How did you come to be translators? Thread poster: Anne Diamantidis
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Dear fellow StudentZ,
I don't know about you, but being a translator never crossed my mind when I was a kid. Like most kids, I dreamt about being a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a nurse...:lol:
After graduation I still didn't really know - knew I wanted something to do with the international, due to my family background, so I started to study diplomatics and political science. Though I loved it and it was really intersting, I quickly realized that wasn't exactly my way - so not... See more Dear fellow StudentZ,
I don't know about you, but being a translator never crossed my mind when I was a kid. Like most kids, I dreamt about being a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a nurse...:lol:
After graduation I still didn't really know - knew I wanted something to do with the international, due to my family background, so I started to study diplomatics and political science. Though I loved it and it was really intersting, I quickly realized that wasn't exactly my way - so not far away, but still...;-)
So I went to Dublin as an au-pair for almost a year and then I discovered translation and translation world. As the years at univ passed by, I simply understood, like an evidence : this is it...
Well, no extraordinary story, but I'd like to read yours guys!
How did you come to translation? What were your expectations and dreams as a kid? What's your personnal and school background that made you choose a translation career? What is it in that job that fascinates/attracted you?
We're looking forward to your stories!!!
CheerZ,
Anne ▲ Collapse
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Hey guys,
Now this is a coincidence but I've just spotted today's quick poll : "How did you become a translator". Have a look at it : http://www.proz.com/topic/118595
CheerZ,
Anne
| | | | Yamato (X)
Bulgaria
Local time: 09:17
Russian to Spanish
+ ...
I answered there, but what the hell, I'll do it here too.
So... I wanted to study Russian. That was the only thing I wanted to do.
At the same time, I was checking out every single degree taught in Spain, to check wether I really, really liked something.
And guess what, I discovered I could learn Russian and have a degree in one shot! (namely, the translation degree in Barcelona).
So... I started thinking about it, and suddenly realized that probably... See more I answered there, but what the hell, I'll do it here too.
So... I wanted to study Russian. That was the only thing I wanted to do.
At the same time, I was checking out every single degree taught in Spain, to check wether I really, really liked something.
And guess what, I discovered I could learn Russian and have a degree in one shot! (namely, the translation degree in Barcelona).
So... I started thinking about it, and suddenly realized that probably translating was a very, very interesting thing to do.
YOu could also think of it as Stockholm's syndrome, which I find very useful, by the way, for boring translations.
In any casy, I decided to study translation, and I am still loving it. So I am pretty happy.
The only victim was my mom... I had been kind of saying I wanted to study physics or some scientific thing, and the swerve was to sudden for her. She worried. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ilary (X)
Local time: 08:17
| Right after graduating from high school... | Apr 3, 2009 |
...I realized I've always liked studying languages, but when it came to choose a university course I was undecided between "Foreign languages and literatures" and "Translation and Interpreting". I ended up choosing "Translation and Interpreting" because I've always liked translating, but also because I like learning languages with a more "practical" approach. I wanted to become either an English teacher or a translator. Besides the fact that I should have attended the other course if I really wa... See more ...I realized I've always liked studying languages, but when it came to choose a university course I was undecided between "Foreign languages and literatures" and "Translation and Interpreting". I ended up choosing "Translation and Interpreting" because I've always liked translating, but also because I like learning languages with a more "practical" approach. I wanted to become either an English teacher or a translator. Besides the fact that I should have attended the other course if I really wanted to become an English teacher, now I would like to become both an interpreter and a translator.
I've just got my BA in T&I, and I'm looking forward to sitting the entrance exam for the MA in Interpreting (I would like to study Conference Interpreting, to be exact) next September! ▲ Collapse
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dreams didn't tell me what I will become or which way I'll take ! to be honest , I had no dreams ! I was just that ordinary child who study because he knows he has to ! day in and day out ! things went so smoothly till I noticed myself I has regularly been at languages lessons and I wasn't at other matters even if i was , certainly , spending time drawing , well that was interesstin for me contrary to for other students in my class ! for the first time I've made I dream ,a dream I can strugle to... See more dreams didn't tell me what I will become or which way I'll take ! to be honest , I had no dreams ! I was just that ordinary child who study because he knows he has to ! day in and day out ! things went so smoothly till I noticed myself I has regularly been at languages lessons and I wasn't at other matters even if i was , certainly , spending time drawing , well that was interesstin for me contrary to for other students in my class ! for the first time I've made I dream ,a dream I can strugle to make it real ! and I will work hard to make it ! becoming a translator ! ; );) ▲ Collapse
| | | | bennywp
Chinese to English Middle (ca.1100-1500)
well my dream was to be a scientist when i was a kid. but when i grown up, i've found that i have lost interest in science. i realised that i am into literature and languages. then i have spent a long time to make out what vocation i will take in future. my major now is aircraft engine repair, buti don't want to be an engineer. having talked with my parents and teachers, i knew that to be an interpreter will be my choice.
| | | | Alem91
Argentina
Spanish to English
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| Just Answering | Jun 19, 2009 |
Well, at first i wanted to do something related to environmental protection, and things with animals, because i love nature. However, I've always loved English and my first language is Spanish so at first i thought of becoming an Interpreter, and then i decided to be a translation. Although I'm studying to be a translator then I'll study to be also an interpreter...
Besides, i would like to learn some other languages, but I'm not sure about which one. My mother tongue is Spanish and i spea... See more Well, at first i wanted to do something related to environmental protection, and things with animals, because i love nature. However, I've always loved English and my first language is Spanish so at first i thought of becoming an Interpreter, and then i decided to be a translation. Although I'm studying to be a translator then I'll study to be also an interpreter...
Besides, i would like to learn some other languages, but I'm not sure about which one. My mother tongue is Spanish and i speak English fluently... So i'll see which other language I'll learn in a nearer future.
I consider that one of the things that i enjoy most of being a translator student is the idea of curiosity. I mean, we have to investigate a lot about the topic we're going to translate then, so i think that at the end you learn a lot of new things and most of them are really interesting.
As you asked about the background well, i've studied English for 7 or 8 years more or less, and i continue practicing it of course, and I also love reading books in english or spanish and try to translate them into the other language.
That's all. =)
Kisses ▲ Collapse
| | | | | From science to translating | Jul 2, 2009 |
Hi, I always wanted to be an environmental scientist and trained to become one. The part that appealed to me the most was the field work, mostly in other countries. Surprise surprise, I ended up with an Australian partner. By now I have lived in Australia for 14 years, working in science and as a mother. I have always been a mad reader and teaching my son Dutch and translating childrens books on the fly has rekindled my interested in languages while my zest for soil science is lessening. So now ... See more Hi, I always wanted to be an environmental scientist and trained to become one. The part that appealed to me the most was the field work, mostly in other countries. Surprise surprise, I ended up with an Australian partner. By now I have lived in Australia for 14 years, working in science and as a mother. I have always been a mad reader and teaching my son Dutch and translating childrens books on the fly has rekindled my interested in languages while my zest for soil science is lessening. So now I am studying for translator while working part-time, planning to set up business as a freelancer.
CheerZ, Linda ▲ Collapse
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