| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | How did you decide what to specialize in? And how did you train? Thread poster: JanaW (X)
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Navarut Y. 
Thailand
Local time: 21:08
Member (2014)
English to Thai
| experience, work experience and university degree in specific fields | Aug 5, 2014 |
You can specialize in some general fields if you have personal interest and gain knowledge of those fields by yourself, for example Beauty Product, Fashion, Marketing, Games, Travel etc.
However, in some fields, you need work experience. For example, a translator who can translate Website and Software proficiently are the one working in the localization company for many years and he/she had been trained at least 3 months by a professional translator.
In some fields, Uni... See more You can specialize in some general fields if you have personal interest and gain knowledge of those fields by yourself, for example Beauty Product, Fashion, Marketing, Games, Travel etc.
However, in some fields, you need work experience. For example, a translator who can translate Website and Software proficiently are the one working in the localization company for many years and he/she had been trained at least 3 months by a professional translator.
In some fields, University degree is absolutely essential such as Law and Medical. A Translator specializing in these fields must have in-depth knowledge and such knowledge cannot learn by experience because it is really specific and must be taught by legal or medical professionals only. Some professional translators having many years experience might make a mistake in translation because he/she does not clearly understand the concept of the content as same as a translator who got a specific degree.
[Edited at 2014-08-05 10:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Richard Foulkes (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:08
German to English
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| By coming full circle! | Aug 5, 2014 |
Did a BA in French and German followed by an MA in Translating. Translated freelance for several years across a variety of subjects. Decided to pursue my interest in property via a career change. Completed an MSc in Commercial Property Management then worked in commercial property for 3-4 years, qualifying as a chartered surveyor. Unfortunately, the career change coincided perfectly with the 'great recession', so after going through redundancy etc. and finding opportunities limited, I decided I ... See more Did a BA in French and German followed by an MA in Translating. Translated freelance for several years across a variety of subjects. Decided to pursue my interest in property via a career change. Completed an MSc in Commercial Property Management then worked in commercial property for 3-4 years, qualifying as a chartered surveyor. Unfortunately, the career change coincided perfectly with the 'great recession', so after going through redundancy etc. and finding opportunities limited, I decided I preferred being my own boss and came back to translation.
I now specialise in the property field and feel suitably qualified to do so!
I've always thought the interesting thing about translation was the different angles people approach it from! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 07:08
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
I've had great teachers in a multitude of subjects. Most of them were not in a classroom.
| | | | | Legal here too :) | Aug 5, 2014 |
David Wright wrote:
I studied law, which seemed to be an intersting subject in the days when you studied things cos they were interesting and not cos your degree was needed for a particular profession. So specialising in law when I became a translator some 10 years later was a rather obvious choice. However, my other subject was French, but my translation language is actually German cos that's the language of the place I have lived in for 30-odd years
I took a 4-year degree in Modern Languages & Culture (English and German studies) and started working as a translator. About 15 years later, I decided that if I wanted to do a serious translation in the legal field, I really needed to go and study it properly, so I took a(nother) 4-year law degree. And it was worthed!!!!
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scanhoto wrote:
I took a 4-year degree in Modern Languages & Culture (English and German studies) and started working as a translator. About 15 years later, I decided that if I wanted to do a serious translation in the legal field, I really needed to go and study it properly, so I took a(nother) 4-year law degree. And it was worthed!!!!
I'm doing a similar thing to you scanhoto - after 20 years as a technical translator I am studying part-time for a degree in engineering. Good to hear it was worth it for you!
| | | | | Other way around | Aug 5, 2014 |
I did not decide to specialize in something, in order to have a specialization. I already had a teaching degree and certificate and experience in teaching, and that became a specialization.
| | | | | How did you find clients in your chosen field? | Sep 28, 2014 |
Maxi Schwarz wrote:
I did not decide to specialize in something, in order to have a specialization. I already had a teaching degree and certificate and experience in teaching, and that became a specialization.
Same here, I am/have been a German and Spanish teacher and with a degree in Sociology, how did you make education your specialty? Did you find clients in that field?
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I'd read a lot, been a good student and interested in all sorts of various things, then I got a law degree. I've eventually learnt how to write well, too, so I am where I am.
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