We always write in this space about the business side of language, but today we would like to celebrate those at the base of the pyramid, the engine behind translation and localization — the translators.

St. Jerome was the translator of the Vulgate Bible — the “versio vulgata,” an early 5th century translation of the Bible into everyday Latin. The Vulgate, commissioned by Pope Damasus I, was the first colloquial publication from the Church intended to bring religion to the masses who didn’t speak the Church’s more formal Latin. For completing that task Jerome has long been considered the patron saint of translators and interpreters throughout the world.

So on September 30th should translators expect to be taken out to lunch or receive a big bouquet of flowers? A FIT study by Jiri Stejskal documented the varying status of the translator profession country to country. We looked for some way to acknowledge the role of translators in the States, turning to the old standby of greeting cards, but found nothing in our local Hallmark store. Although we come bearing no gifts, Common Sense Advisory wishes all the translators in the world a wonderful day, many words to translate, and clients that pay on time.