TIPS AND TRICKS TO BE AN EXCELLENT TRANSLATOR
Dr. Rudy Sofyan, S.S., M.Hum
HOW TO DO IT?
01 Read in Your Native Language
02 Read in Your Second Language
03 Compare Other Translations
04 Listen to Your Clients
HOW TO DO IT?
05 Build a Rich Translation Memory
06 Stay Updated About the Latest Technology
07 Exercise
08 Ask for Help
HOW TO DO IT?
09 Avoid Ambiguity
10 Always check spelling and grammar
• Read in your Native Language
Most translation projects are in your mother tongue, so the better your writing skills in this language, the more accurate and engaging your transla- tion will be.
The easiest way to develop writing skills is by reading as much as you can.
Try to read all types of texts, written by multiple authors. From magazines and novels to web content; they’re all necessary when looking to get familiar with more writing styles. If you’ve chosen a narrow niche in the language service industry, you can still benefit from reading about something other than your topic of interest.
• Read in Your Second Language
Reading in your second language enables you to develop language sense.
It’s an effective way of familiarizing yourself with multiple life situ- ations in a different language.
It gives a new perspective on how people communicate and why they choose specific words to express themselves.
The wider your reading habits, the better for boosting your lan- guage skills.
• Compare Other Translations
Peeking at what other translators do can help you master your lan- guage skills and make you an excellent translator.
Note: It’s not duplicating what other people do, but simply learn- ing from others and finding new meanings hidden behind words.
Take both the source and the target texts to see how other translators have handled the message of the book or article. Then, analyze their choices and try to identify the reasons the translator decided to omit or emphasize specific details of the text.
• Listen to Your Clients
Listening skills are a must-have for translators who wish to retain customers and build a reputation in their niche.
Mastering this skill will enable you to understand what your clients expect to achieve with translation, as well as anticipate their needs.
You should remember that often in translation, the client and the end-users aren’t the same. So, the more you teach yourself to listen, the easier it becomes to deliver the benefits the end-users need
without ignoring what the client wants.
• Build a Rich Translation Memory
An excellent translator relies on top-notch resources. Language service providers no longer translate just based on their knowl- edge and some dictionaries on hand.
Technology enables translators to store all their projects and use previous work to speed up future projects.
Don’t treat every translation project as your first job!!
Use CAT tools to build a solid translation memory and store your knowledge.
• Stay Updated About the Latest Technology
Technology is a game-changer for language service providers, re- gardless of their size or niche. If you don’t use innovative tools, you risk being left behind by competitors, as you won’t manage to deliver the best services in a short amount of time.
Read magazines, subscribe to newsletters, and test demos of new software.
Try to keep up with the latest developments in the translation field.
Otherwise, you may be underperforming before you know it.
• Exercise!
Exercising is a cost-effective way of boosting your creativity. It reduces stress levels, helps you stay focused, improves your memory, and helps you become more productive.
Make room in your busy schedule for exercising a couple of times a week. Not only can this new routine make you an excel- lent translator, but it will also contribute to keeping you health- ier and happier.
• Ask for Help
Translating may seem like a job for one person, but sometimes teamwork brings better results.
Whether by asking for more details from your clients or by including another translator in your project, help is sometimes necessary to reach your goals and deliver better results.
If you struggle to get to the bottom of your text or meet deadlines, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Avoid Ambiguity
Try not to use words that have more than one meaning for example:
- Use "movie" instead of "film"
- Use "painting" or "photograph" instead of "picture"
Words ending in "ing" can sometimes be ambiguous, such as
"rowing", which can be a noun or a verb. Where possible, choose an alternative
• Always check spelling and grammar
Incorrect spelling or grammar leads to translation errors, for example, if a word is spelt incorrectly, the translator will not be able to identify the word.
References
• Clearwordstranslations.com. (2019). 10 Tricks to Become an Excel- lent Translator. Cited from
http://clearwordstranslations.com/language/en/10-tricks-to-be- come-an-excellent-translator/
• Learnenglish.de. (n.d.). TRANSLATION TIPS AND TRICKS. Cited from https://www.learnenglish.de/translationpage.html
