As a highly experienced translator of academic certificates, primarily serving clients who obtained medical degrees in China as international students, I’ve come across many different nationalities, and the names of countries rarely surprise me.
But a few days ago, I encountered a nationality I’d never seen before: 斯威士兰 (pronounced si - wei - shi - lan in Mandarin). My first instinct was to translate it as Swaziland — the pronunciation matched perfectly, and I was 99% sure I was right!
Still, a little voice in my head chimed in: Better look that one up, just to be sure!
Thank goodness I did. To my surprise, 斯威士兰 isn’t "Swaziland" — it’s "Eswatini", a country I had never come across before in my life! That quick check saved me from an incorrect translation and, ultimately, protected my professional credibility.
But here’s an interesting twist: after a bit more digging (yes, Wikipedia counts as a research tool! 😄), I found out I wasn’t completely wrong — Eswatini was indeed called Swaziland until 2018, when the name officially changed. However, in mainland China, the official name of the country remains "斯威士兰". Renaming or updating the spelling of cities and countries often carries significant cultural weight. Think of examples like 韩城 becoming 首尔 (Seoul) or Kiev transitioning to Kyiv. As translators, it’s crucial that we honour these changes and respect the historical and cultural significance they represent.
Now, if I had translated it as Swaziland, the client may have asked for an amendment. It wouldn’t have been the end of the world. But it may have come across as unprofessional and, most importantly, potentially disrespectful to the client and their unique background.
This little experience is a reminder of the role we play as translators: we owe it to our clients — and ourselves — to pay attention to every detail and uphold the highest possible standards.
And it’s also a testament to one of the best aspects of this job: as a translator, you really do learn something new every day!
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