Doha: Qatar Foundation’s recent collaboration with TED provides a platform for intellectual exchange in its original and immaculate form, said Abdullatif Al Jasmi (pictured), Director of Cultural Heritage Protection at Qatar Museums.
It also provides an opportunity to introduce ideas - and their roots - which are often lost when they are transferred or shared away from their original source, he said speaking about the recent launch of TEDinArabic.
“Preserving the Arabic language includes preserving the intangible moral aspect that is achieved by the use of Arabic. Arabic language has, in the past, been associated with a number of practices and social occasions during which songs were chanted and stories were told, and the linguistic content has become historically synonymous with those practices which reflect the Arab identity across vast geographical locations,” said Al Jasmi.
“That intangible element of heritage would not have enough representation unless it is shared in its original form, which can be achieved through global partnerships that provide a fertile platform for exchanging ideas, such as the partnership that has been created TEDinArabic,” he added.
While, speaking about the role of language in intellectual exchange, and the importance of this exchange being carried out in a person’s native language, Al Jasmi said that what is unique about a person’s native language is that there is a close moral connection between that language and the person’s national identity.
“Communication through a ‘mother tongue’ gives the first realization of belonging to something that extends beyond the direct family setting. Belonging to something bigger. The connection then grows beyond language and extends to include intellect, culture, customs and traditions and eventually connects us to our past and helps us identify our roots, preserve our heritage, and convey an image of it to the world,” he said.
“Thus, this attachment to a ‘mother tongue’ supports our relationship with our identity and roots and brings an impetus for intellectual participation, enabling commonality between persons through which information and ideas are freely exchanged,” he added.
He also said that, in this digital age, and with increasing moves toward globalization, it became easy to share large amounts of intellectual or literary content rapidly through digital media. Although this is an important benefit of the digital age, transference of content has often resulted in the dilution of texts and the loss of content - or even the loss of an aesthetic aspect of it. There is a commonly-used term: “lost in translation” being that when intellectual content is transferred from its original version, part of its artistic, intellectual, and literary meaning being lost.
“No matter how advanced translation is, a part of it will always go missing, and it was that has led the Orientalists to learn the Arabic language,” said Al Jasmi.
