I did not have a plan to be a professional translator. In fact, I had no idea that professional translation was something one can make money from. Literary translation was the only type of translation that I was aware of.
For me, translation seems to be a grand literary mission. It’s a mission to bring the classics of a language to another. And I would consider Gregory Rabassa to be an epitome of a literary translator.
I was an undergraduate student at that time. And was studying English language and literature in a non-English-speaking country. Among my friends, it was my pro bono duty to fix their writing. And sometimes doing some translation for different needs. None of this has any financial outcome and I was eager to earn money online.
I loved reading and always paid serious attention to my writing assignments. It was a treat to engage with the topics in a critical way. My strong areas were reading, writing, and researching a topic. So, I started with article writing on oDesk (now Upwork). Here is one of the early articles I wrote that you can still find online.
I was doing alright as an article writer. Then two things happened and that changed my plans. One of my friends was making a documentary film on a development project for an NGO. I did the subtitles, transcriptions, translation, and voice-over scripts for that film. I also took a translation studies course in that period. I learned that it gives you an extra edge as a translator if you are a better writer in the target language. It immediately hit me that my expertise has to be in translating.
The act of translating is an act of writing afresh. The source text provides the thoughts. The translator puts those thoughts into words exactly the way the writer would put them.
I “write the book as the author him- or herself would have written it if they’d spoken English.” That was the translation process of the translator of One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Translators are writers, and it takes craftsmanship to be a better writer. If you are a better writer in your target language and you know another language well, that’s a sweet spot.
I realized that I could labor my way through writing articles in my second language. But that would not give me any advantage. So, I made the decision to switch and started with professional translation.
That documentary project also signaled that there is demand for my skills. I never look back. I went full time in 2017, and got a job at Translators without Borders in 2019. In 2022, I went full time again with freelancing.
Did I need a translation degree to be a professional translator?
I did not have a translation degree. But early in my career I wanted to get a degree in translation. I was already pursuing a bachelor’s. And I wasn’t looking for another one. But I did fancy a master’s in translation. No university in my country was offering such a program.
One option would be to get a degree from another country. But there were two problems. First, none of the programs supported my language pair. And the investment required for a master’s degree was way too high. Moreover, not having a translation degree was not holding me back from anything!
I didn’t have a degree in translation, but I studied English in my undergraduate and graduate studies.
Who is a professional translator?
Translators are experts in written communication. They make sure messages in one language flow naturally in another language.
Translators can work with governments, nonprofits, companies or even with people and media. All around the globe, translators are mostly self-employed. They usually freelance their services through Language Service Providers (LSPs). But if you can manage your work and market yourself better as a business, you can serve clients directly.
What is a translation degree?
You can get a degree in translation either from a university or form an institution. Universities usually offer bachelor’s and master’s programs. But it’s possible to get a diploma or certificate course from a university.
There are some authorities like the American Translators Association (ATA) that certifies translation professionals. Authorities like ATA can also offer you a certificate course or a diploma in translation.
Sometimes, a non-translation bachelor’s is also considered equivalent to a translation degree. For example, if you have a degree in linguistics or a specific language.
What is expected in a university degree in translation?
A university degree in translation would take about 3 to 5 years. And you will be oriented with the theories and practices of the profession. You will receive rigorous academic training. You will learn how the culture, politics, and society affect a translation.
These programs aim for high-level language skills in students. And they equip students with an in-depth intercultural understanding. You will enhance your critical thinking ability to succeed in a translation career.
Is a bachelor’s in translation worth it?
A bachelor degree in translation comes with a lot of values. But for a translator, having a bachelor degree is always helpful than not having one.
Even if you have a non-translation bachelor’s that is better than not having one. If you are already an undergraduate student, be optimistic about it. If you are planning to get one, congratulations! Go for it.
Is a Master’s Worth it?
A master’s degree is a significant investment of both time and money. Before I get on this journey, I would try to get a convincing answer to these questions:
- How is this degree going to help me?
- What are the jobs I will be able to do with this degree that I cannot do now?
- What are the opportunities I can tap into with a master’s in translation?
The answer is all subjective to you and your language pair, interests, country you are living in. Do the calculation. After all, a translation degree is not a necessity to enter into the profession.
You can start translating without a master’s in translation. Diving straight away into gaining first hand experience is a good point to start. You can also self study translation studies. Or you can look for cheaper but effective alternatives like a certification.
Is a certification worth it?
If you are trying to work in a specialized field like law or health, you will often need a certification. These are a lot less expensive, and less time consuming degree options.
What about Specialization of Subject or domain specific degrees?
Possessing an evergreen curiosity is a critical attitude of a translator. Any specialization or any sort of learning activities in a domain is always a yes. You are already an established and experienced translator. You can still afford to specialize in a domain or learn a new thing. This will expand the breadth and depth of your knowledge. And domain knowledge has a direct correlation with earning better.
Also always do the math. Be sure the domain you are about to learn is an area where you are likely to expect a significant amount of work with better pay.
What does it take to be a professional translator?
A translator has to know how to translate between two languages. The translation also has to be accurate, natural, and culturally appropriate.
The ideal path to be a professional translator is to earn experiences along with a degree of some sort.
The need for earning experience is universal. The more experience you earn, the more and better projects you will get.
But the necessity of a degree and the type of a degree depend on the following factors:
- Your language pairs
- Your geographic location e.g. where you are raised, and/or living
- The domain of specializations you are aiming for
For example, you will find translation degrees in major European languages. If you are to work in one of those language pairs, it would be hard to stand out without a degree. But with a comparatively minor language pair, your competition will be lower.
In both cases gaining work experience is crucial. Also, you need good command over your working languages. You also need to gain experience, translation education, domain knowledge, and the right attitude.
Here are some 5 fun ways for translators to be better at their skills:
- Read extensively in the languages you are working with.
- Be curious to be a more knowledgeable and well-rounded person.
- Spend time abroad.
- Develop your writing, research, and critical thinking skills.
- Learn like a writer and be patient!
Do you need a degree to be a professional translator?
You are most likely to struggle in your translation career without a degree. Often some sort of a degree or at least a bachelor degree is required. But there are exceptions if:
- you are a talented linguist
- you are more into interpretation than translation
- you are in a rare language combination (still you have to be able to read and write well)
As translation is not a regulated profession, your reality would be valued.
If we extend the question and ask whether a professional translator needs any degree at all? The answer would be an invigorating yes. But do you necessarily need a translation degree? No, you don’t. Usually, a translation degree is not a requirement to be a translator. But it surely helps.
One of the core benefits of a translation degree is that it helps when you are just starting. Translation is not a regulated job, even without a degree you can claim yourself as a translator. When you are starting your career, a degree in translation will make it easy.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree, it’s too much of an investment to get another or even a master’s. A certification course is enough to get a solid ground to get started. Besides, you can and should self study. Also following star translators and online resources will keep you updated. Still a certification can help.
When a degree or certification is crucial?
Some fields such as health, security and law are sensitive where having a credential is not an option, but a requirement. Legal translations, for example, usually require certified linguists. Industries like health or medical allow no room for errors. So to work in those fields both linguistic and subject matter knowledge are required.
Can I translate without being certified?
Translation is not a regulated profession. No one is restricted from translating without acquiring a certification. But to get certain jobs where it’s a requirement, we need to get certified.
To read more articles like this one, please follow Translators’ Journal on LinkedIn.
