“The process of transferring written text from one language into another. Anything that is written can be translated: advertisements, books, games software, legal documents, websites, film subtitles etc. Translators work either in-house (as employee of an organisation) or freelance. Usually, translators work from one or more languages into their mother tongue”. 

“Excellent skills in your own languages and at least one other language as well as knowledge of and interest in other cultures and interpersonal and problem solving skills. For translators, the ability to write well in your own language, thoroughness and research skills are essential.”

For an overview of the really important skills you need as a translator, click here.

“You can become a translator with any language combination but some combinations may be more sought-after than others. At the moment, German to English is a highly sought-after combination, so if you are an English native speaker, German is a good language to have in your portfolio. If you are just beginning your language studies, you should aim to learn two languages, one of which might be a non-Western-European language. In order to work for the European Union institutions you need either French or German and one other EU language. In order to work for the UN as a translator into English you need two of the other official languages of the UN - Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and/or Spanish.”

“Salaries vary greatly. Typical starting salaries for in-house translators or interpreters are between £18,000 and £26,000. These can go up to £50,000 and £60,000 with experience. The European Union institutions and United Nations  are the best paying employers of senior translators and both institutions have a severe shortage of native English language speaking language translators and interpreters.”

There are numerous careers offered in the translation field. As mentioned above, you can be a freelance translator or you can work in-house, for instance at the United Nations or the European Commission. You can also become a Project Manager whose task is to coordinate multilingual translation projects (this is a common pathway into the profession). You would also probably specialise in one or more specific types of translation. Some of the more lucrative areas include legal, medical, technical or financial translation but there are many, many possible areas of specialisation. Translation for the legal and health services and by local authorities is known as 'public service' translation. Other prominent forms of translation include localisation, videogame translation, subtitling, dubbing and audiodescription. Many aspiring translators are attracted by the idea of literary translation of fiction, theatre or poetry. This is an area in which it is difficult to make a living full-time, but many translators combine it with the translation of other published material such as academic books, non-fiction or trade publications and with copywriting.

For more information, watch our interviews with professional translators specialised in various fields.

Here's a short film where a graduate of the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California gives some useful information about how to go about furthering a career as an in-house translator at the UN in New York:

For those of you who might be interested in careers at the UN, go here to find past UN exam papers and details of their entrance exam process.

‘It’s not as easy as it looks’ BUT ‘Everyday is different, every day is exciting!’*

What is it?
Public service linguists often combine both translation and interpreting activities and work with a wide range of topics, particularly in the social, medical and legal fields. Due to the eclectic nature of these professions, it is impossible to pinpoint a single type of assignment but translations can involve booklets, leaflets, newsletters and various legal documents. In other words: ‘anything and everything’*. You may also be called to interpret in challenging yet interesting settings such as hospitals, prisons, courts or schools. You can choose to be a member of staff, in which case you will be based in the offices of a public institution (e.g. City Council), or decide to work as a freelancer. In both cases, you might have some days when you focus more on translation and others when you complete interpreting assignments outside of the office.

How do I get in?
There are several ways to start a career as a translator and/or interpreter for public services. Some are expert in a discipline and marry their language skills to the knowledge they have acquired in education and/or professional experience (e.g. studies and career in science). Others build from their linguistic abilities and gain specialist understanding in the fields they are led to work with but whatever their background, they will often complete a DPSI (Diploma in Public Service Interpreting) in order to be allowed to work in some environments such as court or prisons. As one of Manchester City Council’s translator and interpreter puts it: ‘one mistake of ours can actually ruin somebody’s life’*, which shows both the importance of sound training and the valuable role of public service linguists. If at all possible, volunteering is a good idea as it allows you to get to know the work environment and means that you are in a favourable position if a job opportunity arises.

Am I the right person for the job?
Of course, ‘just knowing two languages is not enough’* but it is a good start! You will need to have an extensive range of vocabulary and a deep understanding of the relevant topics but also a good understanding of the cultures involved so as to render the message in the most accurately possible way… and to avoid any faux-pas. It goes without saying that excellent communication skills are a must as you will have to grasp the subtleties of written, verbal but also non verbal information (e.g. body language). Although it is often possible to think long and hard about the right word in translation, spontaneity is a crucial skill in interpreting and it is essential that you can think on your feet.

Words of wisdom
Do not forget that the role of a translator/interpreter is that of an impartial mediator who facilitates communication between people who could not otherwise understand each other. If you decide to take up the challenge, you will have to understand the needs of both the service user (who can generally read/speak very little or no English) and the service provider (e.g. GP, immigration advisor, solicitor) so as to act in a professional manner at all times.

* Taken from this interview with Manchester City Council's in-house communications agency m-four

Subtitling is an exciting area of translation, to find out more click here