| Páginas no tópico: < [1 2 3] | What Should I Study? Tópico cartaz: CillianD
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Texte Style wrote: Cilian O'Tuama wrote:
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.
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.
You're entitled to your opinion. I beg to differ, but please don't read any further as it might be to your distaste.
Cillian's Q was "What should I study?"
And my advice would be: learn some other skill, study sth. that interests you (other than languages) so you can later specialise in translating that subject should you decide not to remain in that industry.
And IMO there's hardly a better way of learning a foreign language than by studying a subject that interests you through that language. You acquire both skills simultaneously. So why not study abroad? It's a shortcut.
Just speaking from my experience after 25+ years in translation, after coming to Germany on a 3-month working holiday as a 20-year-old with no German (but also with zero interest in languages). One year later I was still here, at university studying Chemistry. It all happened by chance, it was not planned, so I can't take any credit for that. But I reckon it could be someone else's good plan.
Where I work now, my responsibilities include recruitment and QC, and I find that very many of the best translators are blow-ins, people who started out in other fields (from physics to ancient history).
Heather wrote:
How come you dislike it so much?
Dislike?
I never said that. I just wouldn't by any means consider it a dream job, not something I'd recommend e.g. a nephew to pursue. Not as his first choice.
Heather wrote:
... and earn enough to live comfortably.
That's very relative.
Very very many jobs are much "nicer" in that regard.
---
But it's good to see others are so enthusiastic about the profession and its rewards. Maybe I should have a rethink. I don't think it'd change much though
Cheers,
Cilian
| | | | xxLecraxx (X)
Alemanha
Local time: 23:47
francês para alemão
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Cilian O'Tuama wrote:
It all happened by chance, it was not planned, so I can't take any credit for that.
How I love the translators who say "if you want to become a translator, then don't". There are quite a few translators like you out there. I used to be quite surprised when I first heard this kind of statement, but now I understand that people (including translators) see things through their own prism...
Cilian O'Tuama wrote:
Where I work now, my responsibilities include recruitment and QC, and I find that very many of the best translators are blow-ins, people who started out in other fields (from physics to ancient history).
Blow-ins always say that blow-ins are better.
| | | | Kay Denney 
França
Local time: 23:47
francês para inglês
Cilian O'Tuama wrote: You're entitled to your opinion. I beg to differ, but please don't read any further as it might be to your distaste. Cillian's Q was "What should I study?" And my advice would be: learn some other skill, study sth. that interests you (other than languages) so you can later specialise in translating that subject should you decide not to remain in that industry. And IMO there's hardly a better way of learning a foreign language than by studying a subject that interests you through that language. You acquire both skills simultaneously. So why not study abroad? It's a shortcut. Just speaking from my experience after 25+ years in translation, after coming to Germany on a 3-month working holiday as a 20-year-old with no German (but also with zero interest in languages). One year later I was still here, at university studying Chemistry. It all happened by chance, it was not planned, so I can't take any credit for that. But I reckon it could be someone else's good plan. Where I work now, my responsibilities include recruitment and QC, and I find that very many of the best translators are blow-ins, people who started out in other fields (from physics to ancient history). Heather wrote:
How come you dislike it so much?
Dislike? I never said that. I just wouldn't by any means consider it a dream job, not something I'd recommend e.g. a nephew to pursue. Not as his first choice. But it's good to see others are so enthusiastic about the profession and its rewards. Maybe I should have a rethink. I don't think it'd change much though Cheers, Cilian
I did not take exception to the study/career plan you suggested but to your saying that translation is not a nice job. You're talking to a youngster who wants to be a translator! Why try to put them off with a totally subjective statement? How can you possibly know what they will enjoy?
(This recently happened to my daughter who is embarking on life after secondary school and I was really upset that a cynical friend of ours managed to dampen her eagerness to pursue what I think could be a creative and rewarding career for her)
You are surprised to see that there are people who are enthusiastic about translation, but honestly what would you expect on a translation website? It would be a sorry profession indeed if we were all miserable! I wouldn't be here if I didn't like it. In your position I certainly would do some careful rethinking to get into a job that I could drum up some enthusiasm for, and maybe more money if that's bugging you.
I agree that blow-ins can be good. If you read my post you'd see that I'm one myself. Blow-ins with a flair for language do have the edge in specialised fields like engineering, medicine, legal etc.
But there are plenty of subjects that are sufficiently accessible for anyone capable of doing a master in translation who has a sense of curiosity, who's willing to go the extra mile in research and who has a flair for polishing up their final text. This is the thrust of my message to the OP. In my previous job in an agency I hired a good many youngsters fresh from uni and they were producing excellent work in no time. Some are now doing pretty specialised work too and earning plenty.
| | | | DS Trans
Estados Unidos
Local time: 17:47
francês para inglês
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| Consider compensation | Oct 29, 2013 |
CillianD wrote:
So, I have a passion for languages and study french in school, and I'll have to choose what to study in college in a few months, I'd strongly consider being a translator if possible however I can only study French with Spanish near where I am, or I could go further away and study Portuguese or Chinese with French, I assume Spanish is quite oversubscribed with translators, is it worth going further afield to study either Portuguese or Chinese, or should I stay close to home and study Spanish and try and work for cheap rates at the start and build experience?
TLDR = Is Spanish oversubscribed? Are Chinese/ Portuguese better?
I understand the advice to study what you love (that is what I did), but I think it's worthwhile to consider compensation since we all have to eat and have a roof over our heads. I'd only consider Chinese if rates were significantly greater than European languages, due to distance and the time that it would take to master Chinese (which is my relatively uniformed perception). Spanish>English it is somewhat saturated - it wouldn't be my first choice. For the Latin-based languages, French generally pays better. Sometimes I wonder if I could have developed a love for the German language if I had given it a chance. I have the impression that there is less downward pressure on rates for German>English.
The wonderful thing about Europe is the proximity of so many different languages. If you study a European language, you'll be able to spend time your country of interest and have the ability to return to Ireland more frequently. You may find that family needs will require your presence as your parents get older.
[Edited at 2013-10-29 14:43 GMT]
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Tatty
Local time: 23:47
espanhol para inglês
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| In the old days... | Oct 29, 2013 |
You didn't have to be qualified, but nowadays you do. So drifting into translation will no longer be an option soon. You will actually have to undertake some form of translation studies nowadays to be a translator, either at undergrad or postgrad level.
I think that if you translate up to 10-12,000 words a week, translation is a nice job. If you can do this at good rates or for direct clients your pay will be good too. It is when I do more than that that I start to lose it.
... See more You didn't have to be qualified, but nowadays you do. So drifting into translation will no longer be an option soon. You will actually have to undertake some form of translation studies nowadays to be a translator, either at undergrad or postgrad level.
I think that if you translate up to 10-12,000 words a week, translation is a nice job. If you can do this at good rates or for direct clients your pay will be good too. It is when I do more than that that I start to lose it.
A lot of times though, especially at the start of our careers, we work in conditions that amount to modern-day slavery. Long, long hours for little pay. And you'll be wishing that some almighty international HR or labour convention protected you from such conditions. BTW, consent is irrelevant for the purposes of labour exploitation, before you say that you agreed to the conditions.
[Editado a las 2013-10-29 15:15 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mark Benson (X)
inglês para sueco
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| Languages or abroad | Oct 29, 2013 |
Study languages. Otherwise study some other subject abroad.
[Edited at 2013-10-29 13:42 GMT]
| | | | | I will take no further part in this discussion. | Oct 29, 2013 |
Texte Style wrote:
Her opinion.
Life it too short.
| | | | | A good attitude is great, but the right choice in life is much more important | Oct 29, 2013 |
Tatty wrote:
A lot of times though, especially at the start of our careers, we work in conditions that amount to modern-day slavery. Long, long hours for little pay. And you'll be wishing that some almighty international HR or labour convention protected you from such conditions. BTW, consent is irrelevant for the purposes of labour exploitation, before you say that you agreed to the conditions.
[Editado a las 2013-10-29 15:15 GMT]
Speak for yourself Tatty. I don't agree. You should not expect to have to work like a slave in any profession at any point. Why waste money on university studies, especially if you study translation, and then you're supposed to work like a slave for a couple of years before you become successful?! No, you'll work yourself to death and/or get sick of your job very quickly, that's what's going to happen if you have that attitude.
No, you should start as a translator when you're ready. That means you are able to provide an accurate and stylistically flawless translation in certain subject areas. For that, any translator should demand and get paid adequate rates. Is that easily achieved? No.
Why not? Because the market is filled with cheap jobs/offers. Is it hard to find the good jobs? You bet it is, especially for newcomers. Anyone wanting to start as a translator should be aware of it. Would I discourage anyone with the dream of becoming a successful and well-to-do translator from pursuing that dream? No, but I would caution them and ask them to get as much information as they can from seasoned professionals who know what it takes to be successful in today's market and I would urge them to weigh the translator's profession against other options for their professional lives, or I would at least suggest pursuing a degree in something else in a foreign country, as Cilian suggested.
Working as a newbie translator for a pittance for years, especially after you spent time and money to get a translation degree from a university, is certainly no dream job. You'll have an incredibly hard time making ends meet.
If you are committed to studying languages or translation, then make sure you have some affinity to and love for those language pairs/cultures. And talent!
A successful translator is not one who has chosen that "perfect" language pair. It's the one who excels in whatever language pair he/she chose because of some unique personal aspects, education, experiences in life, and great skill. A talent for speaking, writing, and language acquisition certainly helps. And there's plenty of people out there competing with you in any language pair.
One more note of advice: translating is an activity that lets time fly by at a very brisk pace. Hours often seem like minutes. Are you ready to accelerate your life that way? You need a lot of quality down time to make up for it. And money to afford it. Think about it.
Of course, others might be quite content with how they live their lives as translators in their niches or if they don't have family and don't rely on much money.
But everyone should very seriously think about what possible negative consequences can result from the choice to study translation and spend valuable time and money on it. Especially in this unregulated, global translation market.
B
[Edited at 2013-10-29 16:09 GMT]
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Ty Kendall
Reino Unido
Local time: 22:47
hebraico para inglês
| Discouragement | Oct 29, 2013 |
I'm starting to think this thread may put poor Cillian off being a translator for life 
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Ty Kendall wrote: I'm starting to think this thread may put poor Cillian off being a translator for life
Maybe I'll just draw the dole...
| | | | Ty Kendall
Reino Unido
Local time: 22:47
hebraico para inglês
CillianD wrote: Ty Kendall wrote: I'm starting to think this thread may put poor Cillian off being a translator for life Maybe I'll just draw the dole...
....spit my tea all over my laptop
| | | | | encouragement | Oct 30, 2013 |
CillianD wrote: Ty Kendall wrote: I'm starting to think this thread may put poor Cillian off being a translator for life Maybe I'll just draw the dole...
No need hopefully. Becoming a successful translator is certainly(still) possible. There are various paths that lead to that. Just don't expect it to be easy. If you have interest in and talent for languages, make it part of your life.
Bernhard
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| Chinese Rates | Oct 30, 2013 |
The idea of learning Chinese does honestly appeal to me, to try it at least, someone said demand is high but rates are quite low, is this true?
Cillian
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