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Becoming a translator
Thread poster: acnjones
acnjones
acnjones
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:48
Japanese to English
+ ...
Oct 9, 2003

I'm currently working in Japan as an English teacher, but recently I've been thinking about becoming a translator.

Does anyone have any advice about where to start, or what qualifications are required? At the moment my Japanese is around level 2 (２級).

Thanks
 
mishima (X)
mishima (X)
Local time: 01:48
Italian to Japanese
+ ...
Get married to a Japanese Oct 9, 2003

nanimonai wrote:

Does anyone have any advice about where to start, or what qualifications are required? At the moment my Japanese is around level 2 (２級).

Thanks


If you are not married yet and he or her (I do not know your gender) speaks fluent Japanese, you can work on both language directions, otherwise you are limited to Japanese to English only and perhaps only for relatively easy jobs.

This is not a joke.

Mishima
 
Minoru Kuwahara
Minoru Kuwahara
Japan
Local time: 01:48
English to Japanese
+ ...
firstly focusing on your Japanese reading skill Oct 14, 2003

Hi,

I'm a Japanese translator mainly from English into Japanese and I'm not so much familair with the situation an English native translator translating from Japanese into English confronts with. But just based on the what I heard, I supose it may be more difficult for you to read than speak in Japanese, especially Chinese characters. Meanwhile, as you are as competent in Japanese as on the 2nd level of proficiency at the national Japanese test, I guess you would be on the way of im... See more
Hi,

I'm a Japanese translator mainly from English into Japanese and I'm not so much familair with the situation an English native translator translating from Japanese into English confronts with. But just based on the what I heard, I supose it may be more difficult for you to read than speak in Japanese, especially Chinese characters. Meanwhile, as you are as competent in Japanese as on the 2nd level of proficiency at the national Japanese test, I guess you would be on the way of improving your Japanese reading skill. If you would like to start out as a Japanese-English translator, I recommend you will definitely continue to improve your Japanese reading skill, followed by burushing up your English technical writing skill. That's the starting point.

I don't know, but I learned technical translation in Japanese on corresondence courses provided by Babel Gaigo Gakuin when I was starting out, you might as well try out some ideal courses desigend for native English translators in or out of Japanese environment.

Best,
MK


nanimonai wrote:

I'm currently working in Japan as an English teacher, but recently I've been thinking about becoming a translator.

Does anyone have any advice about where to start, or what qualifications are required? At the moment my Japanese is around level 2 (２級).

Thanks[/quote] ▲ Collapse
 
Thomas Magnuson
Thomas Magnuson
Canada
Local time: 09:48
English to Japanese
+ ...
Get that Level 1 ;) Nov 2, 2003

...That'd be the Cole's Notes version of my advice *chuckle. Along w/ reading skills & that, I'd also say that just practicing regularly would be a good idea too. Even if you're pretty confident w/ the language, you'd be surprised how many mistakes can be made from assuming too much about the source text, or unconsciously assigning a meaning to it that isn't there.

Anyhoo, a long story short I'd say practice (J/E) like a madman, learn all the kanji they tell you to for level 1, the... See more
...That'd be the Cole's Notes version of my advice *chuckle. Along w/ reading skills & that, I'd also say that just practicing regularly would be a good idea too. Even if you're pretty confident w/ the language, you'd be surprised how many mistakes can be made from assuming too much about the source text, or unconsciously assigning a meaning to it that isn't there.

Anyhoo, a long story short I'd say practice (J/E) like a madman, learn all the kanji they tell you to for level 1, then try to gradually incorporate translation work as a bigger & bigger part of your income until (like me) you've stopped doing things like shaving & wearing ties altoger!

All the best & good luck ▲ Collapse
 


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