Friday, 12 July 2013

Translating Languages As A Career

By Daniel Crosby


One of the most drastic changes that has impacted the world during the last few decades is globalization. Despite where we may look or turn, the world appears to be growing smaller by the day. Of course, it has remained the same physical size as always. Nonetheless, increased travel, information exchanges that occur in milliseconds thanks to the World Wide Web and mass media have served to draw the four corners much closer together. As a consequence, globalization requires an increased need for learning another language in order to maximize employment and/or business opportunities. This phenomenon is especially applicable to those who must communicate with others from foreign countries.

As the need for such communications has grown with no signs of slowing down, professional translation has become an emergent trend. In simple terms, globalization equals translation. That equation opens many doors to a rewarding career. In order to work in this exciting field, however, you must have the ability to translate script or verbal discourse with the utmost competence and ease. This means that you must have fluency in both languages. With that having been said, appropriate training is necessary to acquire the skill to conduct effortless translation. Thus, one must seek the right education.

Moreover, this undertaking can be tricky as people commit common errors wherein meanings are lost in translation. This is mainly the result of word-for-word translation, rather than translating per the actual meaning of a text or sentence. This is similar to the manner in which software might translate text that leads to misrepresented meaning, as many words or phrases can have multiple meanings in a given language.

Learning another language for the purpose of becoming qualified to work in the translation field requires one to speak a language as its native speakers do -- not as a second language. In other words, a good translator must exhibit several attributes, including:

- An outstanding knowledge of both languages (both spoken and written);

- Knowledge of the subject being translated.

- A good understanding of when to metaphrase or paraphrase;

- A good understanding of both cultures

Language is much more than a large set of words and grammatical rules. Instead, it encompasses cultural references and means of interconnecting expressions and secondary meanings. Consequently, lots of experience is necessary to excel and provide outstanding service in the translation field. Thus, one must not misunderstand that bilingualism alone is sufficient to be a competent translator. Thus, one may safely say that the world has a critical need for experienced translators who can help people translate their documents or communications into other languages.

There is an essential need to learn new languages, and the average person has access to many resources that help them do just that. For one thing, a person may enroll in private tutoring sessions where they can receive assistance from an experienced teacher on a one-on-one basis. They might learn verbal communications very quickly in this manner, as well as learning to write a language faster than they would in a traditional classroom. Naturally, this method is quite expensive and is therefore not suitable for everybody. A similar but more economical solution is online instruction. It can be in a one-on-one format or in a virtual classroom. The latter alternative is the more affordable of the two options.

Moreover, those seeking to learn another language in order to enhance their translation skills for personal reasons or to begin a new career also have access to some incredible software. This option is very affordable in comparison to other methods, and lessons are always accessible to you to absorb at your own pace and rate of progress that is most comfortable to you. If you have great skill in a given area of the course, you may advance more quickly. Or, if you need extra assistance in a particular area, you may slow down until you have grasped the concepts.

As globalization continues to become a huge part of our lives, being able to speak another language becomes more important, and the opportunities for translation jobs become more plentiful. If you want to learn a second language, try to choose one that will be useful in your everyday routine, as well as perhaps one that allows you to make changes to your own habits and lifestyle. One approach is to adopt the traditions and cultures of the country whose language you are learning, in an attempt to immerse yourself more fully in the culture.




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