I’m always interested in learning more about other translators. So how about a fun little 10-question survey to help us get to know each other? Write your own answers — to some or all of the questions — in the comments! [Update: Herman had the brilliant idea of reposting the questions and his answers on his own blog, with a link back here. Feel free to do the same, and make sure to put your own link in the comments below so we can find you!]
See further down for my answers, and scroll to the bottom of the post for links to others who have answered the survey!
- Four-parter: Where do you live? What are your language pairs? How did you learn those languages? What types of documents do you translate?
- Do you do other language-related work?
- What do you like most about translating? least?
- What are your future dreams or goals, professionally speaking?
- What do you think: do all translators need to specialize?
- What is your #1 tip for new translators?
- What is a translation-related lesson you’ve learned on the job?
- What book(s) are you reading right now?
- Do you have a blog or other online presence where we can learn more about you? Any favourite links or tips to share?
- What’s one non-work-related tidbit your virtual colleagues might like to know about you?
***
- Four-parter: Where do you live? What are your language pairs? How did you learn those languages? What types of documents do you translate? For now I live in Hamilton, a city near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I moved here from the National Capital Region. I translate from French to English. I grew up bilingually – French at school, English at home. Then later (and still), French at work, English at home. What I translate: Mostly documents that fall into the “general business” category. Press releases, annual reports, academic articles, newspaper articles, informational brochures, that sort of thing.
- Do you do other language-related work? Yes. A good part of my day is editing (the same types of documents as above). I also occasionally have the opportunity to work with fiction, but only for editing.
- What do you like most about translating? least? Most: I love working in two languages, I enjoy interacting with my clients and colleagues, I take pride in my work, and I love learning more and more about the French language. Least: It gets a little lonely working from home.
- What are your future dreams or goals, professionally speaking? Goals: Continue providing the best service I can to my current clients, and build relationships with new ones as time goes on. Dream: I’d love to try my hand at literary translation someday. I took a bunch of literature courses in university, and they’ve been helpful for my fiction editing. I’d love to add fiction translation to the mix.
- What do you think: do all translators need to specialize? Not all translators, no. I consider myself a “general business” translator, at least for now. Even though a lot of my work falls into the communications and education fields, I still come across many new terms in almost every translation. I wouldn’t attempt to translate a journal article in the field of medicine, for example, but I may come across a few medical terms if I’m translating a press release related to medicine – so I think we do have to know our limits, but still be prepared to do lots of research as needed to deliver a good product when the source text is a little outside our comfort zone. That said, it was recently suggested to me that I consider specializing in linguistics and psychology, which I studied in university. I need to research what type of work is being published in French in those disciplines, and find out if there’s a demand for that content in English. I’ve also got a strong background in language teaching — but I haven’t figured out a way to work that into my business yet. (I’m very open to suggestions on any of the above!)
- What is your #1 tip for new translators? Never stop learning your source language. You’ll always come across new words and expressions, and the language will always have the ability to stump you. That’s normal.
- What is a translation-related lesson you’ve learned on the job? Asking questions doesn’t make you look bad or stupid — it makes you look professional.
- What book(s) are you reading right now? Gregory Rabassa’s If This Be Treason, a Christmas present from my boyfriend. I’m also reading (and loving!) the Spécial Anglos issue of Urbania magazine.
- Do you have a blog or other online presence where we can learn more about you? Any favourite links or tips to share? Well, if you’re reading this, you know I have a blog. Moving on. Check out my “Must-reads” page for a list of some of my favourite bloggers. Also, there’s a great video on YouTube called The 10 Myths of Entrepreneurship. What struck me most about this video was the recommendation that entrepreneurs focus on the means they currently possess (their current skills, resources, etc.) and set their goals based on those means. Basically, work with what you’ve got.
- What’s one non-work-related tidbit your virtual colleagues might like to know about you? I recently discovered a passion for snorkelling!
Not me.
photo credit: Daniel R Thompson via photopin cc
Here are some links to others who have reposted and answered the questions. They’ve also been quite actively Tweeting about the questionnaire. You guys rock! 
- Herman Boel (the first to repost the questions on his blog)
- Catharine Cellier-Smart (complete with photos!)
- Dwain Richardson (Dwain added an adapted version of the questions to his blog. Now it works for all sorts of language professionals, not just translators. Thanks Dwain!)
- Patricia Barthélémy (Patricia translated the questions into French. J’adore!)
- Moira Monney (this singing translator is passionate about helping fellow linguists)
