The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/119185
OPINION & COMMENT First steps Follow our new columnist on her first year in the translation industry JULIA GRAHAM t all started when I read Marta Stelmaszak's article, 'A Successful Start' (TL51,6), in which she explains what she has done to establish her business in the early days of her freelancing career. At that stage, I knew I wanted to be a freelance translator. All that involved was doing my research, typing away at home, sending the document to the client and generally minding my own business, right? Wrong. It was quite a revelation that being a successful freelance translator is about more than accurately conveying the message of a text from one language to another. According to a poll conducted by translator and marketing guru Valeria Aliperta, I am in good company: 55 percent of respondents did not have a website and 63 percent did not have a logo. Nice to know it isn't just me who is clueless when it comes to branding. Initially, I was sceptical about using social media and felt uncomfortable at the prospect of having to sell my skills, but I have come to the conclusion that the only way to get ahead is to think and act as an entrepreneur. No doubt some readers will disagree but my (admittedly limited) experience leads me to believe that this is the future of our industry. I can attribute my change of mindset to four key events. Firstly, I managed to break free from the confines of my bedroom by turning the spare room into an office. Not having to compete with make-up and laundry for space makes you feel a lot more professional. Secondly, I discovered online workshops and, more specifically, Marta's Business School for Translators on eCPD Webinars. Knowing how to present myself to clients and agencies has given me some much needed I Vol/52 No/2 2013 confidence in an industry where it can feel as if years of experience are a prerequisite. Thirdly, I finally plucked up the courage to say 'no' to the embarrassing rates offered by a client for projects that were always 'urgent', sent in pdfs and came with numerous extra requirements from the end client. It felt empowering and, once I discovered they were not only miserly with their rates but also lackadaisical when it came to paying invoices, quite wise. To other fledgling translators out there: please learn from my mistake and make sure you research the client thoroughly, send terms and conditions, and get them signed. You live and you learn. To round off my hectic month, I attended my long-awaited Dragons' Den-style panel for business funding. I had to present my pitch and field questions on the intricacies of my plan and the financial documentation I had spent the past few months tearing my hair out over. After what felt like the longest 15 minutes of deliberations, I was given the good news that they were able to award me the grant. I now cannot wait to get started on my business shopping list, which includes a working laptop, CAT tool and membership to professional organisations. None of these recent achievements would have been possible were it not for the encouragement and inspiration I get from reading translators' blogs and books. Among the best are Judy and Dagmar Jenner (Twin Translations), Chris Durban (Fire Ant and Worker Bee), Marta Stelmaszak (WantWords), Valeria Aliperta (Rainy London), Kevin Lossner, Corinne McKay, Rose Newell (Lingocode) and Jayne Fox (Foxdocs). Their words make it clear how much I have yet to achieve, but at the same time motivate me to persevere in the hope that one day I can be as successful as they are, and for that I am extremely grateful. TERESA TINSLEY The publication of 2011 census data on languages made its way into most news media at the end of January. Headlines mainly focused on the news that Polish was now 'the most commonly spoken non-native language in England and Wales' (The Guardian). However, as Professor Yaron Matras from the University of Manchester pointed out, the way that the question was phrased in asking for respondents' 'main language' meant that the languages of earlier generations of immigrants were significantly under-reported (BBC News). Even though the census showed that less than 0.5 percent of the population could not speak English, many reports chose to focus on the fact that 8 percent did not have English as their main language, sparking a host of unrepeatable online comments about immigration. It was left to The Financial Times and The Times of India to point out the positive side to the 'rise in multilingualism' and 'UK's flourishing tongues'. News of the Driving Standards Agency's consultation on the use of interpreters in driving tests threatened to spark another bout of linguistic intolerance. Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond, who launched the consultation, was reported as saying that the use of interpreters 'presents the risk of fraud' (Daily Mail, 5/2/13). However, two science stories showed that language issues have the power to fascinate as well as frighten. There was worldwide coverage of the news that researchers in the US have created a computer program – dubbed a 'time machine' or 'computerised Rosetta Stone' – which can 'reconstruct' ancient languages that died out long ago. Similarly, there was widespread reporting of research by the universities of British Columbia and Paris Descartes showing that babies can distinguish between languages at seven months. However, as one reporter put it: 'scientists are still baffled by the mechanics of language learning'. Teresa Tinsley is Director of Alcantara Communications; www.alcantaracoms.com. APRIL/MAY The Linguist 29