Language Jobs in Translating

Translation is the interpretation of the meaning of a text in one language (the "source text") and the production, in another language, of an equivalent text (the "target text," or "translation") that communicates the same message.

Translators can translate any written material ranging from appliance manuals to works of literature. They may find themselves translating legal, sceintific and commercial documents, business reports, insurance claims, private correspondence, information for websites and subtitles for DVDs.

A Diploma in Translation or equivalent is normally required in order to become accredited with one or both of the professional associations for individuals, the Institute of Linguists and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting.

The civil service and the armed forces employ many full time translators. Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham recruits most of the translators in the Civil Service. They work primarily translating information that can be political, economic or related to international crime or terrorism. The languages in greatest demand are Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Urdu and Persian.

MI5 employs linguists to translate and interpret intelligence information obtained in many languages. Much of the information is gathered from telephone and postal communications. Demand for languages varies but, in general, Farsi, Urdu, Arabic, Sorani, Bengali, Somali, Turkish, Mandarin and Russian are popular.

All the institutions of the European Union (EU) employ translators. Each recruits independently and entry requirements vary. To work as a staff translator for the EU, you must have a university degree and an ability to translate, which you have to demonstrate by passing several entrance exams, both written and oral. It is not essential to have a degree in languages or experience as a translator. Several of the institutions of the EU run five-month ‘stages’ (traineeships) in translation. To be eligible for these, you must be competent in three of the 20 official languages of the Union. Selection procedures are complex and lengthy. Recruitment of staff translators is once every three years. The Court of Justice, based in Luxembourg, recruits translators who are also qualified lawyers as lawyer/linguists. The working language of the Court is French and all documents and Court proceedings are translated back into the other official languages when a case is complete.

The United Nations and its specialised agencies, eg United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), employ British translators. They translate into English from French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic (the six official languages) and occasionally from Italian, German, Scandinavian and eastern European languages. Relevant postgraduate training and/or experience is usually necessary. There are occasional openings for translators in other international organisations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) or the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Most large organisations with in-house translators employ small teams who review and edit texts, which have been drafted by freelancers. Translators working for most commercial organisation are likely to use the more common, usually European, languages.

Many translators work freelance for agencies that provide a range of translating and interpreting services.Email for document transfer as well as the internet for research are vital tools. Attention to detail and proof-reading skills are very important aswell as organisational abilities for scheduling workload to ensure it is delivered on or before deadlines.