Translator Career Guide and Counseling

Question: How does one become Romanian translator in England please? Hi Does anyone know the process or requirements (academic/legal) for working as a Romanian translator in England please? My friend, she is fluent in both languages, yet has worked in England for 10 years in an 'un-skilled' profession. She is actually very gifted with languages and wishes to further herself but does not have any British qualifications. I suggested maybe working as a Police/Hospital translator, but I have no idea how to help her any further, and if it's actually quite difficult to (literally) 'walk into' a job like this. Any advise would be greatly appreciated - thank you for your help.

Answer: There are recognised interpreting qualifications such as Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) which most public service agencies will require interpreters they engage to have. You dont say where in England your friend lives, but the agency for the East of England is CINTRA: http://www.colc.co.uk/cambridge/cintra/about.htm and I imagine there are similar agencies elsewhere, although many interpreters work on their own.

Question: What is the difference between a translator and an interpreter? For my health and social care assignment I have been asked to write about translators AND interpreters, I know that a translator translates from one language to another, but what is an interpreter because I thought it was the same thing.

Answer: Translating converts a language literal to another language. Interpretation gives meaning or the context of to what is written or spoken of either the same language or a different language or what is seen. It is evaluating something than translating alone.

Question: What is the best forign translator service on the internet? I need to use something better than Google Translator. That one absolutely sucks! I frequently need to translate things into German and/or Spanish.

Answer: during my spanish course in college, i often visit babelfish.com check it out :)

Question: How do I become a translator or interpreter for a living? Do I need formal certification? How do I go about finding clients to translate for or companies to work for? If you are experienced as a translator or interpreter, I would appreciate you sharing your experiences and the working conditions, such as a typical day. Thank you.

Answer: If you are serious about becoming a translator, you must be able to fulfil the following criteria, at the very least. Translator Prerequisites Your standard of education must be very high; with very few exceptions, a degree is essential, though not necessarily in languages - it is a positive advantage to have qualifications or experience in another subject. Postgraduate training in translation is useful. You must be able to write your own mother tongue impeccably in a style and register appropriate to the subject and have a flair for research on technical subjects. It goes without saying, that you should have a thorough grasp of the languages in your language combination, you must also be familiar with the culture and customs of the country. The only way to do this is by surrounding yourself with the language, i.e: by living/studying in the country where the language is spoken. German is spoken in 5 countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. There is no substitute for first-hand experience of living in a foreign culture, and as an Irishman living in Berlin, Germany, I can only recommend this course of action. It is best to have a specific field that you specialise in, be it literature, technical, medical, legal. Have invested in a minimum of equipment and software - At a minimum you should have a computer and appropriate word-processing software; fax machine and internet connection; suitable dictionaries, preferably online dictionaries like LEO, which return results at the touch of button, saving you an enormous amount of time searching through printed dictionaries. A telephone; answering machine (and, optionally, a dictating machine); increasingly, today's translators are also using translation memory software and other translation tools. In an office translation environment, the use of the Computer-Aided Translation (CAT)-tool Trados has become the standard. CAT-tools like Trados or Déjà vu can cost quite a handful. If funds do not allow, seriously think about taking out a loan to cover start-up expenses. The investment will pay off. While it is not the industry standard, Wordfast also offers a very resourceful alternative as it has the functionality of Trados and Déjà vu, but doesn't cost you a penny. Donations, however, are welcome. Produce a well-typed, well-presented curriculum vitae, briefly describing your education, qualifications and the languages from which you translate (source language/s). For Germany, you should usually include a picture of yourself beside your name and address and choose a tabular layout. A translator translates from a source language into a target language. You should translate only into your mother tongue (target language). Make sure you mention any other degrees you may have or relevant work experience. Say how you produce your work (word-processing software) and whether you can communicate by email or fax. Never shy away from asking a friend who works in business or in the language world to take a critical look at your CV before sending it out. It is, after all, your career we're talking about! In fact, if they can help you even more, all the better. If sitting at home all the time does not appeal to you, then you should not rule out the possibility of working as a freelance translator with a 9-5 office job. I myself worked in an office where the majority of translators were freelancers. An online translation forum is a great way of getting your foot in the door. Sign up for e-zines and newsletters. You should send your CV and a short covering letter to possible places of employment: Not just translation companies though, try local exporting/importing firms of whose products/business you have special subject knowledge. If you are a student, there are plenty of companies out there looking to take on apprentices with a view to later full-time employment. A-Z Checklist for Translating Business-like is a word you should not forget! As long as you have an answer to my a-z of questions, and tick them off when you've an answer for each one, then you should be ok. Pre-Translation - You should know... a) Who is the translation for - this can be helpful when determining the register of your translation. b) Is there a contact for queries? Make sure you have records of the contact person's details: name, email, telephone&remember business-like as always. Always keep records. c) Find out if the language has to be translated into a particular variant. UK English or US English? d) Are there particular terms that the translation should include for consistency? e) If working under contract for a translation company, do they have a style guide that you should follow: i.e: Rules for translating dates etc. f) Are text areas, embedded in tables and images, to be translated as well? If so, knowledge of graphic editing programs is of an advantage. g) Are you required to use a specific word processing software for the translation? h) Are you required to use a specific Computer-Aided Translation (CAT)-tool for the translation e.g. Trados, Déjà Vu? i) Is there a translation memory available for the translation? Double-Checking j) Before delivering: has the translation been double-checked for accuracy, consistency, spelling, font styles the same? k) Does the text sound as if it was translated? If in doubt get someone who doesn't speak the source language to have a quick read through your translation. Delivery l) Where is the translation to be delivered? To the customer's address, Internet address? m) When is the translation deadline? n) How is the translation to be delivered? By fax, email, post? o) Do copies of material sent have to be returned? Charging and Extra Charges p) How will the translation be charged? Time, per word, per sentence? q) Will there be an additional charge for irregular difficulties? r) Will there be an additional charge for research? Specialist terminology? s) Must the translated text be proofread? t) Will VAT be applicable? Payment u) How and when is payment to be made? v) When is payment to be made? w) What method of payment is to be used? Bank transfer, cheque? Liability and Compensation x) Is the translation to remain confidential? y) Does your indemnity insurance, and you will need indemnity insurance, cover all possibilities? z) Is the early termination of a job subject to compensation? And that's it! If you can answer these questions then you're one step closer to becoming a professional. By John Neilan - www.german-english-translator.com

Question: What education is needed to be a spanish translator? I am very interested in studying Spanish. I know that I could be a spanish teacher, but I was also wondering: 1) What does a Spanish Translator do? 2) What education is needed to be a Spanish translator? Please answer! Best answer receives 10 points. Please answer all questions thouroghly.

Answer: well! It depends of the state rules! HEre in Panama, you must pay about US$300

Question: How do you get the Babelfish translator on the Yahoo toolbar to translate to Spanish? I added the Babelfish translator to my yahoo toolbar, but it only translates web pages to English; what I really need is to translate from English to Spanish, but I can't figure out how. Can anyone help me?

Answer: I can't really answer your question but I have found a link for you that translates English to Spanish. Maybe you can add it by using the URL and using the settings button to make your own button. http://www.freetranslation.com/ If you're afraid to click on links just enter "freetranslation" into your search bar.

Question: How do i become a sucessful french translator? I want to be a french translator when im older, how should i go about it? What do you recommend? Is there good money involved?

Answer: Depends on where you live. Canada is a good place for translators. Salaries probably range from $40,000 to $80,000 CAN in average. Interpreters earn significantly more per hour (up $600 per day), but expect to work freelance. Unless you work freelance, where anything goes, translation jobs require a B.A., either in translation or in a related language or linguistics field. An excellent general knowledge is essential and you must, above all, have superb writing skills. For an interpreter, an entirely different set of skills are needed and it's not for everyone.

Question: What is the best english to spanish translator you have used? I tried to find an efficient translator and they all fall short. I have many documents to translate and need something that works. Help!!

Answer: The Foreign Exchange student !

Question: How does one go about becoming a translator? I want to learn arabic and eventually work abroad as a freelance translator but none of my local community colleges have arabic language classes. Are there colleges that teach more obscure languages than french or spanish? What exactly is the process like in doing this? Any helpful advice is appreciated.

Answer: A Yahoo search turned up a variety of choices for learning Arabic. There are major universities that teach Arabic. Before you commit to the academic study of it, try the free courses. If you have never learned a foreign language from scratch you need to be prepared to work/struggle a lot. You also need to be aware that there is a common confusion in the usage of "translator" lately even by reporters at NPR. Most of the Arabic "translators" they are referring to are Arabic Interpreters. You translate a novel (or attempt to translate poetry). You interpret when you are the interface between two speakers.

Question: How many words should a typical 2 language translator have? I am intermediate with my german atm, and was looking for a Quite good electronic translator. So I figure going by the amount of words is a good start. Would anyone have any tips perhaps?

Answer: A complete sentence but i don't has to have more than 7 words I think. Good luck!!

Question: What do you need to start working as translator in California? I am bilingual and would like to use that skill as a part time translator at home. Does anybody knows what you need to do to start? Is there any state requirements (CA) or any college classes that need to be taken? Any advice will be very helpfull. Thank you.

Answer: Spend about an hour on the phone, calling Multinational companies and see what they may have to offer. Something else you can do is, volunteer with the local Hospital or Police Dept. to serve as a translator for free... you will make all kinds of contacts.

Question: What store can i buy an electronic language translator from? I'm going to miami and don't know a whole lot of spanish. I want to buy an electronic language translator. I need to buy it by at least Aug 4th.

Answer: Frys electronics have good ones

Question: Is there a japanese to english translator that can translate japanese words written with the Latin alphabet? I am using Rosetta stone to learn Japanese and there are some words that i just can't figure out. So i thought it would be helpful to use a Japanese to English translator. The problem is that none of the ones I found actually translate it for me. Even google translator just tells me what the word is written like using kanji. I need one that will translate the japanese words written with the latin alphabet to english.

Answer: watch naruto.

Question: What language should I take to become a Spanish Translator? I'm a current college student interested in pursuing the career of a spanish translator. The university offers a plethora of different languages including, french, german, japanese, or spanish. I really want to become a spanish translator, but I have no idea which language to take. I've narrowed my choices down to German and Japanese. Which of the two will lead me in the path of becoming a very successful spanish translator?

Answer: Wow... are you really that dense, or are you seriously asking this question? If your first language is English, and you want to translate spanish, then you SHOULD be taking Spanish language classes. You should become fluent in the Spanish language, in order to translate it. Now if you're asking this question because you want to translate the spanish language into another language other than english, then honestly, you are not going to be getting any help in college. Why? Because foreign languages are taught against english.. not spanish. If you took German, they would teach you vocabulary in relation to English (not Spanish). So... to answer your question, TAKE SPANISH. It's very simple. Unless you have some weird thing that you are asking that was not very clear in your question.

Question: How much would a translator earn in Japan? Does anyone know how much the average wage for a Japanese translator in Japan is? I'm not asking because I want to go over there and work. I need to know because for school. Direction to English sources would be wonderful.

Answer: Translation work in Japan is plentiful. Full time pay is based on length of experience, level of ability and area(s) of expertise. I am giving you a link to a list of open positions in this field. Salaries range from 4.5 million yen per year to (approx. US$42,721.87) to 10 million yen per year (approx. US$94,968.99).

Question: How much does a translator earn in Australia? Hello! I'm an English>Spanish translator and would like to migrate to Australia in the future. I'd like to get responses from ppl in the translation business. Thanx!

Answer: It really depend how much you work at wat rate. But it will be enough to make a living. You need to pass NATTI first. http://www.naati.com.au/ this helps any? Good luck!