| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | What Should I Study? Thread poster: CillianD
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Ben_ (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:39
German to English
| Anybody know anything about Arabic? | Oct 25, 2013 |
Tim Friese wrote:
As for interpreting, it depends a LOT on where you are. I'm in Chicago which is a major hispanic center, and so I get 10-20x more interpreting requests for Spanish than for Arabic. I'm sure each place has its own interpreting needs based in large part on the populations present.
Sorry to hijack the thread a little, but how do you find the market for Arabic compared to ES/PT? I was having this same conversation with a cousin of mine probably about the same age as the OP and I said if I was starting out again I'd learn Arabic, firstly because of how few English natives speak it or know the culture and how because of the oil industry and the political situation that part of the world is likely to stay prominent for the foreseeable future.
And to answer the OP's question, I studied French at school (the only language I did to a high level) and took up German at university, and I get probably 5x more German work now than French.
| | | | xxLecraxx (X)
Germany
Local time: 10:39
French to German
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Sheila Wilson wrote:
What I was referring to (and should have been clearer about) were the rather more intangible differences between cultures. For example, when I lived in the Netherlands, English people were often shocked at the bluntness of the Dutch. Actually, they were just stating facts, but the English aren't used to that - they want to be complimented, to speak in euphemisms about death, etc. That might well affect a translator's use of terminology. Another example, from my life in France, was the gradual discovery that the French use the word "respect" to mean something rather different to the Brits. We use the same word; sometimes you can simply transfer it between languages; but sometimes a translator needs to be aware of the different view behind the word. A dictionary won't help at all in either of those cases.
Yes, true, but that's basic knowledge. Every translator should be aware of this.
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if you want to translate from/into chinese, you are looking at many years of studying and in my opinion there is no way of translating chinese without having spent a lot of time living there as the nuances/culture, etc. are so complete different from European languages. The potential for error is extremely high.
Check out the European Union language combinations, the major translation combination languages and above all, which languages you personally like! Concentrating on just one... See more if you want to translate from/into chinese, you are looking at many years of studying and in my opinion there is no way of translating chinese without having spent a lot of time living there as the nuances/culture, etc. are so complete different from European languages. The potential for error is extremely high.
Check out the European Union language combinations, the major translation combination languages and above all, which languages you personally like! Concentrating on just one language combination means you can really excel in that area and then combine it with a specialisation such as IT or law, etc. You can always add more specialisations at a later date.
Never sell yourself short with low rates, you will be stuck with them forever, find out the average going rate when you are ready to translate and charge that rate. Simply make your delivery deadlines longer until you are up to speed. Believe me, I used to think that doing 1000 words a day was fantastic going at first after I completed my MA in translation, now it only takes me a couple of hours.
And also invest in the best software!
good luck and, above all, enjoy yourself!
Heather ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I'd say, don't strive to be a translator! | Oct 26, 2013 |
Aim higher, much higher. It's not a "nice" job.
Study something other than translation or languages, and maybe even study it in a country where your preferred second language is spoken. Go to a uni abroad. Why not?
That way, you pick up the language real quick - you'll have no other choice if you want to get on - and you learn other things in the meantime.
And if all fails, you can still become a translator.
Still not a nice job. ... See more Aim higher, much higher. It's not a "nice" job.
Study something other than translation or languages, and maybe even study it in a country where your preferred second language is spoken. Go to a uni abroad. Why not?
That way, you pick up the language real quick - you'll have no other choice if you want to get on - and you learn other things in the meantime.
And if all fails, you can still become a translator.
Still not a nice job.
C ▲ Collapse
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Diana Obermeyer
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:39
Member (2013)
German to English
+ ...
You are just starting college - there is hardly a better opportunity to go abroad and immerse yourself in the target language.
Within the EU this couldn't be easier.
What I'm wondering - you say college, not university. Are you leaving school early to focus just on languages, do you not have the marks, interest......? Is the educational facility near you a college, so that this is the natural next step for you? Are only colleges near you offering language courses?......
If you... See more You are just starting college - there is hardly a better opportunity to go abroad and immerse yourself in the target language.
Within the EU this couldn't be easier.
What I'm wondering - you say college, not university. Are you leaving school early to focus just on languages, do you not have the marks, interest......? Is the educational facility near you a college, so that this is the natural next step for you? Are only colleges near you offering language courses?......
If you need college to get into uni, this can also be done abroad, have a look at places like the International Institute of French Studies (IIEF). It is within Strasbourg University, which also boasts a huge language centre with free courses for Strasbourg students. So you would be able to get a taste of the other languages you are considering, and you can do that without a long-term commitment. There are lots of options like that. I don't know much about French, one of my high school friends went there many years ago, that's how I know about the IIEF in particular.
I don't know about Spanish being oversubscribed. Possibly more for translations into Spanish than for Spanish as a source. I mainly translate English/German, but certainly the first well paid jobs I had at the start where mostly from Spanish.
Since you are still at school, I really wouldn't worry to much about how long it takes to learn a second foreign language. I agree with what has been said before in this thread though - chose by what interests you and chose a language, where you also have a cultural interest. You will have to work with people from those countries and a cultural understanding will help with the business relationships as much as with the translations themselves. ▲ Collapse
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dianaft wrote:
You are just starting college - there is hardly a better opportunity to go abroad and immerse yourself in the target language.
Within the EU this couldn't be easier.
What I'm wondering - you say college, not university. Are you leaving school early to focus just on languages, do you not have the marks, interest......? Is the educational facility near you a college, so that this is the natural next step for you? Are only colleges near you offering language courses?......
If you need college to get into uni, this can also be done abroad, have a look at places like the International Institute of French Studies (IIEF). It is within Strasbourg University, which also boasts a huge language centre with free courses for Strasbourg students. So you would be able to get a taste of the other languages you are considering, and you can do that without a long-term commitment. There are lots of options like that. I don't know much about French, one of my high school friends went there many years ago, that's how I know about the IIEF in particular.
I don't know about Spanish being oversubscribed. Possibly more for translations into Spanish than for Spanish as a source. I mainly translate English/German, but certainly the first well paid jobs I had at the start where mostly from Spanish.
Since you are still at school, I really wouldn't worry to much about how long it takes to learn a second foreign language. I agree with what has been said before in this thread though - chose by what interests you and chose a language, where you also have a cultural interest. You will have to work with people from those countries and a cultural understanding will help with the business relationships as much as with the translations themselves.
In Ireland college and university are two words to mean the same thing, college is university here
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 10:39
French to English
| Do what you love and that love will shine right through. | Oct 26, 2013 |
Cilian O'Tuama wrote: Aim higher, much higher. It's not a "nice" job. Study something other than translation or languages, and maybe even study it in a country where your preferred second language is spoken. Go to a uni abroad. Why not? That way, you pick up the language real quick - you'll have no other choice if you want to get on - and you learn other things in the meantime. And if all fails, you can still become a translator. Still not a nice job. C
Well I don't know what you're doing here if you don't think translation is a "nice job". As a translator, I don't especially like reading that. I also don't know why you're contributing to this thread, you're certainly not answering the OP's question.
CillianD I've been working as a translator for nigh on 18 years and I absolutely love it. I love teasing out the differences between shades of meaning and working out how best to frame a complex concept in clear, concise English that people enjoy reading. I love the French language for the sheer poetry of its sounds, its complex grammar, its huge body of literature. I love the flexibility of English, how changing a little preposition can change the entire meaning and whack of a sentence, and its literature too.
I wanted to be a translator when in secondary school and was persuaded that it would be too hard for me. It took me a while to get here but I'll never regret coming! Don't let anyone talk you out of what you want!
Other than that as usual I agree with Ty and the others who said to go for what you love. It will shine through every translation you produce.
Whatever language you choose, make sure you love it and are prepared to spend time in a country where you can speak it all the time. Enjoy being with the people who speak it. Make sure you find out all about the intricacies of social mores, why people behave differently to people in your own culture. Dig down into their history. Enjoy the literature, songs, films. Keep your ears and eyes open for unexpected usage, for new idioms. Be curious.
I also agree that experience in some other domain can lead to your specialising in it. Again, you need to go for what you love, and it'll love you back. I love dressmaking, my mother taught me, and what she handed down of her knowledge of textiles and design was what gave me my first break in translations for the fashion industry. I love travel, and tourism is another thing I specialise in. I love art and history, and I'm doing more and more translations for museums, art galleries and exhibitions. I'm a committed environmentalist, and I do translations for organic cosmetics manufacturers and sustainable development. I didn't know the first thing about cosmetics but was prepared to do heavy research in order to produce decent translations. The first few translations were probably not cost-effective but it was worth it on a purely personal level, in that I learned a lot of interesting stuff. Since then I have managed to get up to speed on these subjects. I'm still learning and loving it, and earning money doing something which is sheer pleasure.
[Edited at 2013-10-28 11:10 GMT]
| | | | | why is it not a nice job? | Oct 27, 2013 |
Cilian O'Tuama wrote: Aim higher, much higher. It's not a "nice" job. Study something other than translation or languages, and maybe even study it in a country where your preferred second language is spoken. Go to a uni abroad. Why not? That way, you pick up the language real quick - you'll have no other choice if you want to get on - and you learn other things in the meantime. And if all fails, you can still become a translator. Still not a nice job. C
How come you dislike it so much? I have been translating for 19 years now and still cannot think of another job that gives me so many advantages and enjoyment.
I would not be able to work for anyone or stick to office hours, I can wear what I like, take a break whenever, go out shopping or visiting friends, work any time I want and earn enough to live comfortably.
what's not nice about that? no time wasted commuting, kissing peoples xxxx, office politics, etc etc.
For me it is basically the best job in the world 90% of the time.
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Tatty
Local time: 10:39
Spanish to English
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| College = uni | Oct 27, 2013 |
in England too.
Translating can be a very lonely job. Personally I combine it with interpreting because otherwise it can be difficult to take.
I still reckon that the best job in the world must be doctoring.
BTW, I wouldn't study abroad. You'll have a much better laugh at college in Ireland or the UK than abroad, which is important IMO.
[Editado a las 2013-10-27 22:45 GMT]
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:39
Hebrew to English
Is also the place you go to between high (secondary) school and university (i.e. between the ages of 16-18 to do A-Levels) ...in England/Wales that is.... Hence I understood Diana's confusion. I don't think it was entirely clear whether you were finishing your GCSEs or your A-Levels.
I would say "college" can mean "uni" here but in general college = FE, university = HE.
(FE - Further Education)
(HE - Higher Education)
...but as with everything, this ... See more Is also the place you go to between high (secondary) school and university (i.e. between the ages of 16-18 to do A-Levels) ...in England/Wales that is.... Hence I understood Diana's confusion. I don't think it was entirely clear whether you were finishing your GCSEs or your A-Levels.
I would say "college" can mean "uni" here but in general college = FE, university = HE.
(FE - Further Education)
(HE - Higher Education)
...but as with everything, this usage may differ, especially if you go to a university with constituent colleges (Oxbridge, for example). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:39
Hebrew to English
Tatty wrote:
Translating can be a very lonely job. Personally I combine it with interpreting because otherwise it can be difficult to take.
Cabin fever is a very real ailment for translators I find - a definite negative of the job.
So Cillian, are you any closer to a decision now?
| | | | Tatty
Local time: 10:39
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Context, context | Oct 28, 2013 |
Given the context, surely she wouldn't have posted for us to help her decide whether to go to her local college or stay on at school, especially given that she is considering studying Chinese.
BTW, you can do a course which includes 1 or 2 years abroad. I would sincerely recommend a course where you attend uni and your grades count towards your degree, otherwise people just spend it going out. Course, you do run the risk of lowering your average and not attaining a first, but you a... See more Given the context, surely she wouldn't have posted for us to help her decide whether to go to her local college or stay on at school, especially given that she is considering studying Chinese.
BTW, you can do a course which includes 1 or 2 years abroad. I would sincerely recommend a course where you attend uni and your grades count towards your degree, otherwise people just spend it going out. Course, you do run the risk of lowering your average and not attaining a first, but you are competing with French students, for example, who are well acquainted with their own system.
So, echoing Ty, what are your thoughts, are you any closer to a decision now? ▲ Collapse
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Tim Friese
United States
Local time: 03:39
Member (2013)
Arabic to English
+ ...
| Arabic is a mixed bag | Oct 28, 2013 |
Ben Harrison wrote: Tim Friese wrote:
As for interpreting, it depends a LOT on where you are. I'm in Chicago which is a major hispanic center, and so I get 10-20x more interpreting requests for Spanish than for Arabic. I'm sure each place has its own interpreting needs based in large part on the populations present. Sorry to hijack the thread a little, but how do you find the market for Arabic compared to ES/PT? I was having this same conversation with a cousin of mine probably about the same age as the OP and I said if I was starting out again I'd learn Arabic, firstly because of how few English natives speak it or know the culture and how because of the oil industry and the political situation that part of the world is likely to stay prominent for the foreseeable future. And to answer the OP's question, I studied French at school (the only language I did to a high level) and took up German at university, and I get probably 5x more German work now than French.
As an Arabic speaker, when meeting new people I frequently am told that I must be earning such incredible sums of money. The reality is much less glamorous. As in every language, there is a decent-sized group of Arabic-natives who translate into English - in most cases very well, in some cases not so much. Given the very low standards of living in a few countries, I have had agencies (particularly in Egypt) get offended and start e-mail fights with me about how high my rates are.
In total, I think the Arabic market is good but not incredible. The Portuguese market is actually nearly as good (and would take someone about half as much time to get in to!). You said that the German market is also quite good. Lots of options, and for that reason I second others' advice to study what you like and worry about the state of the market a bit later.
| | | | | From a Chinese to English Translator | Oct 28, 2013 |
I'm not going to give advice regarding the distance issue, but if all else were equal (including money):
As someone who's been basically in love with China and the Chinese language (embarassing, but true) for the last 10 years I'd say go for the language that you must want to study. If that's Chinese, then all the more power to you, and welcome!
Foreign language-wise, I'm only at an advanced level in Chinese, so I can't make any authoritative direct comparisons between ... See more I'm not going to give advice regarding the distance issue, but if all else were equal (including money):
As someone who's been basically in love with China and the Chinese language (embarassing, but true) for the last 10 years I'd say go for the language that you must want to study. If that's Chinese, then all the more power to you, and welcome!
Foreign language-wise, I'm only at an advanced level in Chinese, so I can't make any authoritative direct comparisons between Chinese and other languages, but anecdotally I'm not so sure that Chinese is much harder than European languages, other than perhaps Spanish. Chinese has a high initial threshold, but I feel that its relatively simple (in modern Chinese) grammar makes up for some of the initial difficulties with characters, pronunciation, etc.
Not only that, but with computerized pinyin typing, the only time you'll ever actually have to write Chinese characters by hand is likely during your university exams.
In terms of translation:
1. You're a long way away from even knowing if this is a field for you, so I wouldn't make your decision for a language based on this.
2. If you really are set on looking long-term, translating from Chinese-English is certainly doable. I really only had 7-8 years of hard-core Chinese studying behind me when I took my first translation assignment (granted, the quality expectations from the client were rather low), and probably could have begun a year or two earlier than this. I will admit that I used a native Chinese speaking language consultant quite a bit during the first two years of translating (and still use their services now from time to time, see below)
3. The opportunities for partnering with a native Chinese English to Chinese translator are probably better than in other language pairs. Current English to Chinese rates are very low in China, meaning that if you wanted to hire a native Chinese speaking 'consultant' to help you with translation questions during your first year of translating you wouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg. Alternatively, as I did, you might find a friend who also translates to help you with translation related questions.
4. Rate-wise I hope others can chime in. I'm still only translating part-time, though I will be making the jump to full-time next year. I've met with three experienced, full-time Chinese/English who seem to do well full-time, and my feeling is I'll be able too as well. With that said, rates are probably more of a struggle than with other language pairs at the moment. Then again, rates may very well change, either for the better (with rising RMB against dollar), or for the worse (advance of computer translation) in coming years, so a bit of a crapshoot there.
Go for the language that you're most interested in. You have know way of knowing where your life will go at this point, but get yourself started on your way by pursuing your passions.IMHO backing away from something you're interested in because it's 'difficult' is not a great way to go, especially when you're young.
One more thought:
1. Study abroad, and do it in a challenging program, and for 6 months or more. Too many kids choose 'fun' study abroad programs rather than language-intensive ones that actually improve their language skills. And, at least in my program, we had a blast as well! ▲ Collapse
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And one more note, I don't mean that Chinese is a walk in the park. Learning it was (and continues to be) hard work, hours of sitting in class and on airplanes and everywhere in between memorizing characters, grammar, etc. I suspect, however, that this is true for most language-learners, regardless of their language of choice.
Actually, come to think of it, let's add one more note:
I never thought of this when I was younger, but if you study Chinese and live/work in China, you... See more And one more note, I don't mean that Chinese is a walk in the park. Learning it was (and continues to be) hard work, hours of sitting in class and on airplanes and everywhere in between memorizing characters, grammar, etc. I suspect, however, that this is true for most language-learners, regardless of their language of choice.
Actually, come to think of it, let's add one more note:
I never thought of this when I was younger, but if you study Chinese and live/work in China, you're going to wind up spending a ton of money on airplane tickets, and you're likely to be very far away from your family for long periods of time (and quite possibly will spend this time in a large, very polluted city). Not to discourage you, but these are likely to be the facts. ▲ Collapse
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