Jul 7, 2011 | Translation
Interview with Matteo, Freelance Interpreter and Translator from English and French to Italian: First things first, we would love to learn more about you: why and when did you decide to become a translator/interpreter? Where did the idea come from, and have you ever considered doing anything else? My father is a French teacher. My mother an English teacher. How different is being a translator/interpreter from what you had expected? Very stressful. Excellent self-marketing skills are essential. Ability to adapt to different situations. What is, according to you, the best way to learn a foreign language? How did you learn your languages? Study abroad. Attend a good University. Take advantage of multimedia learning (DVD, mp3 etc) What are the challenges of being a translator/interpreter? What are the perks? Handle stress. Find and keep good clients. Remote working. Interesting job. Thank you very...
Jul 7, 2011 | Translation
Interview with Ibrahim, Professional Interpreter and Translator English / Arabic: First things first, we would love to learn more about you: why and when did you decide to become a translator/interpreter? Where did the idea come from, and have you ever considered doing anything else? I have been blessed with reasonably good knowledge of two languages: Arabic & English, mainly because my early education was bilingual and my university education was in the UK. As a result, I found myself translating or interpreting throughout my academic and professional life, both for business and personal use. Having spent a career in the information technology field, I finally wanted to do something different. A friend who translates in a different language group spurred me to think about translation, and my son-in-law, who is an interpreter/translator, provided the required encouragement and initiation. I have not looked back since! How different is being a translator/interpreter from what you had expected? Translation turned out to be a highly enjoyable, challenging and complex field; much more than I had expected, proving the adage that the more you know about something, the more complex it becomes. Conversely, we have a tendency to always oversimplify anything we do not know well. What is, according to you, the best way to learn a foreign language? How did you learn your languages? I began learning English at the age of 10. This is the first rule – start early! If that ship has sailed for you, the next thing you need to do is immersion in the culture of the language you are trying to learn. Live in the...
Jul 7, 2011 | Translation
Interview with Vitaly, Interpreter and Translator from English, French, and Spanish to Russian, and from Russian to English: First things first, we would love to learn more about you: why and when did you decide to become a translator/interpreter? Where did the idea come from, and have you ever considered doing anything else? English came easy for me in high school and that prompted me to enter a university in my hometown and study there, majoring in English and doing German as a second foreign language. While in university, I started to offer translating and interpreting services to make some money. I made a final decision to be a translator after graduation and I never came to regret it! Surely, I thought of changing my career several times in my life but it would still be something associated with languages and being around people of different nationalities. How different is being a translator/interpreter from what you had expected? Looking back now, I can say that overall, a career of a translator/interpreter has met my expectations. What is, according to you, the best way to learn a foreign language? How did you learn your languages? I believe that the best way to learn a language is in a country where it’s widely spoken. When you are totally immersed in the language you can make fairly rapid progress. I could not afford to travel abroad when I was a student, so I just spent countless hours in the local library reading books, preparing mini-glossaries, staying in touch with my pen pals. I also tried to use every opportunity to talk...
