Is technical education helpful? Thread poster: Manjeet
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Manjeet
Local time: 04:46
English to Hindi
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Hi
Being a translator I have worked on many finance and website translation projects. I did learn to use software and CAT tools to deliver quick translation. But, I don't have enough technical knowledge of IT and software, this makes me feel insure while quoting for technical project.
To get out of this complex, I am planning to take IT related course.
Kindly anyone guide me, as to which course might me beneficial for translators?
Thanks,
Manj... See more Hi
Being a translator I have worked on many finance and website translation projects. I did learn to use software and CAT tools to deliver quick translation. But, I don't have enough technical knowledge of IT and software, this makes me feel insure while quoting for technical project.
To get out of this complex, I am planning to take IT related course.
Kindly anyone guide me, as to which course might me beneficial for translators?
Thanks,
Manjeet ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Clarification | Jun 16, 2021 |
Hi Manjeet,
Just to be clear, you are looking for an IT course to develop a translation specialism, not for using computers in your work. Did I get that right?
Rachel
| | | | Manjeet
Local time: 04:46
English to Hindi
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TOPIC STARTER | Yes, you are right. | Jun 16, 2021 |
Yes, you are right.
| | | | Multiverse Solutions s.r.o. (X)
Local time: 01:16
Polish to English
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Extra education is a trap.
Let's face it. We are not specialists in the field. We are translators. If you were a bilingual translator with in-depth knowledge of the subject in both countries, you would not have the courage to request $0.05 per word.
It's like a lawyer educated in, say, France and Brazil, who is a fluent (professional) translator in respective languages. IF you offered him the so-called 'job' (a text to translate) at common market prices, he/she would laugh you... See more Extra education is a trap.
Let's face it. We are not specialists in the field. We are translators. If you were a bilingual translator with in-depth knowledge of the subject in both countries, you would not have the courage to request $0.05 per word.
It's like a lawyer educated in, say, France and Brazil, who is a fluent (professional) translator in respective languages. IF you offered him the so-called 'job' (a text to translate) at common market prices, he/she would laugh you out of the building or, most probably, of the city.
You have what you have. Use it. In most cases, IT people could handle translation of their projects on their own. They have friends, or they have affiliate offices in other countries. It would cost them zero. They don't do it because it is not their job. Read: they get better pay for IT tasks. Or they do not have time to wade through dozens of pages.
We sell (at average market prices) three things: a) time, b) language, c) expertise. Clearly, your client would do all they can to make you feel inferior because you are not licensed by those big ones. So what?
Your client is most probably licensed, usually knows quite well the target language, and makes colossal mistakes in writing. Plus they have little understanding of the translation process and related requirements. It is they who should beg you to work for them, not the other way round, because you have these three things (see above) that they do not.
Unfortunately, it is not the case. Just a game of appearances.
Well, you may have plenty of cash + plenty of time, and extra learning may be just an adventure for you. And you may come to know new people who would offer you a more satisfying work. Great, just go for it.
But if you take a business approach (money first)... how much more would you rate your translation when you spend several months extra of your life just to be able to name wires correctly?
I guess most translators learn things when they are required. It is certainly the case with small documents. It is the more true with huge projects. And we are not paid extra for this extra effort. So I perceive it as a personal development trick that may come in handy in some uncertain future, "if". ▲ Collapse
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Tony M
France
Local time: 01:16
Member
French to English
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SITE LOCALIZER | Where do you start? | Jun 16, 2021 |
Let's face it, the whole subject is SO vast, it is going first of all to depend to a huge extent on your existing knowledge/experience in the field. From the sound of it, you would be starting very much from "beginner" level — so how do you realistically hope to find a beginner's course that could possibly teach you enough over this vast subject for you to quickly become even modestly proficient, let alone even sufficiently competent to offer professional translation in the field?
We see... See more Let's face it, the whole subject is SO vast, it is going first of all to depend to a huge extent on your existing knowledge/experience in the field. From the sound of it, you would be starting very much from "beginner" level — so how do you realistically hope to find a beginner's course that could possibly teach you enough over this vast subject for you to quickly become even modestly proficient, let alone even sufficiently competent to offer professional translation in the field?
We see this all the time on KudoZ, where people with a moderate knowledge of 2 languages expect to be able to immediately translate in expert fields with the help of a dictionary, the Internet — and a great deal of goodwill from their colleagues!
In my view, you'd do far better to concentrate on improving your skills in areas you already know something about, rather than seek to be one of those "jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none" people who betray at once their lack of expertise to anyne who is a specialist in this or that field.
Take my personal example: my first career was 20 years in photography, film & TV, audio-visual, electrical engineering and electronics, communications, and television engineering. Most of my experience was gained "on the job", apart from a few specialist courses. I also trained and gained experience in catering.
I then moved into technical translation, with no specific training in the translation field. But it was immediately noticed by my customers that my background of solid experience in the narrow range of fields I choose to work in more than compensated for my lack of specific translation training. As I often say to people, my best quality as a translator is having enough specialist knowledge to be aware when I don't know something! I know enough to go and find out — and I know the right kind of questions to ask. One company director said "We were delighted with all your questions, as our Head of Engineering reported that showed you knew what you were talking about, and even helped us to see flaws in our own documentation." ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Self-study is always necessary | Jun 18, 2021 |
Tony M wrote:
... my best quality as a translator is having enough specialist knowledge to be aware when I don't know something! I know enough to go and find out — and I know the right kind of questions to ask. One company director said "We were delighted with all your questions, as our Head of Engineering reported that showed you knew what you were talking about, and even helped us to see flaws in our own documentation."
My experience too.
Way back in the dark ages before the Internet, I trained as what I call a technical librarian. In fact it was an excellent foundation for finding the necessary information and terminology.
Before I started translation I spent years in a wide range of jobs. I moved from the UK to Denmark and could not use my academic qualifications, but I trained and then practised in the language...
I also got very tired of being cheap labour and doing the jobs that better qualified people did not want. It was valuable experience, but once I got into translation, I decided to go for the top end, and insist on fair rates. Go for the kinds of texts that are not suitable for machine translation, and tailor each job precisely to the client's needs.
I chose areas such as press releases and publicity, where style and wording are important. I absolutely agree with Tony M's warning about being the 'Jack of all trades and master of none'.
One of my early mentors in translation was a legal expert, and part of my language training covered basic law. I took some more training, and have followed it up by reading and self study. Library books and second-hand textbooks are fine - it need not be expensive, although it is worth investing in good basic textbooks and dictionaries, either hardback or online.
Another area where I have experience, but no formal qualifications, is medical translation. It was my field of interest as a librarian, and I worked in the health services for part of my 'cheap labour' phase. Again, self study is necessary to stay up to date. This is not for beginners, however. You do not have to study in enough detail to be able to practise, but you really do need to know when to ask an expert and not be shy about it. On the other hand, there is a lot of information for patients and other non-experts where it is an advantage to be aware of what the target readers do not know!
Assuming you have your working life ahead of you, look where the profession is going, and find areas that you can specialise in. Choose one or two and become really good, then make yourself visible and go for them!
| | | | Manjeet
Local time: 04:46
English to Hindi
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TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for all the replies. However, I'm not interested in making a complete shift in career, but just want to gain knowledge regarding what technical translation is so that when we come across terms and coded file, it's easy for us to work.
By reading your answers, I understand that experience is gained by working. And I totally agree with that. When I started translating financial websites, my two years working experience in banking sector was of great help to me. Similarly, stud... See more Thanks for all the replies. However, I'm not interested in making a complete shift in career, but just want to gain knowledge regarding what technical translation is so that when we come across terms and coded file, it's easy for us to work.
By reading your answers, I understand that experience is gained by working. And I totally agree with that. When I started translating financial websites, my two years working experience in banking sector was of great help to me. Similarly, study of psychology helped me in translating medical content.
Having some basic knowledge about the fields making us feel confident while translating the content. Now a days there are various educational websites which offer short courses to improve our understanding of technology. We can help of such courses, when required.
Thanks for taking time to answer. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | It's definitely helpful | Jun 25, 2021 |
Hi Manjeet,
I think extra technical education is definitely helpful to a translator but it's hard to advise exactly what as the field is so wide. There are loads of free MOOCs out there you could consider and that might be the best place to start - it should give you more of an idea where your interests lie at least.
Rachel
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Adieu 
Ukrainian to English
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MOOCs sound like just the thing to experiment with, especially in these troubled times. The whole lack of upfront investment or commitment of time thing helps too.
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
| Reading a journal | Jun 26, 2021 |
There are journals in virtually any field.
A journal - many of them are quarterly - has the advantage that it helps keeping the pace. If you read an academic article every week, in a couple of years you will start building real confidence.
You might want to alternate journals so that you don't get bored with the style of a certain journal.
Warning: reading an academic journal is unlike any other type of reading. In the beginning, there might be no pleasure ... See more There are journals in virtually any field.
A journal - many of them are quarterly - has the advantage that it helps keeping the pace. If you read an academic article every week, in a couple of years you will start building real confidence.
You might want to alternate journals so that you don't get bored with the style of a certain journal.
Warning: reading an academic journal is unlike any other type of reading. In the beginning, there might be no pleasure at all. Persist. Eventually, you will start getting the rewards which, by the way, can be huge.
Popular journals are a valid option too (MIT Technology Review is a quality journal), but you might want to try something like The Journal of Information Technology (SAGE), too. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Daniel Frisano
Italy
Local time: 01:16
Member (2008)
English to Italian
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| It's much, MUCH more than helpful | Jun 26, 2021 |
CAT tools and software are not essential. You can easily do without all of that.
Fully understanding the technical (or legal, or financial, or scientific...) details of what your are translating **is** essential.
The best translators are those who have a technical/legal/financial/scientific background, meaning high school or college education, in their field of work.
And it's not something you can "fake", or hope it goes unnoticed. The expert eye spots it i... See more CAT tools and software are not essential. You can easily do without all of that.
Fully understanding the technical (or legal, or financial, or scientific...) details of what your are translating **is** essential.
The best translators are those who have a technical/legal/financial/scientific background, meaning high school or college education, in their field of work.
And it's not something you can "fake", or hope it goes unnoticed. The expert eye spots it immediately. Example: once in a while I translate legal stuff like court decisions, I am quite sure that the results are irreproachable, but I am also sure that anyone with a solid legal formation will recognize at once that I come from a different background.
Bottom line, you need to know what you're translating about.
[Edited at 2021-06-26 13:06 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:16
Serbian to English
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| How dare you ... | Jun 28, 2021 |
Daniel Frisano wrote:
CAT tools and software are not essential. You can easily do without all of that.
Fully understanding the technical (or legal, or financial, or scientific...) details of what your are translating **is** essential.
The best translators are those who have a technical/legal/financial/scientific background, meaning high school or college education, in their field of work.
And it's not something you can "fake", or hope it goes unnoticed. The expert eye spots it immediately. Example: once in a while I translate legal stuff like court decisions, I am quite sure that the results are irreproachable, but I am also sure that anyone with a solid legal formation will recognize at once that I come from a different background.
Bottom line, you need to know what you're translating about.
[Edited at 2021-06-26 13:06 GMT]
How dare you contradicting those who are convinced that anyone without a translation diploma is an "outsider" in the translation business???
Just me being sarcastic, for once I do agree entirely with you!
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Luca Tutino
Italy
Member (2002)
English to Italian
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| Yes, always study as much as you can. But do not neglet other things. | Jun 28, 2021 |
Quality is a major success factor for a translator and the result of many different elements, like knowledge and competence in the original and target languages, experience and study in the subject matter, being well-read in both languages, etc. Each element interacts with the others in a way that branches in a series of sub-elements. One lacking element or sub-element can cause a total lack of quality in your translations, even if your level in the remaining elements is very high. The weight an... See more Quality is a major success factor for a translator and the result of many different elements, like knowledge and competence in the original and target languages, experience and study in the subject matter, being well-read in both languages, etc. Each element interacts with the others in a way that branches in a series of sub-elements. One lacking element or sub-element can cause a total lack of quality in your translations, even if your level in the remaining elements is very high. The weight and importance of each element change according to the different industries you work in.
I have met colleagues who graduated in computing engineering and could not translate well in their field.
Specialization and quality of translation are generally directly proportional, but excessively narrow specialization can be counterproductive.
Learning when and how to study and learn new things is key.
To decide if and how much time you should dedicate to technical studies, you need to analyze your current strong and week elements contributing to quality, ensure you have an adequate level of each, and then refine those that you can elevate more efficiently based on your previous education, your current situation, and your professional and personal environment.
[Edited at 2021-06-28 23:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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