Israeli scholar, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz has completed the work of his life by translating entire Talmud which is the most important text in Judaism. Steinsaltz started translating Talmud in the year 1965. He worked on translation continuously for 45 years and 16 hours a day without employing any translation service. Now, Talmud is easily accessibly to ordinary people as well. The work will get published in series of books with 46 volumes. Within next few days, last volume from the series is going to be published.

Steinsaltz has already written 60 books on variety of subjects such as theology and zoology. However, the translation from Aramaic to Hebrew is altogether a different work from his previous works. He has added his own comments in the translation which has added another feather in his cap of achievements. The monumental would help modern Jewish generation to understand the tough texts of the detailed rabbinical commentaries on biblical law that usually restrict the Jews.

In an interview, the Israeli scholar stated that his real motto is that his people know! He also said, he translated because it was necessary as Talmud is the backbone of Israeli culture. Steinsaltz wants that Jewish should connect to the roots of their culture. Talmud has been divided into two major parts: the Minsha and the Gemara. Minsha was written in third century AD in the form of oral law. The Gemara is bigger than Minsha as it compilation of the centuries after third century. Steinsaltz also gave his own explanations of terms, phrases and concepts in addition to rulings of Jewish law. If you know Hebrew, you can easily study the holy text of Talmud. Apart from Hebrew, some parts of the text have been translated into English, Spanish, Russian and French.

You must have tried Google’s multilingual written translation service. Now, Google is planning to launch oral translation service on Gtalk. Mustafa İçil, Google’s marketing manager for Middle East, Turkey and Africa stated that as of now two types of software programs are being used. One is translating written text of one language to another on Gtalk. But the new one would turn sounds into written text which is going to use in voice search.

On October 19th İçil, the new voice search service of Google will get launched in Turkish for iPhones and other android based phones. He added that human beings acquire second language through exposure and in same manner system will learn the language and different accents. System will learn the differences itself. It will develop a comprehensive database as more and more people start using it. Aspect that discerns the system fro others is that it uses semantic system rather than phonological code system.

Apart from Turkish, Google’s voice search system has been launched in 14 other languages. By end of 2010, system will be operational on Blackberry phones as well. It is very easy to use voice search service on iPhones. You just need to download Google mobile application. If you are using android platform model with version 2.1, you would need to contact your mobile phone company for up-gradation. However, if you are using android mobile with platform 2.2, you will get voice search service as default feature.

If creativity gets wings of communication, it can experience new heights of imagination and vision. Few days back something similar happened in Mumbai, India when three poets each from France and India came together to translate their contemporary work into English and then into Hindi and French. You will be amazed to know French verses will get translated into Marathi language as well. Indian poets Sampurna Chattarji, Mustansir Dalvi and Hemant Divate translated works of French poets Caroline Sagot-Duvaroux, Danielle Memoire and Frank Andre Jamme. French verses have been translated into English by Mustansir Dalvi along with Sampurna Chattarji. Indian poet Hemant Divate further translated the English version into Marathi. Divate compared his work with French poets and explained that French poets love to play with the language while his work is mainly consists of linear language.

The workshop took place at the Alliance Francaise, Mumbai. The intense workshop included public reading of the translations of French verses which was a part of translation exchange program known as “Import/Export,” organized by International Centre of Poetry, Marseille (cipM) which is a French poetry forum. The Import/Export programmed takes place every year between French poets precisely from Marseille and poets from another city. This was Mumbai- Marseille edition and public readings held on September 25th and 27th . During post reading announcements, it was announced that cipM has also collaborated with PEN All-Indian Centre and Delhi French Embassy. Therefore, now these kinds of exchange program would frequently take place in India.

While addressing the audience, administrator of cipM Francois Lespiau said that coming to Mumbai was his dream despite having several exchange programs with poets form Arabian countries. Moreover, an anthology of all translated work will get published by next year. Jamme’s work has been translated into Hindi and Bengali. But it was first time for French poets Memoire and Duvaroux that their work has been translated into Marathi. Now, Indian poets would be visiting Marseille in February 2011 for exchange program where their work will be translated into French.