In our final TED Translators at TED2018 spotlight, we talk to Arabic TED Translator Hany Eldalees. As some of you may remember from this post, Hany was unable to attend TED2018 because the Canadian government denied him a visa. However, that won’t stop us from bringing you a brief but illuminating conversation with Hany that conveys (as his responses prove) what a brilliant, dedicated translator and individual he is. See for yourself below.
How long have you been translating with TED Translators? What initially drew you to TED Translators, and what keeps you going?
I started my journey with TED Translators in early 2015. But I was familiar with TED Talks before then, and I well understood their power to educate viewers on an enormous array of subjects. Because I believe that even a small idea can change a person’s life positively, and because I want to contribute to the spread of ideas which empower people, it made perfect sense to me to begin translating into Arabic the talks I find most insightful, compelling, inspiring, etc., in order to make them accessible to a larger Arabic-speaking audience. And this continues to be my mission with TED Translators.
Out of all the TED Talks you’ve translated, which one stands as your favorite?
I can’t pin down just one talk. That said, three-dimensional printing fascinates me, so I’ve translated a number of TED Talks related to that. 3D printing enables the relatively quick production of a variety of extremely useful objects, like medical equipment and musical instruments; and, because it’s a somewhat new and rapidly evolving “industry,” those folks working in it are quite free to share and enhance their designs with each other around the world. Given this, 3D printing has the potential to be even more of a revolutionary development than it’s been to date.
What do you do when you’re not busy translating?
My previous answer may make this one obvious, but I love building 3D models—ships, cars, buildings—especially because, as a model takes shape in my hand, I gain more appreciation for the mechanical or architectural brilliance it contains. I also love reading.
The theme of TED2018 is The Age of Amazement. Can you tell us about an amazing idea, event or person from your country that/whom you think more folks should know about?
I’d like more people to know about the Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII) in Qatar, the first institution of its kind in the Arabian Gulf region and where I earned my master’s degree in audiovisual translation (the first degree of its kind in the Arab world). Also offering a master’s in translation studies, TII was founded by Dr. Amal Al-Malki, who, after becoming Founding Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, transferred TII to the university and established it as the core of the CHSS. TII, I believe, is doing much to grow and strengthen the Arab world’s translation and interpreting communities, and I encourage everybody who reads this interview to learn more about the institute and the excellent work being done there (and even to visit, if you can!).