Some people think that professional translation is just a matter of "languages" and that anyone who translated in school can become a translator, because translation is something simple and straightforward.
From the outset, it should be emphasized that a qualified professional translator is a key player, from an economic and technical point of view: professional translators are highly qualified technical experts, both in terms of the content of the text they translate and a variety of complex IT tools and software. which they should be able to use. After all, they are experts in multilingual multimedia communication technology.
Knowledge of the language is important, but not sufficient. What is needed, in addition to absolute proficiency in the language, is a perfect knowledge of the relevant cultural, technical, legal, commercial ground and background, as well as a complete understanding of the topic of translation.
Another important condition is a gift for writing, an insatiable thirst for knowledge and endurance, scrupulousness and initiative to find the necessary information (or informant) necessary for a complete understanding of the topic of translation. And no translator can hope for a successful existence and prosperity without the ability to effectively and easily - both professionally and personally - interact with many partners: clients, colleagues, information and terminology providers, proofreaders, employers, tax and social services employees, providers Internet services and many others. A good foundation of knowledge in the field of marketing, management and accounting will not harm in this regard.
At the same time, people who, due to the lack of a concept that would cover the entire scope of activities involved in the provision of translation services, we continue to call translators (both men and women), because:
- they take on cases in many different aspects, depending on the type of materials involved, the method of translation, industry, technology and tools;
- freelance and full-time translators deal with various problems;
- the practice of translation can cover many areas of different experience, depending on the combination of work organization, translation tools and involved partners used;
- and although all translators belong to the same profession, in fact there are many translation markets, which can even be said about the existence of several translation professions. Professional practices and conditions vary significantly and may even be separate worlds, with the paradoxical result that those who know almost nothing about the profession often act as translators: freelance translators turn their backs on the world of full-time translators, and the latter deliberately ignore freelancers (except cases where they have to “provide them with work.”) On one side of the barricades, translators try to pretend not to know what is happening on the other.
Whatever it was, all translators are united by the fact that they are dealing with the same challenges, that is, lack of respect for their work, the complexity and technical side of the tasks, the impact of the ICT (information and communication technologies) revolution on their workplaces, the revolution caused by the emergence of the Internet, the industrialization of translation processes and translation practices, the globalization of the market and the delocalization of jobs, an increase in the encroachment of language engineering programs, competition between linguists and technical specialists, strict requirements for quality certification, the struggle for official recognition of professional status (where it is still ineffective) or even a struggle for the survival of traditional home-based translators. Not to mention ROI, direct and indirect, as most people who need translations want more for next to nothing.
It is extremely difficult to describe and analyze the true world of professional specialized translators, given the variety of practices, situations and environments. It should be remembered that professional translation is the cornerstone of multilingual multimedia communication. You also need to understand the complexity and variety of tasks involved in the work of a translator, so that everyone can understand that the quality of translation is never cheap and, conversely, why "cheap" translations, subcontracted, at the lowest price, can entail significant costs in the long term. for their potentially devastating consequences.
