Translator: Job description. Translators convert written material from one or more 'source languages' into the 'target language', ensuring that the translated version conveys the meaning of the original as clearly as possible.
The target language is normally the translator’s mother tongue. Transcreating may also be part of the job and is a mix of translation, localisation and copywriting, where the text is culturally and linguistically adapted to suit the reader. Translators usually need an excellent command of two or more languages. Translator: job description. Translation requires the individual to accurately convey the meaning of the written words from one language to another.
What does a translator do? Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills Translators predominantly work with business, technical, legal and scientific written materials including letters, reports, articles, books etc. Translator Job Information. Page Content Translator Hours30-40 per weekStarting salary£18,000 + per year As a translator, you would convert the written word from the 'source language' into the 'target language’, making sure that the meaning is maintained.
If you are fluent in one or more foreign languages and you can write in different styles, this job could suit you. In this job you would need to work to deadlines and carry out research. To be a translator you need to be educated to degree level, usually followed by a postgraduate qualification in translation. WorkDesc. How I became an in-house and then a freelance translator. Jayne White studied German at Leeds before going on to study an MA in translation.
Here she explains how her career has developed from in-house translating to now being a successful freelancer. I applied to study single honours German at Leeds because I loved the language and the course ranked very highly among its UK peers. I had no idea at that stage what career I wanted to pursue. Four years on, with finals approaching, I knew that I most definitely wanted to work with German rather than enter one of the professions on offer on the milk round. So, on the advice of a tutor, I applied to several universities running an MA in translation, which unfortunately Leeds did not offer back then. Careers in Translation. A career in translation is both rewarding and fascinating for anyone interested in written communication and language.
Almost everything needs a translating solution; from advertising and promotional material to children’s books and websites - the list is endless. Careers in this field vary but most translators work in-house or freelance. Other career paths you may want to consider are: proofreading, subtitling and project management. To be a proficient translator, you must have impeccable writing skills in your mother tongue. Choosing a Career in Translation - Iolante. 105023 Subject Centre Translation A6 10pp.D.HR_ TheTranslatorGuide. O4 Getting into freelance translation. O4 How to make money.
O4 Presenting Yourself to Work Providers. The lone translator no more. Details Published on Monday, 10 November 2014 09:30 Written by Arantza Elosua.
10 ways to generate publicity for your freelance translation business. Details Published on Thursday, 05 February 2015 14:38 Written by Tess Whitty To get the word out about your business and your expertise, you can use publicity and public relations to gain a more prominent position in the marketplace.
There are two ways to spread information about your business: publicity and advertising. Publicity is something someone else writes or says about you and your company when you do something noteworthy and interesting. Working in the new Machine Translation Age. Details Published on Monday, 19 January 2015 13:32 Written by Cate Avery When I was at school, thinking that what I really wanted was to become a translator – I’m thinking back now to the 1970s – a number of my acquaintances said smugly, ‘oh, but there won’t be a need for translators in the future because computers will do all that’.
Many years have passed since then, during which we have seen various efforts to develop machine translation. How we laughed as we heard stories (entirely fictitious) of early machine translation between Russian and English, when ‘the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak’ came out as ‘the vodka is good, but the meat is rotten’. Changing landscape. O4 Thirty Nine Steps. Why EU Careers? This page is available in 24 languages Build your career across a continent Looking for a challenging career in a dynamic environment?
We are always looking for people who are ready to face challenges and make a difference for Europe. The European Union Institutions offer an international career to ambitious and capable people. When you join us, you take the first step in a long-term career that could take you anywhere you want to go. If you are a final year student or Graduate, you can apply for entry-level positions in various fields, which are the starting point to an exciting and truly European career. Working for the EU Institutions, you will apply your strong analytical, organisational and communication skills in a variety of environments. Top Face the challenges of the future.
Sample tests and training. This page is available in 3 languages Please check the Notice of Competition (or Call for Expression of Interest) for information on the tests included in your specific selection procedure.
The following sample tests are designed to give you an idea of the type of questions you may face. We do not provide any preparatory courses or material apart from these sample tests, neither do we endorse any other organisations' publications or training courses. Some EU member states offer training and support for EU nationals, through the following contacts or via their Permanent Representation to the EU. O4 Making of a literary translator. The Proposal for a Book-Length Translation. First Things First The Query The Book Proposal Queries, Proposals, and Multiple Submissions Rejections Appendix: A Sample Query Letter Translators are often called upon to write a proposal for a book-length translation, particularly when the translator is initiating the project.
However, an author, editor, or agent may request this kind of proposal as well. A translator's proposal resembles the proposal any writer would submit, but it must address, in addition, the special issues raised by a work not originally written in English. This guide will explain the purpose and describe the elements of a typical proposal for a book-length translation. By following the steps outlined here, consulting the sample query letter, and using the resources listed, the beginning translator should be able to produce a polished, professional proposal. O4 Resources literary translation. ALTA. Authors & Translators. Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2015.
What the judges say... Judge Antonia Lloyd-Jones on Bloodlines: 'This beautiful novel depicts a Sardinian family over two generations, struggling with adversity brought not just by history but by life and fate. The flawless translation retains a lyrical tone that takes us into a world apart, reflecting the isolation and intensity of living on an island. Despite all, the human spirit wins out in this brave and timeless saga.’ Judge Cristina Fuentes La Roche on Boyhood Island: 'Boyhood Island is the third book, in this sequence of autobiographical novels that makes an exquisitely intimate and compelling read.
Judge Helen Oyeyemi on By Night the Mountain Burns: 'I can't say for sure whether my grandfather was or wasn't mad. British Comparative Literature Association. British Comparative Literature Association. The British Comparative Literature Association organises a translation competition in memory of the first British poet laureate John Dryden (1631–1700), who was a literary critic, translator, and playwright as well as a poet. Sponsored jointly with the British Centre for Literary Translation at the University of East Anglia, the John Dryden Translation Competition awards prizes for unpublished literary translations from any language into English. Literary translation includes poetry, prose, or drama from any period. There are three prizes of £350, £200, and £100; other entries may receive commendations.
All three prizes also include one-year BCLA membership. EU – DG Translation – Select a language. Publishing-Data-and-Statistics-on-Translated-Literature-in-the-United-Kingdom-and-Ireland-A-LAF-research-report-March-2013-final.pdf. European Society for Translation Studies. GCHQ Home page. Translation Industry Career Guide.
Literary Translation. Oxford-Weidenfeld Prize. Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize ‘Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture.’ (Anthony Burgess) The Oxford-Weidenfeld Prize is for book-length literary translations into English from any living European language. It aims to honour the craft of translation, and to recognise its cultural importance. It is funded by Lord Weidenfeld and by New College, The Queen’s College and St Anne’s College, Oxford. Enquiries about the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize should be directed to the Prize administrator at phoebe.nicholson@st-annes.ox.ac.uk.
The Poetry Society (Popescu Prize) Memorial, Alice Oswald’s excavation of Homer’s Iliad, wins the Poetry Society’s Corneliu M Popescu Prize 2013 for poetry in translation Oswald’s excavation of the Iliad is a radical retelling that at once translates and transforms this ancient text into a deeply moving exploration of the horrors of warfare in any age. Organised by the Poetry Society, the Corneliu M Popescu Prize is given biennially to a book of poetry translated into English from another European language. This year’s winner was chosen from a selection of 79 submitted books, representing 26 languages. Judges Karen Leeder and David Wheatley said “Oswald has turned Homer into a contemporary war poet, taking an audacious concept – the trimming down of the Iliad to its death scenes – and imbuing the results with compelling formal necessity. Memorial answers to its Greek original yet stands as an autonomous and deeply moving work of art.”
Starting out in literary translation (Literature / Poetry) Dear Phillippa - please do not get discouraged! This is exactly and almost exclusively what I do - translate books to be published in English, only I do non-fiction, at least I haven't done any fiction yet. Foreign Language Publishers Directory - List of publishing companies that publish Foreign Language books, magazines... Emerging Translators Network. Society of Authors - Protecting the rights and furthering the interests of authors. What is literary translation? Traditionally, Literary Translation is one of four broad categories of translation, the other three being Interpreting, Scientific and Technical Translation and Commercial/Business Translation; there are also a number of special fields such as Legal Translation.
Literary Translation is not confined to the translation of great literature. When the Copyright Act refers to 'literary works' it places no limitations on their style or quality. All kinds of books, plays, poems, short stories and other writings are covered, including such items as a collection of jokes, the script of a documentary, a travel guide, a science textbook and an opera libretto. The Stephen Spender Prize. Translate a poem from any language, classical or modern, into English Download the 2014 poster How to enter and conditions of entry To obtain a free booklet containing the 2013 winning translations and commentaries, please email the Stephen Spender Trust (UK residents only)
Protecting the rights and furthering the interests of authors. Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World.