| Beware
of the translator!
Anyone can claim to be a translator. The main thing is to understand
and speak two (or more) languages. It isn't important how well or how badly.
Or is it?
Poor translations are often good for a laugh. But this can be an expensive
pleasure. Misunderstandings in a contract, a technical manual or an economic
text can have disastrous results.
If you put good money into product development, research, contract
drafting or advertising, you should also take care to ensure a professional
level in translation.
What are the marks of a professional translator?
Solid language skills
A translator needs a perfect knowledge of both languages. He must fully
understand the original - which often has a mixture of specialist terminology,
intricate stylistic devices, everyday idiom and perhaps a few typing mistakes.
Anyone who only partly understands the language will often be groping in
the dark.
And the translator must have a perfect written and stylistic command
of the target language. A poor turn of phrase, grammatical errors and an
inappropriate style can make a text useless.
Specialist knowledge
Translations are often specifically focused on a particular subject
area. Anyone who translates texts from the areas of architecture &
construction, law, contracts or technology needs to understand the content
of the texts.
Life-long learning
In view of the wide range of subjects which need translations, the
translator will often be confronted with new subjects, or new developments
in the areas he already knows. Buying more specialist dictionaries is not
enough. The translator must get to know the areas themselves and keep up
to date - e.g. by reading specialist books, periodicals, catalogues and
websites. Translation is the classical profession for life-long learning
and permanent flexibility
Incurable curiosity
The attraction of becoming familiar with new subjects and new content
is an essential part of the profession. This also involves a good level
of general knowledge. Translators are usually keen to acquire new knowledge.
They need it for their work.
Collecting and researching material
Translators often come across material that could be useful. For example
an explanation in the newspaper, a glossary from the Internet, a suggestion
by colleagues. A translator's office is a mine of information in both languages.
Healthy scepticism
Just because I find a work in a dictionary or glossary, this does not
automatically mean that it is right - at least in the context that I am
translating. The translator always has to examine whether the selected
term is really appropriate in the context. And the translator must check
his or her own work: is the text that I have written really appropriate
for the target language, or have I unintentionally borrowed a linguistic
structure from the original which sounds clumsy in the target language?
Sense of responsibility
Much of the material that a translator works on is confidential. Sometimes
the client expressly points this out, but often company secrets are sent
to a translator with a sort of general confidence. It is important that
the translator has a reliable personality.
Realistic self-assessment
What can I really do well, what should I leave alone? For example,
someone who has no specialist knowledge of Medicine should avoid translating
in this area. The same also usually applies to the mother-tongue principle.
We are more confident and reliable in the way we phrase things in the language
we grew up and were educated with. Even if we have almost reached native
speaker level in the foreign language.
For example, although I am very confident in my foreign language (German)
and even write creatively myself (and have been published in German), I
still notice that I am more confident in my native language (English) in
some subject areas. Therefore I almost always translate into English -
and only exceptionally into German.
Career development
A translator starting his/her career is normally pleased about any
jobs that come and willing to accept even low prices. This may also include
translation agencies in the low-price segment. With more experience, translators
normally change their client base and work mainly for direct clients or
for translation agencies in the high-price segment.
For clients, that means that translations by experienced translators
are rarely available in the low-price segment. If you need a good quality
translation, you should calculate with realistic prices.
My own development
After my university studies (B.A. in German as a foreign language),
I worked as a school teacher and then spent several years with an educational
publisher. I have worked as a freelance translator since 1991. In 1994
I passed the state translation examination and was placed under general
oath as an interpreter and translator for the courts and notaries in Berlin.
I gained specialist knowledge in various areas mainly through my practical
work as a translator. Particular areas of emphasis have developed in architecture,
construction, urban planning, contracts and business. These areas - especially
building and architecture - are reflected in my list of published translations
(cf. "References").
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