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5 Steps to Becoming a Professional Translator

Step 1: Get Certified

The first thing I tell people who want to know how to become a translator is to get some sort of accreditation or certification. Having credentials provides documentation that you have the skills required to translate or interpret professionally.

Step 2: Get Tested

Another resume builder is to take language proficiency tests such as the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) or other language proficiency tests to show potential clients that you are indeed fluent in your specific language.

Step 3: Gain Experience

The next step is to gain experience. All of us have had to start out doing internships or working entry-level jobs in order to climb the ladder, and the language industry is no exception. If you’re enrolled at or live near a college, take classes in translation / interpreting and look for opportunities to perform translation or interpreting work on campus for various departments. It is crucial to get experience where you can show samples of your work to potential clients and get recommendations.

Step 4: Market Yourself

After getting credentials and some experience, it’s time to market yourself to law firms, police stations, hospitals, government agencies, and language agencies that may need translators or interpreters in your area. Most translators / interpreters work for clients on a contract basis, not as full time employees. A great way to market your services is to start a website or blog and join the active community of online language professionals. Also, make sure you have your resume and rates ready! The best indicator that an aspiring translator or interpreter is not a professional is when they have no idea what their rates should be! If you don’t know what rates to charge, call other interpreters and translators and find out what theirs are.

Step 5: Keep Learning!

As you progress as a translator / interpreter, there are other areas to consider as well. What specialized industry or industries can you translate or interpret for? Do you keep up with industry terms and trends? Are you computer savvy and knowledgeable regarding translation memory software?

Start your CAREER NOW, do not hesitate to apply to work with us;

pms@speak-africa.com

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Africa’s top 10 languages

Africa’s top 10 languages

Swahili

Hello – “Hujambo,” but if you’re greeting elders or people older than you, say “Habari,” which also means “Good morning.”

How are you? – “Habari gani”

I am fine – “Nzuri”

Thank you – “Asante,” and “Thank you very much” is “Asante sana.”

Hausa

Hello – “Sannu” or “Salama alaikum.”

How are you? – “Kana lahiya?” when asking men and “Kina lahiya” when asking women.

I am fine – “Lafiya.”

Thank you – “Na gode.”

Amharic

Hello – “Selam” or “Iwi selami newi.”

How are you? – “Inidēti nehi?” or “tenastalign?”

I am fine – “Dehina nenyi.”

Thank you – “Ameseginalehu.”

Oromo

Hello – “Akkam” or “Attam”

How are you? – “Akkam jirtuu?”

Thank you – “Galatoomi.”

Yoruba

Hello – “Ẹ nlẹ o” for a general greeting; however, when greeting elders, the general greeting is “E nle ma” for women and “E nle sir” for men.

How are you? – “Ṣe daadaa ni o wa?” or “Bawo ni o se wa?”

Thank you – “E dupe” or “O se” or “E se.”

Zulu

Hello – “Sawubona” when greeting one person and “Sanibonani” when greeting two or more people.

How are you? – “Unjani?” but when asking elders, you say “Ninjani?”

I am fine – “Ngiyaphila”

Thank you – “Ngiyabonga.”

Shona

Hello – “Kanjan” or “Mhoro.”

How are you? – “Wakadii?” or “Makadinizvako?”

I am fine – “Ndiripo.”

Thank you – “Tatenda.”

Igbo

Hello – “Kodi” for a general greeting. If you want to be more specific, say “Ibọlachi,” when saying “Good morning,” “Efife oma” when saying “good afternoon,” and “Mgbede ọma” when saying “good evening.”

How are you? – “Kedu ka idị?”

I am fine – “Ọdi mma.”

Thank you – “Dalu” or “Imela.”

French

The most populous francophone country in the world is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where 40% of the total population can speak French.

Hello – “Salut” for an informal greeting and “Bonjour” for a formal greeting.

How are you? – “ça va?”

I am fine – “ça va bien.”

Thank you – “Merci.”

Portuguese

Hello – “Ola.”

How are you? – “Como esta?”

I am fine – “Estou bem obrigado.”

Thank you – “Obrigado.”

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Impact of translation technologies on the process and product of translation

Technological advances have led to unprecedented changes in translation as a means of interlingual communication.
Software manufacturers, based on the demands of the global market, are tailoring their translation software to meet the needs of larger volumes of translations, quick turnaround times, cost-effectiveness and shareability.
As developers realized the limitation of machine translation. Developers shifted their focus from replacing human beings to augmenting them. Human translators discern and translate meaning, while computers do what they do best: compare, store, and retrieve data.
CAT tools (Computer-Assisted Translation) has been raised, which maybe just what you need to take your translation work to the next level.
There are a range of different tools that fall under the broad definition of a CAT tools.
electronic dictionaries, and project management.
Here are some of CAT tools benefits:

  • Efficient and faster review with less errors.
  • Improve analysis and management through counting words, segments and units, analyze text, compare portions of new and pre-translated material, etc.
  • Fast turnaround of high volumes of material, with rigorous consistency of terminology and style.
  • Increase production through a tool pre-translating from a reasonably-stocked translation memory.
  • Better pre-translation through propagating the choices. So no need for re-type or cut-and-paste.
  • Standardization of glossaries and individual translators to use terms consistently with less effort.
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The impact of colonialism on African languages

The decline of ethnic languages has been a matter of serious concern for many linguists. Since colonial times, the status of African countries as developing countries has not changed. Yet, the language varieties of Africa hold the key of its development.
Languages as communication and as culture are then products of each other. Communication creates culture: culture is a means of communication. Language carries culture, and culture carries, particularly through orature and literature, the entire body of values by which we come to perceive ourselves and our places in the world. (Williams and Chrisman, 1994: 441-442)
The colonization of Africa by European powers had a dramatic impact on the continent. Africans were acculturated in almost every area of their culture.
Colonial rulers had every expectation that the countries they ruled should model the cultural traditions of Europeans. They viewed Africans as culturally inferior. As a result, cultural characteristics like language changed for Africa. Many Africans learned the European languages so they would have the opportunity for economic mobility.
Africans did not traditionally have formal education systems. Europeans introduced formal systems to train Africans to partake in the colonial process. In other words, the schooling of Africans was not done for their benefit, but to indoctrinate a segment of the population that could be mobilized to assist in the political, social, and economic exploitation of Africa. After Europe was through exploiting Africa, it simply left. African languages were diluted, and no measures were taken to help Africans transition to self-governance.

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