates a civilised country from a backwater -
which Finland risks becoming.
A good translation cultivates and enriches your language
Subtitling matters
