About the author: Edurne Alvarez has translated from Finnish and Spanish to English since 1997. Her “home base” is in Uppsala, Sweden from where she coordinates her translation network, LINK Language Services (www.linklanguageservices.com).
I originally began translating when working as a secretary for a
tourism firm. No prior experience, no knowledge of translation. A high
school education and fluent knowledge in a few languages. That is what
my employer thought sufficed for translation. I did what I thought I
was supposed to do. Possibly thinking that I did it fairly well. It was
way before I had established my personal quality control system or used
proofreaders, and before I actually knew what translating was. I don’t
think I would ever want to see any of those texts today, as I would
probably be mortified. I get asked a lot about the profession. Each
time I attempt an answer I come up with some new aspect. I have
however, come up with a few pointers that may help one to decide
whether the field is for them. On the other hand, if you got this far,
you’re not doing too bad. There are several great articles for
beginning translators in this section, so hopefully I am able to bring
in something new.
Translators are writers. Contrary to popular belief, we are not
machines. These days we actually need machines to help us do what we
do. There are trained translators and untrained translators, some
professional and some just plain crumby. There are those who feel that
the only acceptable target language is the mother tongue, there are
others who consider it okay to translate into their second (or even
third) language. Whatever the case, translation is a creative process,
and if writing is not something you enjoy doing, translation is
probably not your thing. The final product reflects your writing
ability at least as much as the original author’s.
Translation requires an understanding of others. When you read a text
to be translated, you should have some kind of idea of who your target
audience is going to be. There is a difference between the language
used in a speech and the language used in an article for a scientific
journal. The translator’s job is to understand this difference,
regardless of whether the client is or isn’t aware of this. The work
that we do multiplies the number of readers of the text at hand. We all
know what it feels like to read a badly written text, obviously lacking
dedication from the writer. As a translator, you take the text
personally. Sometimes, quality goes above profit—like when you have
to consult another translator or pay for professional proofreading—and
you end up on losing more than you gain. Sure, it’s unfortunate,
but at the end, you will recover and at least you will be able to rest
assured that you did a good job (and it won’t come back and bite you on
the behind). Now that’s what I call gallant.
Especially for the reason of rising quality expectations, I believe
that specialization is going to be essential in the future of
translation. As in so many other fields, the only way to differentiate
oneself from all the others is to have your special niche, something
you could be considered top in your field in, such as the mating habits
of the manatee. The Internet with sites like TranslatorsCafé.com
constitute the tools making it increasingly easy for clients to find
just the translator they are looking for. Globalization along with the
Internet has made all sorts of specialists accessible, even in the
remotest areas on Earth.
A good translator is inquisitive and curious. He/she enjoys reading and
keeping up with the politics of the day. For in order to be able to
process all the various and sundry projects that are placed before us
an awareness of what’s going on in the world is indispensable, no
matter how good one’s translation techniques are. In this field, being
a jack-of-all-trades really does help. A healthy knowledge of different
areas always provides added value to the translator’s work.
My experience of translators is that they are social animals who enjoy
maintaining and developing their language skills also by discussing and
interacting. This also involves traveling, and not only for work
assignments, but also for language maintenance. I can’t think of too
many professions where an essential part of maintaining work ability
involves such leisurely activities such as socializing and traveling.
Generally translating as a freelancer provides a luxurious amount of
freedom and flexibility that it almost makes one feel guilty. That is,
if you can deal with lugging around suitcases weighed down with
specialized literature and fat dictionaries much to the dismay of
check-in counter workers. Sometimes, all you really need is a laptop,
fast internet, and a cold refreshment.
But being a translator isn’t all that all the time. The reality of it
is that a lot of the time the work is grueling, thankless laboring with
impossible deadlines, impatient clients and occasional bankruptcy.
Often, the better you are doing as a translator the more stressful your
life is. Interestingly enough, close acquaintances and even family
members will still ask, after 7 years of full-time translating (and
even having established your own company), what exactly it is that you
do for a living and when you are thinking of “getting a real job.”
So brace yourself for proofreading that takes more time than
translating, and pays a lot less, extremely ill-timed computer
problems, late payments. Your boyfriend’s mother surreptitiously
pressing a wad of bills in your palm (for “something special”),
blissfully unaware that the very same morning you have purchased a ton
of posh new computer gadgets and programs.
Are we the literary cowboys of the new millennium? Who knows. But being
a translator—in an agency, freelancing, technical or general, Pashto
or Basque—is being part of a community of creative minds, who share
an amazing ability to transcend borders and make the implicit
understood, everywhere. The best of luck in whatever you endeavor.
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