| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you have books in your source language(s) on your specialization(s)? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you have books in your source language(s) on your specialization(s)?".
This poll was originally submitted by Frankie JB. View the poll results »
| | | |
I still have many print dictionaries and glossaries in my source languages, as well as books on various subjects that relate to my areas of specialization. I read quite a bit in my first SL (Portuguese), not so much in my second one (Spanish).
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:48
Member (2008)
Italian to English
ProZ.com Staff wrote: This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you have books in your source language(s) on your specialization(s)?". This poll was originally submitted by Frankie JB. View the poll results »
Yes- a lot, some of them written or contributed to by me (in my source language)
[Edited at 2021-10-24 07:29 GMT]
| | | |
I have plenty of dictionaries, glossaries, reference books and encyclopedias on various subjects that relate to my areas of specialization sitting on a bookshelf close to my computer and quite a lot more in cardboard boxes in my basement (when I moved from Brussels I never opened these boxes). Besides that I have many books on a bookshelf in the living room, these are mostly literature and poetry books, but also on art, fashion, architecture and other things that interest me besides translation.... See more I have plenty of dictionaries, glossaries, reference books and encyclopedias on various subjects that relate to my areas of specialization sitting on a bookshelf close to my computer and quite a lot more in cardboard boxes in my basement (when I moved from Brussels I never opened these boxes). Besides that I have many books on a bookshelf in the living room, these are mostly literature and poetry books, but also on art, fashion, architecture and other things that interest me besides translation. All are in English, French, Italian and Spanish (my source languages) and obviously in Portuguese (my target language). I must say that I have no qualms whatsoever about getting rid of old things but I just can’t throw books away… ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 01:48
Spanish to English
+ ...
I'm not really sure. I have one legal dictionary that is sometimes helpful with legalese, although I'm not a specialist legal translator, despite having translated contracts and similar legal documents over the years.
I never really set out to specialise in anything. However, over the years I've sort of become quite expert in some areas, for example EDI/logistics/e-billing, and bio/animal husbandry.
So, no, not really. Nowadays I think you can find quite a lot of helpful material onl... See more I'm not really sure. I have one legal dictionary that is sometimes helpful with legalese, although I'm not a specialist legal translator, despite having translated contracts and similar legal documents over the years.
I never really set out to specialise in anything. However, over the years I've sort of become quite expert in some areas, for example EDI/logistics/e-billing, and bio/animal husbandry.
So, no, not really. Nowadays I think you can find quite a lot of helpful material online for subject areas you may not be familiar with initially. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Not many actually | Oct 24, 2021 |
I have lots of books on my specialist areas, but mostly in English (my target language) because that's the language I'm going to be writing in. When I'm reading I'm focussing on understanding the subject, not picking up new foreign-language terminology (which is usually the easy part once you have an understanding of the subject itself).
I do read a lot of newspaper articles about renewables and green technology in my source language though, just because I subscribe to a German new... See more I have lots of books on my specialist areas, but mostly in English (my target language) because that's the language I'm going to be writing in. When I'm reading I'm focussing on understanding the subject, not picking up new foreign-language terminology (which is usually the easy part once you have an understanding of the subject itself).
I do read a lot of newspaper articles about renewables and green technology in my source language though, just because I subscribe to a German newspaper and turn to those articles first. ▲ Collapse
| | | | jyuan_us 
United States
Local time: 19:48
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
| Just a point | Oct 24, 2021 |
I haven't have any time for reading a book in my specializations after starting my career as a translator. I believe if you have established yourself in a specialization, it wouldn't be neccessary to read any book in it, nor would you have any time to do so. One may say it is desirable to keep a few books in each of your specializations so that you can occasionally refer to them. However, it is much more efficient to research the Internet for anything you are not quite sure about than finding an... See more I haven't have any time for reading a book in my specializations after starting my career as a translator. I believe if you have established yourself in a specialization, it wouldn't be neccessary to read any book in it, nor would you have any time to do so. One may say it is desirable to keep a few books in each of your specializations so that you can occasionally refer to them. However, it is much more efficient to research the Internet for anything you are not quite sure about than finding an answer in a book.
[Edited at 2021-10-24 10:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tanja Oresnik
Slovenia
Local time: 01:48
French to Slovenian
+ ...
I have (and read, of course) books in all my languages, not only on my specializations, but subjects I am interested in as well. While the internet is a valuable resource, it might not always be as reliable a resource as are books. Especially since it seems to me that a lot of content created on websites in these recent years is only intended to earn money by drawing visitors to the site and displaying them google and other ads along the somewhat dubious content.
You also come upon many m... See more I have (and read, of course) books in all my languages, not only on my specializations, but subjects I am interested in as well. While the internet is a valuable resource, it might not always be as reliable a resource as are books. Especially since it seems to me that a lot of content created on websites in these recent years is only intended to earn money by drawing visitors to the site and displaying them google and other ads along the somewhat dubious content.
You also come upon many machine translated websites that are next to impossible to weed out when doing a google (or in my case more an more a duckduckgo) search, so one needs to be careful. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| The value of reading a book | Oct 24, 2021 |
jyuan_us wrote:
I haven't have any time for reading a book in my specializations after starting my career as a translator. I believe if you have established yourself in a specialization, it wouldn't be neccessary to read any book in it, nor would you have any time to do so. One may say it is desirable to keep a few books in each of your specializations so that you can occasionally refer to them. However, it is much more efficient to research the Internet for anything you are not quite sure about than finding an answer in a book.
[Edited at 2021-10-24 10:23 GMT]
I would disagree with this. I think reading about a subject systematically will give you a totally different kind of understanding than simply researching as part of doing a job and is essential if you want to become a genuine expert in a field. Research tends to be more haphazard and less about mastering the basic principles that will underpin your understanding.
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 19:48
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
Rachel Waddington wrote: jyuan_us wrote:
I haven't have any time for reading a book in my specializations after starting my career as a translator. I believe if you have established yourself in a specialization, it wouldn't be neccessary to read any book in it, nor would you have any time to do so. One may say it is desirable to keep a few books in each of your specializations so that you can occasionally refer to them. However, it is much more efficient to research the Internet for anything you are not quite sure about than finding an answer in a book.
[Edited at 2021-10-24 10:23 GMT] I would disagree with this. I think reading about a subject systematically will give you a totally different kind of understanding than simply researching as part of doing a job and is essential if you want to become a genuine expert in a field. Research tends to be more haphazard and less about mastering the basic principles that will underpin your understanding.
My point is that it is not neccessary to read books in your specializations if you have been an established translator in that field.
Of course, if you are preparing yourself to become a translator in a specialization, you may need to read a lot of books in it.
For an established translator, it doesn't harm to read a book in your specialization if you have a lot of free time, but that would be more like reading for fun, not necessarily of any help to your translation career.
| | | | | That sounds like ... | Oct 24, 2021 |
jyuan_us wrote:
My point is that it is not neccessary to read books in your specializations if you have been an established translator in that field.
Of course, if you are preparing yourself to become a translator in a specialization, you may need to read a lot of books in it.
For an established translator, it doesn't harm to read a book in your specialization if you have a lot of free time, but that would be more like reading for fun, not necessarily of any help to your translation career.
... you are saying you don't believe in continuing professional development for established translators. And that established translators have nothing to learn about their fields.
I would say that you keep on learning throughout your career. In any case, if you are interested enough in a field to make it your specialism, wouldn't you WANT to keep on learning about it?
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 19:48
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
| You are right one should have continuing education | Oct 24, 2021 |
Rachel Waddington wrote: jyuan_us wrote:
My point is that it is not neccessary to read books in your specializations if you have been an established translator in that field.
Of course, if you are preparing yourself to become a translator in a specialization, you may need to read a lot of books in it.
For an established translator, it doesn't harm to read a book in your specialization if you have a lot of free time, but that would be more like reading for fun, not necessarily of any help to your translation career.
... you are saying you don't believe in continuing professional development for established translators. And that established translators have nothing to learn about their fields. I would say that you keep on learning throughout your career. In any case, if you are interested enough in a field to make it your specialism, wouldn't you WANT to keep on learning about it?
But a lot of people either feel no need or have no time to do so. If you have jobs that will keep you fully occupied 10 hours a day, would you reject some of the jobs to save time for your continuing education?
In my case, I have never felt any need to read any books in my areas of specialization. Never reading a book in my areas of specialization have never become a factor that impacts my performance, and I guess it would never be one. In fact, I feel weird to read a book in which I already have systematic knowledge. If I have time, I'd rather read some novels or non-fictional works in my target language.
It would be politically incorrect to say one needs no continuing education, but I don't receive continuing education by reading books in my areas of specialization. I read news or blog posts, or messages on some other media in my areas of specialization, and that is enough for me to keep abreast with the new developments in them.
[Edited at 2021-10-24 12:24 GMT]
[Edited at 2021-10-25 08:07 GMT]
| | |
|
|
|
jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 19:48
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
| Maybe our definition of specialization is different | Oct 24, 2021 |
For me, your specialization is an subject area in which you already possess expertly knowledge. To be a good translator in an area you already have expertly knowledge, you really don't need to go back to read any text book in that area.
If a translator forces himself to read text books in his specialization, not because he feels the need to do so, but because people say reading in his area of specialization is a good thing, that is weird.
[Edited at 2021-10-24 12:23 GMT]
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 19:48
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
| I was talking about | Oct 24, 2021 |
Rachel Waddington wrote:
I would say that you keep on learning throughout your career. In any case, if you are interested enough in a field to make it your specialism, wouldn't you WANT to keep on learning about it?
I was talking about the specialisms in which you can already provide expertly translations, not about an area in which "you are interested enough" "to make it your specialism."
I have three specialisms already, and I don't think I would be interested in making any new field my specialism.
[Edited at 2021-10-24 12:22 GMT]
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 20:48
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
This is like asking a mechanic: do you have tools?
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: Do you have books in your source language(s) on your specialization(s)? | Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Buy now! » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
