Translating at the UN often goes beyond the conference room – major documents can be incorporated into legislation for years to come

Mandarin is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and translating documents into all those languages is crucial to the smooth function of its machinery.

What makes translating at the UN particularly challenging, though, is that what it produces goes beyond the conference room. Translations of major documents are often cited by the media, quoted in statements and incorporated into legislation for years to come.

Ma Xuesong is one of the people who ensure accurate translations. He joined the UN in 2000 after 12 years of diplomatic service with China’s Foreign Ministry and has led the Chinese Translation Service since 2011.

The service, part of the Documentation Division, is responsible for translating official documents, meeting minutes and correspondence into Chinese at the UN’s New York headquarters. More.

See: The Telegraph

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