My wife is Polish, speaks English. I am English, and speak Polish. Between us we could translate great - but is that all we need?
2007-03-09 03:47:11 · 9 answers · asked by Bobby P 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Any translator needs to have a depth of experience, particularly in his or her chosen field. Perhaps you and your wife have technical knowledge already through the work you have previously done, but I really must emphasise the need to have a broad base of knowledge together with additional expertise. There are already many Polish translators in the market with whom you must compete.
You will also have to market yourselves. Are there things in your qualifications and experience which make you stand out from the crowd?
Good luck, anyway!
2007-03-09 04:56:08 · answer #1 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Principally I agree to what Caicos says.
"Easier said than done. " as they say.
In order to be a successful translator, there are some prerequisites.
1. Native-like abundant knowledge and skills in both language
There is no question on this.
2. Pprofound background knowledge in various fields
You've got to be good at handling various kinds of topic areas to be a versatile translator. The more versatile you may be, the more chances of getting jobs will come to you.
3. Profound social & cultural knowledge in societies or communities where the languages are used.
Literal translation can be done with the help of Internet or computers nowadays. The subtle nuance can only interpreted correctly with affluent accumulation of knowledge of the society where authentic languages are used. You've got to have a fair amount of knowledge on literature, history, geography, politics and so on.
4. Strong and reliable human connection to the market.
Seemingly not so important, yet, one of the most vital factors is
this. There are tens of thousands of people out there who have already been "translators" on the market. Unless you have a rather strong connection, it is probable that you will find a lot of difficulty in finding your jobs as a translator.
5. Endurance to be prepared for the low fees
Due to the fact that the market of translation is getting more and more competitive these days, you cannot expect a rosy life even after making your professional debut as a translator.
You may have to put up with mental satisfaction as a translator rather than seeking financial satisfaction.
I hope these are helpful tips for you. Good Lock!
2007-03-11 00:46:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I too have a Polish wife who speaks English and i am English and speak Polish.
I would say just go for it. When i look at some of the subtitles on BBC Prime TV its obvoius the translators have no idea and just change the text to suit themselves.
Niech Pan i Pani sprobuja. Dlaczego nie?.
My wife just told me you would need a certificate to work from Poland. Good luck.
2007-03-09 12:36:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it's not enough that both of you can speak the 2 languages mentioned. To translate word for word just about anyone can, when in doubt, check the dictionary. A good translator should grasp the meaning of the whole piece of writing or the sentence, as the same words with the correct literal translation would not come out understandable or comprehensible, if not grammatically correctly put together. For instance:
Solo se vive cuatro dias. - literally it means in Spanish "one lives only 4 days.
but it actually means "Life is short " in English. If you translate the sentence word for word, worse, It will become "Only oneself he live 4 days".
Totally incomprehensible!
2007-03-12 11:08:29 · answer #4 · answered by MoiMoii 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you are going to be a good translator you should be proficient in both the source and target languages in order to convey the concepts into the target language and also you should read some books in translation,that would work for you
2007-03-09 12:19:11 · answer #5 · answered by Hamid P 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a qualification, a degree, doctorate or something. You will not be taken seriously or even employed by a translation company without any qualifiactions.
2007-03-13 08:39:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
But you need to know more than the languages - you also have to have a good deal of special knowledge of the languages. Law, technical etc.
2007-03-09 13:23:50 · answer #7 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes thats all you need, but just make it clear you only can translate from englishe - polish and polish - english and as long as it is really really fluent and clear. try and start on a new language as well, like deutsch - start off with hallo, ich bin [insert name], wie gehts du, ect...
2007-03-09 12:22:43 · answer #8 · answered by gerrard4life 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
just speaking the language isnt goo d enough, u have to be perfect in writting,spelling,grammer etc.thats in BOTH languages
2007-03-09 12:30:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋