Do universities go for a translator. "This is an absolutely thankless profession": young translators about the pros and cons of their work

A translator can sit all his life in a small stuffy office, translating pages of other people's documents for notarization, or he can help leaders of countries communicate in important negotiations. The specialist performs the most important function - he helps people communicate and understand each other.

Without them, we would never have read the works of foreign language writers, we would not have watched foreign films, and we would not have learned about what is happening outside our country in general. But the work of not every employee is appreciated at its true worth - only 15% of translators are satisfied with their salaries. Should you devote your life to this profession? Where to study as a translator, what to be ready for and how to build a career? Let's talk in detail.

History of the profession

The profession, albeit not in its modern form, has existed since ancient times. Then the representatives of different peoples knew one more language, in addition to their native language. The key function of these "specialists" was the translation of speeches and written messages. Usually translators were used in negotiations or when declaring the will of a foreign-language ruler of a certain territory. Often these were people captured during wars. In ancient Russia, translators were called interpreters. Presumably, their role was determined at the time of the beginning of the dialogue between the Russian principalities and the Turkic tribes.

The significance of the interpreters strengthened during the time of the vassal dependence of the Russian principalities on the Golden Horde - the collection of tribute and the governorship required knowledge of the Turkic language. In this regard, the position becomes official, and many translators go to the service of the prince or khan.

Who is a translator and what are his duties

Translator - a specialist who translates an oral or written text into another language. A professional person who simply knows a foreign language is distinguished by the absence of the right to make mistakes and the ability to correctly present information (to match the speed of the speaker's speech, avoid long pauses, and so on). Remember the dozens of incidents that the same politicians met in negotiations due to translators' mistakes. The same "overload" in relations between Russia and the United States (instead of "reset").

Key responsibilities of a specialist:

Translation of scientific and fictional literature, press, patent descriptions, specialized documents and other materials.
Performing translations of oral and written texts ensuring their full compliance with the semantic, lexical and stylistic content of the original.
Editing translations of other specialists.
Preparation of documentation and all kinds of texts in a foreign language in accordance with officially adopted standards.
Scientific work on the unification of terms and the improvement of translation technologies.

The scope of duties can expand or narrow depending on the qualifications of the employee, his experience and place of work. But the requirements for skills remain unchanged: a professional must not only be fluent in the language, but also comply with job descriptions... For example, have a well-delivered speech, excellent memory for simultaneous translation, high typing speed, and so on.

It is necessary to constantly develop - every language lives and changes, new slang words and new trends appear in it.

If a specialist does not improve his qualifications, then within 1-2 years of "downtime" he may completely lose his skills.

Where can a specialist work

Translation agency... At least 50% of university graduates work in specialized bureaus that provide oral and written translations from foreign languages. The customers of the organization can be individuals and legal entities, institutions and government agencies. The bureaus mainly carry out written translations - these are documents (in particular, those preparing for a notarial declaration), educational work, books and magazines, letters, articles and much more.

Private organizations... Here, specialists work for many customers, but in the interests of one company. Only 1-2% of organizations can afford to maintain a staff of translators - usually 1-2 people who perform a wide range of tasks. They go to negotiations, translate business correspondence, technical literature and documentation, prepare appeals and papers for negotiations with foreign partners or customers, provide information support to clients from foreign countries.

State structures... Specialists work in government agencies or collaborate with them on specific projects. Example: the regional administration is building partnerships with investors from, say, the Czech Republic. They need translators with knowledge of the Czech language on a permanent basis, since the volume of work is large and the workload is regular. Another example: from the same Czech Republic a delegation of, say, athletes arrives in the region to participate in an event. In this case, a translator with knowledge of the Czech language will be required for a one-time, project work.

Publishers and Studios... Thousands of books, films, TV series and lyrics are translated every year. Working in publishing houses, film studios, production centers and similar companies requires a specialist to know the specifics of the literary language and modern slang. You've probably noticed how different the quality of the translation, for example, of the same series in different studios. It's not about voice acting, but about vocabulary. Here, not only the clarity of the content depends on the translator, but also the pleasure received by the listener, viewer, reader from an oral or written text.

Freelance... According to unofficial statistics, at least 10% of the total number of graduates of educational institutions in Russia are constantly working in freelance mode. They find regular customers, collaborate on projects with organizations and institutions, or look for work on popular freelance exchanges. The key advantage of such a regime is absolute freedom, the ability to independently build a schedule and regulate income. The main drawback is the lack of any guarantees, in particular, stable payment and the fulfillment by the customer of the terms of the contract.

Where to study to be a translator? TOP-5 Universities

The best choice would be a linguistic (language) university. You can start your education in college and eventually continue it by going to university on an accelerated program.

The diploma of higher education gives preferences in employment, being an indicator of the quality of training.

However, work experience and qualifications become the key argument in your favor for the employer. You will have to improve it throughout your career. And the better the knowledge gained during training, the better. Therefore, it is worth trying to enter the best university available to you.

TOP-5 linguistic universities in Russia:

Moscow State University Lomonosov.
SPbSU.
MGIMO.
Moscow Linguistic University.
Russian State University. Kosygin.

Choosing a university is an important stage in a translator's career, but not a decisive one.

Graduates from provincial educational institutions that are far from the top of the rankings can build successful careers. But in the course of independent preparation, they will have to do much more than students of elite universities. Moreover, you will not get the most valuable connections, which graduates of prestigious universities "acquire" during their studies and which help them with employment.

An excellent solution would be to enroll in master's programs at foreign universities. This opportunity should be used not only by bachelors who want to emigrate, but also by graduates who want to succeed in their careers as a translator. The opportunity to study a language in depth in a country where it is official for several years is an invaluable experience. It will help you reach the top and become an important column on your resume. You can also let in: approve scholarships and grants from foreign universities, which honestly offer free education. The procedure for admission and registration of documents is rather complicated, but it is worth it.

What qualities do you need to have

Excellent memory... One of the basic requirements for advanced study of any language. If you are forgetful, you should be willing to put a lot of effort into developing your memory.
Logical thinking... It is not enough to remember individual words and phrases - it is necessary to understand its logic, features of vocabulary and word formation. Developed logical thinking will become the basis for understanding grammar, slang expressions.
Perseverance... The work of a translator can hardly be called exciting - it is usually associated with hours of sedentary work over piles of foreign language texts.
Stress resistance... It is especially important for simultaneous interpreting when you are under constant stress trying to synchronize your speech with the speaker's speech.
Mindfulness... Each mistake can lead to distortion of huge blocks of text. History knows a lot of examples of the breakdown of negotiations or, say, unsuccessful film rentals due to inaccuracies in translations.

The relevance of the profession of translator and its prospects

Key confrontations unfold in the IT field. Many experts say that in the near future, trainable artificial intelligence will be able to completely replace a living translator. However, the developers themselves are cautious about such prospects. Most of them speak of such a possibility as a rather distant reality.

According to analytical data, in the next 20-30 years, machines will not be able to replace the work of translators even by 15%. At the same time, the specialists themselves are happy to use new developments, professional software - it really helps in their work. If you liked the presentation of the profession at the Doors Open Day at the university or if you have been writing an essay on the topic: “My future profession - translator ”, then you can safely follow your dream.

Pros and cons of being a translator

This specialty is suitable for people who like complex, stressful, orderly work. There are no risks, threats to life and health. It is difficult for a translator to get physically injured at work. But to shatter the psyche and bring oneself to hysteria as a result of constant stress and the burden of responsibility is quite real.

pros translator profession:

Relevance of the specialty ... This is a demanded profession and even university graduates do not, as a rule, face a lack of vacancies. The only exceptions are rare, in particular endangered languages.
Lots of options for employment ... You can work in a regular translation agency, in private companies and government agencies, you can translate books, films and TV series, you can accompany tourists, or even stay freelance.
Career prospects ... All in your hands! If you are constantly developing, continuing to learn the language throughout your life, do not “marinate” yourself in one job and are not afraid of change - you have every chance of success.
Quite high salaries ... They cannot be compared with the income of top managers in oil companies, but in comparison with the national average they are high. Moreover, with experience and advanced training, you will be able to apply for an increase in salary.
Real opportunity for emigration ... Translators especially often use special programs, graduate from master's degrees abroad, receive grants and scholarships from foreign universities, as they are fluent in the language and successfully pass tests.

Minuses translator profession:

Difficult and responsible work ... Most specialists are under constant stress, feel the burden of responsibility and often suffer from stress.
The need for constant development ... Only 1-2 years without practice (for example, during maternity leave) and you "drop out" of the profession. The language changes very quickly and you must constantly improve your qualifications.
Monotonous labor ... Wherever you work, you will constantly be dealing with large volumes of text - written or oral. No surprises are expected.
Low salaries at the start of a career ... University graduates, even with 1-2 years of work experience, can rarely get a high-paying job.

If you love languages, if you are ready to devote your life to establishing communication and linguistic connection between people - this profession is for you. If you want something more dynamic and exciting, and you go to a linguistic university only because of the prospect of a high salary, you will hate your job with all your heart. Before entering, we recommend that you analyze in advance all the pros and cons, and then make a balanced choice.

How much do translators get in Russia

According to analytical services, the average salary of a Russian translator is 34.7 thousand rubles. At the same time, there are significant differences between the average salaries in the regions. Most of all receive specialists from Moscow (42 thousand rubles), St. Petersburg (38 thousand rubles) and Vladivostok (36 thousand rubles). Salaries differ not only in the regions, but also in organizations - the maximum in private companies, the minimum - in government agencies.

In the process of career development, translators can expect significant growth wages... For 5 years of work, you can really increase your income by 10-15 thousand rubles. Do not forget that the salary depends on the relevance of the language. In some cases, specialists with knowledge of rare languages \u200b\u200breceive large fees, but usually collaborate with them only in the framework of individual projects. Translators specializing in English, German, French and Arabic make the most money.

Interpreter - the general concept of specialists engaged in the translation of oral or written speech from one language to another. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in foreign languages \u200b\u200band Russian language and literature (see the choice of a profession by interest in school subjects).

There are several explanations for where the different languages \u200b\u200bcame from. For example, the Bible describes the legend about the Tower of Babel. According to this legend, God confused the languages \u200b\u200bof the tower builders because of their desire to surpass him and excessive pride. People stopped understanding each other and dispersed across the globe without finishing the construction of the tower, which was supposed to reach the heavens.

There is an explanation for the difference in the language of people and from a scientific point of view. Even in prehistoric times, people began to speak different languages \u200b\u200bdue to the disunity due to the mountains, deserts and oceans located between them. Languages \u200b\u200bwere formed in different tribes in isolation, one tribe had little communication with others. The greater the degree of geographic isolation, the more the language differs. On the plains, where it is easier to move, individual languages \u200b\u200boccupy very large areas (Russian, for example). But whatever the background, there has long been a need for people who know not only one native language.

Most modern people know not only their own language, but can to some extent express themselves in a foreign language. Tourism is actively developing, and with it there is a need to communicate with foreigners, to understand at least superficially the language of the country you are going to. Most often, the population learns English, which is increasingly taking the place of the universal language of international communication.

But for professional translation, competent, prompt and precise, people with special education and experience are needed. Such specialists are called translators. In a general sense, translators are divided into oral and written.

An important quality of an interpreter is the ability to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and partnership. The specialist must understand that the success of the negotiations largely depends on him. It should help people with different cultures, mentality and understanding of business in different ways to find a common language.

There are two types interpreters - sequential and synchronous.

A consecutive interpreter is indispensable in business negotiations, at events where some of the participants speak one language, and some speak another. In such cases, the speaker gives his speech with small stops so that the translator can formulate the phrase in the language of the audience.

Simultaneous translation - the most difficult type of translation. Such translation is performed using specialized equipment for simultaneous translation. A synchronist must know a foreign language almost better than his own. The complexity of the profession lies in the need to quickly understand and translate what you hear, and sometimes speak at the same time as the speaker. The most appreciated are specialists who know how to build competent and informative sentences that do not allow pauses in their speech.

Written translators can translate technical, legal, fiction, business documents. Currently, more and more professionals use modern technologies (eg, electronic dictionaries). Such special software for translators will help to increase its productivity by up to 40%.

Technical translators work with technical texts containing special scientific and technical information. The distinctive features of such a translation are accuracy, impersonality and emotionlessness. The texts contain many terms of Greek or Latin origin. The grammar of technical translations is specific and contains well-established grammatical norms (for example, indefinitely personal and impersonal constructions, passive phrases, impersonal forms of the verb). The types of technical translation include full written translation (the main form of technical translation), abstract translation (the content of the translated text is compressed), annotation translation, translation of titles and oral technical translation (for example, to train employees to work on foreign equipment).

Legal translation aimed at translating specific texts related to the field of law. This translation is used to exchange professional information related to the socio-political and cultural characteristics of the country. In this regard, the language of the legal translation must be extremely accurate, clear and reliable.

Legal translation can be divided into several types:

translation of laws, regulations and their drafts;
translation of agreements (contracts);
translation of legal opinions and memoranda;
translation of notarial certificates and apostilles (a special sign certifying signatures, authenticity of a stamp or seal);
translation of constituent documents of legal entities;
translation of powers of attorney.

Fiction translator - a specialist in the translation of literary texts. He must, in addition to a comprehensive knowledge of a foreign language, be well versed in literature, master the word at a high level, be able to convey the style and syllable of the author of the translated work. There are many examples when recognized word masters were involved in translations (V. Zhukovsky, B. Pasternak, A. Akhmatova, S. Marshak, etc.). Their translations are works of art in themselves.

Required professional skills and knowledge

perfect command of one or more foreign languages;
literate Russian;
good knowledge of special terminology, both in the original language and in the target language (especially important for technical translators);
in-depth knowledge of literature and the availability of literary editing skills (for translators of fiction);
knowledge of the characteristics of language groups;
desire to improve knowledge of a foreign language every day.

Personal qualities

linguistic ability;
high level analytical thinking;
the ability to store a large amount of information;
accuracy, patience, attentiveness;
high level of erudition;
fast reaction;
ability to concentrate, be attentive;
sociability;
verbal abilities (the ability to express one's thoughts coherently and extremely clearly, rich vocabulary, well-delivered speech);
high efficiency;
politeness, tact.

Pros and cons of the profession

Pros:

possibility of implementation in different areas (written translation, simultaneous interpreter, translation of films, books, magazines, etc.);
a person who speaks a foreign language can find a very prestigious and highly paid job;
there is an opportunity to communicate with people of different countries and cultures;
high probability of business trips and travel.

Minuses

in different months, the volume of transfers can differ several times, hence the unstable load;
often, translators are paid not upon the delivery of the material, but when the payment comes from the customer.

Place of work

press centers, radio and television centers;
international foundations;
travel companies;
ministries of foreign affairs, consulates;
book publishing houses, mass media;
translation agency;
museums and libraries;
the sphere of the hotel business;
international firms, companies;
international associations and associations;
international funds.

There are two types interpreters - sequential and synchronous.

Written translators can translate technical, legal, fiction, business documents. Currently, more and more specialists use modern technologies (for example, electronic dictionaries). Such special software for translators will help to increase its productivity by up to 40%.

Legal translation can be divided into several types:

translation of laws, regulations and their drafts;
translation of agreements (contracts);
translation of legal opinions and memoranda;
translation of notarial certificates and apostilles (a special sign certifying signatures, authenticity of a stamp or seal);
translation of constituent documents of legal entities;
translation of powers of attorney.

Required professional skills and knowledge

perfect command of one or more foreign languages;
literate Russian;
good knowledge of special terminology, both in the original language and in the target language (especially important for technical translators);
in-depth knowledge of literature and the availability of literary editing skills (for translators of fiction);
knowledge of the characteristics of language groups;
desire to improve knowledge of a foreign language every day.

Personal qualities

linguistic ability;
high level of analytical thinking;
the ability to store a large amount of information;
accuracy, patience, attentiveness;
high level of erudition;
fast reaction;
ability to concentrate, be attentive;
sociability;
verbal abilities (the ability to express one's thoughts coherently and extremely clearly, rich vocabulary, well-delivered speech);
high efficiency;
politeness, tact.

Pros and cons of the profession

Pros:

the possibility of implementation in different areas (translation, simultaneous interpreter, translation of films, books, magazines, etc.);
a person who speaks a foreign language can find a very prestigious and highly paid job;
there is an opportunity to communicate with people of different countries and cultures;
high probability of business trips and travel.

Minuses

in different months, the volume of transfers can differ several times, hence the unstable load;
often, translators are paid not upon the delivery of the material, but when the payment comes from the customer.

Place of work

press centers, radio and television centers;
international foundations;
travel companies;
ministries of foreign affairs, consulates;
book publishing houses, mass media;
translation agency;
museums and libraries;
the sphere of the hotel business;
international firms, companies;
international associations and associations;
international funds.

Profession linguist description

A linguist, in short, is a specialist in foreign languages, he usually speaks English and another foreign language.

But it is impossible to acquire the profession of just a linguist, because this is a broad concept, its general name, usually, when entering a university, you need to make a choice in favor of a linguist-translator, linguist-teacher, teacher of English language or, in some universities, a regional studies guide. It is clear, yes, that a linguist differs from a translator in the same way as, for example, a fish from a carp - both fish, but carp is a more specific name)

Let's understand the pros and cons of these professions.

Since I am a certified linguist-teacher and I have practical experience in this particular profession, let's start with it.

It is understood that linguist-teacher is a specialist who will teach a foreign language at a university.

What are the responsibilities? Firstly, it is clear that - to conduct classes in a foreign language, in addition, the teacher has a part of work that is not very noticeable for students, this is the so-called "second half of the working day." During this time, free from classroom studies, the teacher must organize educational activities for students, write scientific articles, draw up various methodological documents, and, of course, prepare for their classes, as well as check various tests and other written work performed by students.

It should be borne in mind that if you choose this profession, your head (head of the department) will constantly "push" you to go to graduate school and get a PhD, so you need to be ready for further scientific activity. Postgraduate studies are inevitable, because: only it can lead to a more or less normal salary, and, in practice, will "reserve" you a job at the university, which, in connection with the real policy of the Russian state to reduce the number of universities, will be even more fragile for non candidates of sciences.

If you don't want to go to graduate school at all, then you should think about teaching profession and then go to work at school. They will not demand this from you.

What are the responsibilities of a teacher? Yes, you yourself went to school and you know that the teacher teaches lessons, checks notebooks, fills out a magazine, if he is a class teacher, then he conducts extracurricular activities and parent meetings. Hidden from your eyes is that the teacher must write a lesson plan for each lesson and show it to the leader, he also must attend ped-councils (where all teachers gather under the guidance of the head teacher), which in some organizations hold one or even two times in a week, and they last not for half an hour, but for two hours (boring things are still the same, but you can't walk!) Teachers, just like teachers, prepare various methodological documents and write articles. In order for the salary to be higher, you need to be certified for a category, I do not really know the intricacies, but it is quite difficult, you need to conduct an open lesson, pass a test in a foreign language, certificates of professional development, work experience are also important. There are several categories and you need to pass certification every time to get the next one.

Advantages of teaching professions

Part-time (classroom lessons / lessons are held in the first or second shift, the remaining time, if there is no meeting of the department or teachers' council, the teacher / teacher can distribute himself: he decides for himself - where, when, what extracurricular work he should do)

The creative nature of the work (the teacher can be creative in the learning process, use various methods and techniques so that both he and the pupils / students are interested)

To work with your favorite foreign language (now a foreign language will always be in your life, six or seven (do not forget about checking students' written works) days a week, and even if you have not learned something while studying at a university, teaching you will definitely learn it )

Work with young people: children or youth (maybe you don't quite understand what is the plus here, then imagine that you are forced to communicate with the elderly at work, they come to you and constantly complain about their health, their lack of demand, disrespect for young people, you, for example , a district doctor or a social worker. And if you are a teacher, then you are dealing with young people who have fun, everything is interesting and they have a mood that their whole life is ahead and everything will work out. Feel the difference?)

Cons of teaching professions

A lot of paperwork, uninteresting work (methodological documents, reports, logging, etc.)

There will always be a feeling that you have your homework (it’s like I’ve already graduated from the university, but you still need to prepare for classes and check written work, and so on all my life, and people of other professions, after graduating from the university and getting a job, are free at the end of the working day from official duties)

Discipline ( young specialist it is very difficult to establish discipline, especially at school, do you remember how your class “stood on the ears” if the teacher is not a shrew? A university with discipline is better, but nevertheless, students will not take a young teacher seriously for a long time, and this cannot be solved in any way, it remains only to wait, because, as they say, youth is the fastest passing disadvantage)

The next disadvantage, which is a disadvantage at school and an advantage at a university: the need to communicate with the parents of the students (parents, as it turns out, are inadequate and may simply not understand why the teacher gave their child a grade and calmly "run over" the teacher about this! , again, the teacher is to blame! Fortunately, at the university, the teacher has practically no such component as "communication with parents")

For a teacher, admission to graduate school and defense of a dissertation can be a disadvantage of the profession, because it is a really difficult and difficult task.

It should also be noted that all the achievements of the teacher at the university will not be taken into account if he enters a job at school (position, degree, candidate, for example, work experience), so a candidate of sciences, having come to school, will be considered a “young specialist” and occupy the lowest position and receive the lowest salary.

Linguist-translator is a specialist who speaks one or more foreign languages \u200b\u200band translates from a native into a foreign or from a foreign into a native language. This can be subdivided: translation of oral speech and written texts.

Translate spoken language it is very difficult, you need to have not only a high level of proficiency in a foreign language, but even more important - experience in performing this kind of work. Yesterday's graduate, a translator with honors, is unlikely to successfully cope with the responsibilities that have befallen her the first time. In addition, I would classify this profession as a temporary one, it is more like a part-time job, because not every city has organizations that need such a unit, and there is a full load.

FROM translator the situation is simpler on the one hand. Any production has a department of translators for translating documents from foreign languages \u200b\u200band maintaining business correspondence with foreign partners. But, imagine that you got a job, for example, at a machine-building plant, and in the texts you will always find some bearings and gears, do you understand them in Russian? And in order to translate correctly, you have to figure it out.

Pros and cons of the profession of a linguist-translator:

Working with foreigners, in the case of interpreting (it is always interesting to talk with representatives of other cultures)

No discipline problems (which the teacher and teacher have)

You do not need to engage in scientific activities, unlike a teacher

Full time in the case of a translator, temporary work in the case of an interpreter

Monotonous, monotonous, painstaking work (imagine that all day you need to translate texts, documentation, constantly referring to the dictionary, select the correct word, having difficulty understanding the content of what has been written, and which word-translation from a dozen presented in the dictionary will be correct in this context ?)

You need a lot of experience to perform oral translations.

What are the opportunities for a linguist to work part-time?

tutoring

Well paid

You can choose a convenient time for classes

Pupils do not always want to study English (it is customary to think that if money is paid for classes, then they are very important for the student, and he will listen carefully and perform all the teacher's tasks, in fact, this is not always the case. Often, studying English is a desire parents, not the child, they want him to know English, and no one asked the child, so he does everything without enthusiasm, with this it is very psychologically difficult).

part-time work in a private language school

You can choose the most convenient time for classes and the amount of load

Compared to work at school, there are a lot of poles: no paperwork, no scientific activity, better discipline, no checking of notebooks, etc.

Control of the administration (not everyone will be able to get a job in a language school, before admission they often require to successfully write a test in a foreign language, come for an interview. After hiring, the administrator will be present at the lesson and control the quality of the lesson by the teacher - this is psychologically difficult, especially for young professionals)

The payment is less than when conducting private individual lessons (tutoring found on our own)

There is no social package (this is important if work at a language school will be the main one for you. If you get sick, sick leave will not be paid, if you go on maternity leave, you will not receive any maternity money, etc.).

part-time guide

In the cities where tourists come there is an opportunity to earn money as a guide. There is such a direction of training in some universities, you can also take courses for guides if you already have a higher education. As well as for a translator, work for a guide is not available in every city, so I would attribute it more to a part-time job. To be in demand, you need to have a good level of proficiency in a foreign language, be sociable, polite and friendly. It is very important to prove yourself well and get into the contact database of travel companies, if everyone is happy with you, they will invite you, and this job pays well.

Working with foreigners

Good earnings

Temporary, seasonal nature of work

It takes time to get into the contact database of travel companies and come up with a large number of orders, which will allow you to have good earnings and a constant load during the tourist season.

What should be considered when choosing a profession as a linguist-teacher, teacher, translator or guide?

I have described the pros and cons of these professions, and if you have a “soul” for foreign languages \u200b\u200band you want to focus on the profession of a linguist, think about what exactly you would like to do more. If you like working with children, then - a teacher, if scientific activity is close to you, then - a teacher, if you don't mind working full-time and don't want to work with people, then - translator, if you feel that you have a talent for foreign languages, and it is in your power to learn to translate simultaneously, then - an interpreter. In addition to what is close to you in spirit, it is very important to take into account which city you live in or which city you plan to work in: does it have a job for an interpreter, guide, or is it a university campus? It is very important to choose a profession right away, before entering a university, so that later you do not have to get a second higher education, because in many cases the organization avoids, for a number of reasons, hiring a specialist with a non-core education.
Where to study as a linguist?

Higher linguistic education can be obtained at the philological faculties or at the institutes of linguistics. There is usually an opportunity to take courses or complete a second higher education, if there is a desire to obtain a diploma of an interpreter or guide.

In this article, I will tell you where it is better to study the profession of a translator - in public universities or in courses. Or maybe there are some other options?

I myself graduated from the translation department of Novosibirsk State Linguistic University, and then I also created my own courses for translators. So I have a completely objective idea of \u200b\u200bthe pros and cons of both options.

And let's start with the classic version - training as a translator in universities.

Training for a translator at a state university

I must confess to you honestly - now the profession of a translator has changed a lot. Earlier, in Soviet times, it was a purely military profession. That is why girls were not taken to the translation faculties.

That is, 100% of the students there were boys. And now it's the other way around. If you go to any perfak, you will see that 98% of the students there are girls. Now a translator is a person who sits at a computer and translates instructions and juristic documents... No romance \u003d)

Another interesting fact for entry - after graduating from the Faculty of Translation, only 5-7% of graduates work as translators. The rest are doing what - they teach English, open their own business, retrain to become dentists.

This happens because the curriculum at the translation departments is very outdated. They mainly continue to write translations by hand in notebooks. There are still very old teaching materials there.

Disadvantages of public education

When I was studying at the Perfact, we did technical translation from magazines from the 60s. But these materials were approved "from above", and the entire curriculum was based on them.

The next disadvantage of formal training is that you are not taught to work with a computer. Today the translator is simply obliged to be very good at at least the Word program. But by default it is believed that today everyone has a computer at home, and everyone can do something in the Word themselves.

But in reality this is not enough. To create a document, print text there - that's not enough. You need to be able to format text "on the fly", draw up drawings in translation, and do all this without unnecessary signs, with a clean layout. This is something that 100% of graduates cannot do. Because it is a separate professional discipline.

Why 95% of Translation Graduates Can't Find a Job

Returning to the training materials, graduates of translation faculties are very surprised when they find out what a translation task actually looks like. They get used to translating texts into 5-10 paragraphs, where everything is written in good English (or whatever?) Language.

And they have 2-3 days to translate this piece of text, so that later they will analyze it for a long time and persistently in class together with the teacher.

In reality, everything is much tougher.

You are given 10 pages of terrible quality text. There, in half of the places, it is generally impossible to make out the text. And often there is no text as such. There are some drawings, and inside the drawings there are small icons with which it is not clear what to do.

And the worst thing is the words with which these texts are written. These words simply do not exist in any dictionary of the world. Either because it new industry and the terms only appeared yesterday. Or because the author invented them himself. Or sealed up. Or a person for whom English is not native wrote a text in English, and he simply inserted the wrong words, because he does not know the correct ones.

And add here that you only have a day to translate these 10 pages.

It is here that 95% of graduates "merge". Because their life did not prepare them for this. I should have. And the remaining 5% merge when they find out what pennies they will be paid if they can still cope with this text.

Let's be honest with ourselves. Unfortunately, the translation faculties today do not prepare a translator for the profession. This is not just a problem with perfacks. 95% of graduates across the country do not work in their specialty for approximately the same reasons. But translation has its advantages.

What is actually taught in translation?

Quite frankly, today only foreign languages \u200b\u200bare taught at translation faculties. This cannot be taken away. If you apply for translation, you will perfectly learn at least two foreign languages \u200b\u200bin 3 years.

I still remember how we passed the translation tests. First, we were forbidden to use dictionaries. Which is already strange, because the main skill of a translator is precisely the ability to use dictionaries.

Secondly, we had to translate dozens of terms from memory. Just single words. That is, we were not taught translation, but memorization. correct words... And it gave its results. We have learned foreign. Only this has nothing to do with the profession of a translator.

Why do people come to state universities

Perhaps you, my dear reader, are now at that tender age when it seems that you have to study at a university in order to get a diploma, and then a job. But here I will disappoint you. A translation diploma will never give you any job.

You come to get a job as a translator - and they will ask you for work experience, not a diploma. In general, after graduation, I got my diploma only two or three times. I needed this in order to be carried out by a translator at a notary.

But if I didn’t have a diploma, I could have passed with a school certificate. I am telling you this in all seriousness. I personally brought our Ukrainian, Uzbek and other translators to the notary, who only had a school certificate, which said that they had learned Russian at school. And that was enough for the notary to agree to certify their translator's signature.

All this, of course, is sad, but there are also positive aspects.

"Career" of graduates of translation faculties

One of these points is that most of the students of the performance faculty are not going to work as translators at all \u003d)

As I wrote above, the main contingent in translation departments today are girls. And they come for translation with a very clear goal - to learn a foreign language, marry a foreigner and go abroad.

And nothing funny, it was on such a "career ladder" that many girls who studied with me in the same stream went.

What are the Word, formatting documents and notarized translation of documents. Now they work in France as sellers, in America as sellers, again in France as waiters ...

If you consciously or subconsciously strive for this, then the translation department is better off not inventing anything. Problems begin if you suddenly, for no reason at all, really want to work as a translator.

Practical training courses for translators

When I just graduated from the Faculty of Translation, I had a problem that I cannot translate. Then I learned by working in a translation agency for a penny. After a while I opened my own translation agency. And then the next problem arose - the translators did not know how to translate.

That is, the same yesterday's graduates came to us to get jobs, as I myself was several years ago. And their mistakes were all the same. And one day I got tired of explaining the same thing to every translator.

Then I just took and wrote the instructions - how and what should be translated, in what situation. Separately, instructions on how to work with the Word, how - with personal documents. Etc.

After that, I could simply give instructions to the new translator and he immediately, and not after three years, began to work quite sanely.

I was delighted with the first success and began to gradually supplement my instructions. As a result, it grew first to 100 pages, then to 300, and then to almost 1000. And there were analyzed all translation situations in great detail.

It turned out to be a real course of practical (and not theoretical) training of a translator. I remember that I was still surprised - why no one before me had thought to make such a course. After all, beginners mastered it literally in 2-3 months, and immediately began to earn "in an adult way."

Otherwise, they had to learn everything from their own experience for several years. And all this time - to live "on bread and water", because no one pays good rates to beginners.

Now I strongly recommend to all novice translators my course, which I called “Work! Translator ". You can read more about this course.

Now let's make a small conclusion.

Conclusion

The question of where to study the profession of a translator is not an easy one. The answer depends on what you really want to get. To learn a foreign language and try to "dump" - you are at the top. And if you really want to make money with translations, then you will have to learn it yourself.

And then there are two options. The first is to learn by doing, working in a translation agency. The second is to take our course, where many years of experience are packed into step-by-step training. Personally, I took the first path. That is, I learned everything myself. Just because there were no such courses as before.

I had to plow for a penny for several years. And, unfortunately, few people can withstand such a life. And if you, too, would like to shorten your path from “beginner” to “pro” - use our course as a springboard.

See you later!

Your Dmitry Novoselov