What India’s Sex Survey Means To Translators
According to a survey done by the India Today weekly magazine and translated into English by a Kansas City Translation Services worker, today’s India is undergoing a considerable change. The former ideas towards sexuality are rapidly changing to suit the present day needs. The survey showed an increase of sexual freedom in small towns of India, where pornography, homosexuality, wife swapping and extramarital affairs have become common. 18% of men and women living in metropolitan cities claim to have extramarital affairs (of course involving sex). A great number of people agreed that sexual intrigues can boost one’s professional career.
The India of today is shedding old customs and traditions. A fast growing economy, India is trying to carve a niche for itself in the modern world. India used to be a very conservative society like its neighboring country Pakistan. But according to the latest survey, conducted by India Today, 21% small town women had their first sexual experience in their teens or preteens compared to 13% in metros. This cultural shift has made India a conducive environment for foreign investors. Looking at it from the economic perspective, providers of Houston Hindi Translation Services believe that India is now a big market for sexual products. The new smart-phone sets offer different apps which let the users play different sexual games that are arousing and have the ability to sexually satisfy the user temporarily. A country like India, gradually becoming sexually aware, is a competitive market for manufacturers of condoms, hair removing appliances and birth control pills.
Changing Times and A Global Market
Indian society is going through a cultural shift. Asian women are entering professions which were previously only specific for men. The joint family system is no more rampant. Technology has dominated the lives of people even in the developing and under-developed countries. The Indian woman who used to prepare everything from bread to pickles at home, now uses ready-made food as the economic conditions all over the world have forced women to work alongside men.
The international market is aware of the changing times. They cater to the needs of today’s man, who has little time and little patience for everything. From food processors to vacuum cleaners and cellular phones to laptops, the industries are modifying their products on continual basis.
China and India are the future growth markets for U.S. Those global companies will be the future winners, by offering products and services that are customer focused. To supersede their competitors, companies need to understand the cultural background and the changing perspectives of their markets. Without keeping in mind the economic, cultural, social and political factors of a country, the products supplied by a company will be of little use to its people. There will always be a better chance for those companies in the market who would bring innovation in their products and services. People today go for the latest model of a product and do not hesitate to replace the old product with the new one. This is true for every developed and developing country. India is a fast growing economy and the international companies know that today’s India is far more progressive and liberal than it was a decade ago. The global companies will market keeping in mind these cultural changes and translators need to be more accepting of the rapidly changing demands of their society.
Translators Must Be Aware of the Changing Times
Professional translators need to be more open to the cultural changes taking place around them. They have the grave responsibility to translate thoughts and ideas from one language to another. These documented thoughts are the reflection of a culture. It is incumbent upon translators to accurately convey the cultural changes taking place, by the appropriate choice of words. The translators/interpreters working for various translation companies need to broaden their vision and readily accept a liberal work atmosphere. Continuing to be rigid in beliefs can prove to be an impediment in professional growth. I believe that translators can bring a positive change in societies through cross-cultural interactions and can develop an atmosphere of mutual acceptance and cooperation.