The translation field is an industry that a lot of people know of, but not necessarily one that people know much about. Working in the translation industry can be very rewarding, but it can also be a very difficult job at times. At Espresso Translations, we have years of experience in the field of translation so we can help tell you what it is like to be working translating languages for people.
What is translation?
Simply put, translation is turning something from one language to another – but of course it’s never that simple. Translation actually takes place on a wide variety of different mediums and platforms. With the internet opening up the world, there is the need for translation in hundreds of different languages, even unusual or rare languages, including languages without spoken words. There’s truly no translation type too niche, which makes it a fascinating field to work in.
What needs to be translated?
Again, with this new technology age that we find ourselves in, there is no limit to how many things need to be translated. While a lot of people think about translation as happening with text only, this is just one facet of it. You can also end up translating speech, video, other recordings, and interpreting people during face-to-face meetings. And within this, there can be a huge range as well. Translations might be for medical records or documents, complex legal papers, all the way to social media posts, advertisements, love letters, and more.
What does this mean for people working in translation?
Following on from the variety of jobs people can get given, the most important thing to know is that it’s vital to be flexible. When every day might be different, you need to stay on your toes and take whatever translations you are given in your stride.
The next thing to bear in mind is that you can always be learning better ways to translate files for people. It’s one thing to be a fluent native speaker of your language, but even then there are lots of specialised words that you might not have heard of before. It’s always a good idea for translators to stay abreast of words from niche industries, unusual slang, and even the new words that are being coined all the time, to make sure that they can give a great accurate translation, whether it’s a medical file or a chemistry file.
What other difficulties do translators face?
Just like any other industry, there are challenges to working in translation. Some of the most common issues are:
- Tight deadlines – There’s always someone who needs last-minute translations, and this can be stressful, but it’s part of the job. Whether it’s a form that needs to be sent off the next day, or an urgent press statement, there are plenty of reasons why people might need a translation done in a hurry, and it can take some great time management skills to fit it all in and keep clients happy.
- Personal content – There’s a lot of translation requests for quite personal content including a lot of private information – and did we already mention love letters? Some of those can get a bit colourful. But being a professional translator means taking all this in your stride and making sure that you can handle people’s personal lives and private information safely.
- Upsetting content – On the other side of this, you can also come across some potentially upsetting content. Witness statements for crimes, medical reports, divorce filings, there’s a lot that can be upsetting to read through, especially if it needs to be graphic, which a lot of medical inquiry logs can be. There is plenty of other more general translation that doesn’t need a strong stomach though!
Espresso Translations – a translation agency
How do we know so much about what it’s like to work in translation? Because all our experts have been at it for over five years, and we’ve been around for longer. Think you can work in the fast paced industry of translation? Or want to talk to professionals about getting your documents translated so that you know they’re accurate? Get in touch today.