So, I will just give you a brief overview of how I essentially patched together a training program for myself. I had no knowledge of basic interpreting techniques, such as deverbalization, note taking, and prediction. The only thing I had going for me was that I wanted to learn. So, like any reasonable millennial, I turned to the internet. Through this organization, I was able to ask questions to experienced interpreters on their forum or mailing list at the time.
I also attended IJET in my first year working. This was a wonderful opportunity to learn new things. Many of the gaps in my knowledge were filled in just one session by Izumi Suzuki! From there, I turned to books to find the answers. There was a recent boom in publishing books related to interpreting, most likely riding the hype leading up to the Olympics.
However, at that time, every professional I asked pointed me to the out-of-print books by the forerunner in our profession, Nishiyama Sen. Unfortunately, these hard to find in the US, so I turned first to the European market. The two of them, along with other guest speakers, lead new interpreters through practice exercises and give some of the best advice on interpreting that you could ask for.
I practiced along with each of these tapes and the experience was invaluable. So, always have your IC recorder on. Here are some quick and easy guidelines to help you practice. Practicing for interpreting is just like playing scales on the piano: you may never have to play scales in front of an audience, but the more you practice them, the better your songs will sound when you do perform. Once I had gone as far as I could go doing my own study, I started organizing practice sessions and seminars in my area.
I brought in speakers and organized seminars and workshops for the dozens of in-house interpreters in my area. I am happy to say that this has become quite an active community with multiple events each year. Even if you do not live in an area where that level of activity would be feasible, you can easily coordinate webinars and online practice through sites like Interpretime and eCPD. What I want you to take away from this article is that you can train yourself, but it takes time and lots of effort and help from friends.
It would be nice if there were more training opportunities available in the US, particularly online like the ones EJ Expert does. Interpreters deal with spoken words, translators with written words. Each task requires a distinct set of skills, and most people are better suited to one or the other. Is it possible to do both? Paul Hersey center interprets at a U. Official White House photo by Pete Souza. Mental agility. Powers of concentration, logic, and expression.
Broad general knowledge and the ability to adapt quickly to acquire specific knowledge in new fields. To use a computing analogy, the database of linguistic and cultural data must be exceptionally good, but it is useless without another database of broader knowledge of how the world works and another on the basic concepts of the specific topics to be discussed.
The key to it all is a CPU with clock speed and memory access quick enough, programmed with logical algorithms powerful enough to draw on those databases to organize input into a coherent output. Being fluent in at least two languages is essential. A university degree is normally required, but any major is acceptable. It does not necessarily have to be in a foreign language. Indeed, candidates who manage to acquire the necessary linguistic knowledge on their own might be better served by majoring in something else.
An educational background in a particular field of study, such as political science, economics, law, engineering, or biology, can provide some of the valuable knowledge and skills required for specialization. According to the website , students travel to Monterey, California, from all over the world to work with a full-time faculty of experienced interpreters, and train under the same conditions and using the same technology that interpreters use in the field.
The main method of instruction is for a group of students and perhaps a teacher also to have someone prepare a speech in advance and give it as if they are some kind of expert, and then have someone interpret the speech and have everyone else comment on it.
That was the main component. It may sound simple, but many students with solid academic records are unable to acquire the practical skills necessary to graduate. There were some academic courses, too. We have a well-connected and influential alumni network that is eager to help you launch your career.
Our recent graduates are sought after around the world, and close to percent are employed soon after graduation. Many thrive as freelance translators and interpreters. Institute Advantage: The Middlebury Institute network, individual career advice, and the career fair are helpful.
Now that I am a freelancer, I have expanded my client base using referrals from my professors at the Middlebury Institute and my former classmates. Tokyo, Japan. Institute Advantage: The Practicum in Interpreting course was incredible—it gave me the opportunity to interpret on a wide variety of topics, to get hours of actual interpreting practice, and to connect with other interpreters.
The demand for professionals with Japanese language skills is significant. Next you need to focus on two really important things: kanji and grammar. More than that, now is the time to really break into reading. Try to read everything you can get your hands on that's in Japanese. Even if you don't understand everything right away, use books to study. So you know Japanese, at least enough to have gone to this section, good for you!
That's an accomplishment in itself. From here you need to consume and practice translating everything. General knowledge is extremely important. Read the newspaper, follow Japanese news sites, volunteer to translate for your friends, order Japanese books, and don't stop studying. Attend seminars in Japanese about various topics — if you live near a college campus or a convention center you may be able to attend some without traveling too far.
Practice identifying the authors' voices and transferring those voices over to English. Also, you may want to think about taking the JLPTs.
Get familiar with Japanese resources. Developing the research skills necessary to translate takes the time and effort to familiarize yourself with them. When you're starting out, especially once you start doing professional work, being able to correctly look up things you don't know is essential. Here are some really helpful sites that you should become familiar with:.
Passing the highest level will look good on your resume and may help you get jobs with companies in Japan. The tests are quite difficult and it takes a lot of studying to be able to pass them with any kind of confidence. Working toward passing the N1 test is a great goal to have.
The skills you need to pass the test are not the same skills you need to translate. The test is timed, it's stressful, you can't have a dictionary, and you don't have to do any outside research to answer correctly. It's a standardized test, and those are only capable of testing specific things.
In translation you may have a deadline but no one is timing you. Dictionaries, online resources, and everything you can get your hands on are at your disposal. Researching while translating is key. Finding the voice of the author, mulling over the right way to express something in your native language, that's what you need to be able to do if you want to be a literary translator. None of these skills are tested by the JLPT.
Someone can pass the JLPT and be a horrible translator while someone who couldn't pass them could be a great translator.
That being said, if you're going into technical or commercial translation or you would like to work for a company in Japan doing more than translation, take the JLPT. It certainly won't hurt. Just don't expect to pass the N1 and suddenly be a fantastic translator. There are certificates, masters, and PhD programs that you can take to improve your Japanese language and translation skills and make yourself more marketable to future employers.
For people who want to join the world of academia, translating novels, short stories, etc. Or there is Babel University which has worldwide campuses and online classes. These universities cost quite a lot of money, so you'll probably need to take out loans to attend them. Most of the programs are also relatively new, and though the schools boast high employment rates among their graduates, graduating from one of these programs doesn't guarantee you a job.
For certificate programs there is the American Translators Association which also proctors practice tests, if you don't want to go through grad school. Just remember that higher education is absolutely NOT a requirement. If you do not have the time or money to spend, don't give up because of that. You also don't need to go to graduate school for translation specifically. Participating in a Japanese program, whether it be for language or literature, will be perfectly sufficient.
Although there are no "normal" paths into the world of literary translation, there are resources. One of the best is the British Centre for Literary Translation.
They host translation events, getting translators together for intensive summer classes , where you can discuss your methods and undergo translation workshops. If you want to make contacts, go deeper into the art of translation, really open your mind to different methods of translation, and even look critically at your own language, you should consider getting involved in the BCLT.
Their website also shares grant opportunities for literary translators, so even if you aren't interested in traveling to the UK for a seminar, they are still a good site to watch. Another way to get into the field and become familiar with translation, whether literary or commercial, is to train under an experienced and already established translator.
Reach out to people you've heard of and see if they're taking on trainees. They can give you first hand advice and pass on any extra work they get. You can build a resume and make money without the having to jump straight into being a full time freelancer. If you're unsure about your work, having an experienced mentor may be the way to go. This goes for people who are still students as well. Talk to the professors in your department and see if they have any extra work they can pass on.
Odds are, they do. One more method to breaking into the Literary Translation scene is by trying to win a translation prize.
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