Я ищу профессионального переводчика, который может со мной побеседовать о профессии переводчика (устного или письменного) и ответить на мои вопросы. Внизу список вопросов. Вы можете ответить на английском или на русском. Спасибо заранее за удаленное этому время!
I'm looking for a professional translator, who could discuss the translating profession with me (interpretors or translators of the written word) and answer my questions. I've included below a list of questions. You may reply in either Russian or English. Thanks in advance for your time and support!
1. (What are the best parts of being a translator, from your point of view?)
2. (What personality traits or abilities do people typically have, which make them suited to become translators, from your point of view?)
3. (How do people typically become translators? What qualifications do they attain?)
4. (Can you work anywhere in the world? Is translation working in a cubicle or can you travel while you work?)
5. (How do you deal with the "fast paced nature" of working as a translator?)
1. don't have to live in the cubicle
2. don't want to live in the cubicle
3. first in-house, then freelance
4. yes, can work from the prison cell
5. red bull, jogging; over time you learn to schedule your day
Hi, Ed!
Although I'm not a PROFESSIONAL translator in terms of formal education, I've been WORKING AS TRANSLATOR (Ru-to-En) since 2009. Saying "working" I mean it's my sole official occupation and the primary money source. Well, I hope this is enough to consider me professional translator. :)
1) I like the excitement I feel when converting phrases from one language into another. And those challenging points I'm trying to put properly: when I finally find the best form of saying something in the target language, I feel so great!
2) I think translator must like to translate and like the language one works with. Note this is the "joint" ability, not two different ones. Because one may be a good at UNDERSTANDING language, say, when reading websites or books, but fail at trying to GRAMMARLY TRANSLATE what one reads.
3) Most of the working translators have formal education, I think, but not all graduates of language faculties easily find work either. Some people just live among languages from their childhood... Too many ways to become a translator.
4) I think this is a matter of personal preferences and inner/outer constraints. Say, young mother works as a freelance translator because she has a kid and cannot move freely. To me, I just like to work at home without the necessity to go anywhere to do the same.
5) I'm not sure that I correctly understand what you mean. If you imply the busy schedule, then I think it depends on how you personally plan it and on your ability to switch between different things. How I personally deal with when the brain is about to explode? I just try to split the work into parts within a day and fill the gaps with something different from text for my brain to relax: not reading, but playing on guitar, cooking, just spending 10-15 min in silence etc.
Hope that I've answered your questions. If not, I'd be glad to answer some extra ones.
Best wishes,
Nik
