一個合格譯員應該具備的素質

一個合格譯員應該具備的素質隨著對外交流合作與跨文化交際的不斷發(fā)展，譯員或譯者對需求量大大增加，同時也對其各方面的素質的要求有了較大的提高。作文英語專業(yè)的學生，未來潛在的翻譯后備軍，應該如何具備這些素質呢，經過本學期的翻譯實踐，我對翻譯者應具有的素質有了較大的感悟。如何做一名合格的譯者呢我有了自己的感悟。一、良好的心理素質，和吃苦耐勞的精神翻譯絕對不是一件簡單的事情，面對篇幅巨大，內容難懂的作品，本身心理上就承擔了較大的壓力，極易產生抵觸，厭煩等不良情緒情緒。要想實現高質量的翻譯，首先就要有良好的心理素質，能夠靜下心來仔細認真的翻譯。當今社會浮躁情緒彌漫，有些人會選擇盲目快譯的方法追求速度，很難保證質量，也達不到翻譯所提出的標準，嚴重的話會造成誤解和錯誤，給讀者和大眾帶來危害。所以應該靜下心來，還是要慢功出細活的。作為初學者的我們，尤其要有吃苦耐勞的精神，踏踏實實認認真真的學習。練習，翻譯，練好各項基本功，為未來的職業(yè)發(fā)展良好的基礎二、扎實的語言基本功作為一個譯者，必須要精通本國語言。當我們閱讀本國文學作品時，較之于外語文學作品，我們通常更自信于自己的理解能力。我們自以為完全讀懂了文意，可是一旦開始翻譯就會遇到障礙，才發(fā)現很多地方都理解錯了。因為是本國語言，較為自信，閱讀時就不仔細認真，我們一味糊弄自己。為此，翻譯充當著外語學習的最好方法。三、良好的溝通愿望和協作精神有愿望則技能自然顯現，有精神則協作效果不斷顯現。具有良好的心態(tài)決定溝通協作的效果。經常發(fā)現，有不少譯員把給翻譯公司作稿件看成一項賣菜的事業(yè)。一種純粹交易的心態(tài)和固有的簡單化處理的保守意識。實際上，翻譯是一項人類思維活動的復雜勞動。客戶稿件的內在實質和外在表達方式也存在千差萬別。拿過稿件不聞不問，埋頭翻譯后稿件往往差強人意。根本原因即前期缺少雙方認可的質量規(guī)范，翻譯過程中又缺乏有效溝通。四、熟練高超的軟件操作技能。

有別于在線機器或軟件翻譯，現代譯員借助CAT翻譯輔助軟件可以極大提高工作效率一把重復性、記憶性工作交給軟件處理，把思考和創(chuàng)意性工作交給大腦和靈感?，F今翻譯工作涉及的也遠遠不只是翻譯輔助軟件，經常要使用各種格式的文件用多種軟件處理版式和圖形，比如PDF稿件、InDesign出版稿件。僅僅翻譯文字和翻譯排版兩張皮的模式已經不能適應市場的快速發(fā)展與客戶需求。五、具備行業(yè)知識的深度和廣度翻譯稿件不是文字游戲，翻譯是用另一種語言表達內容。如果沒有深厚德行業(yè)知識，就不能完整準確地理解原文內容，更會望文生義，誤譯和錯誤表達也會出現。只有深度沒有廣度的知識已經難以適應快速發(fā)展的技術要求。很多領域已經縱橫交叉，比如ERP（企業(yè)流程管理重組）涉及到業(yè)務、會計、庫存、生產領域，信息通訊產品涉及到工業(yè)設計、UI、IT和通訊核心技術。一名合格譯員不可能做到樣樣精專，但熟悉3-5個行業(yè)知識，并有能力處理與自己專業(yè)翻譯領域相關聯的專業(yè)知識，已經成為一名合格譯員的標配。六、持續(xù)的學習能力，不斷使自己與時俱進行業(yè)知識的老化是每一名譯者必須面對的問題。技術日新月異，經濟起伏翻轉，世界劇變都成為知識變化的強大動力。漢語和外語新詞新意不斷涌現，技術創(chuàng)新推動知識不斷更新變化。翻譯不是簡單重復式勞動，需要有創(chuàng)新思維，更需要有豐厚的新知識作基礎。學習成了譯者工作的有機組成。更多0Theexpertiseofthetranslatorselectedtoworkonanygiventranslationprojectisbyfarthebestgaugeofinsuringahighqualityoutput.Weuse8corecriteriatohelpguideourtranslatorrecruitmentprocess.Reacbntolearnmore…Whiletherearesomanydifferentfactorsthatfigureintoeachindividualtranslator'sexpertise,webelievethatthefollowing8criteriarepresentthecoreelementsforsuccessfultranslatorrecruitment:

Nativespeakerofthetargetlanguage.Degreeorequivalentcertificationintranslationand/ordegreeinsourcelanguage.Degreeorconcentrationinspecificsubjectmatterincombinationwithabovetranslationrequirement.(Thisrequirementcanalsobemetbyworkexperience.Seebelow.)SubjectMatterExpertise:3+yearsofworkingexperienceinfieldofexpertiseand/ortranslatinginfieldofexpertiseasanin-houseorfull-timefreelancetranslatorpreferred.ExcellentEnglishwritingandcommunicationskills.Accreditationand/oractivemembershipinarelevanttranslationassociationpreferred.Foranexampleofacertificationprogramreferto:AmericanTranslatorsAssociationCertificationProgramProofofcredentials.Mayincludeoneormoreofthefollowing:CV,testscores,transcripts,certifications,andreferencesfromrelatedworkexperience.SampleTranslation:SuppliedtotranslatorbyLanguageIntelligenceandevaluatedbyavettedLanguageIntelligencetranslatorworkinginthesamelanguagepairandsubjectmatterexpertiseasprospectivetranslator.Translatorswhomeetthesecriteriaandreceiveexcellentevaluationsareconsideredapprovedandaddedtoourdatabaseoftranslators.EachapprovedtranslatorsignsaConsultantAgreementandanyotherrequiredconfidentialitydocumentationasrequiredbyLanguageIntelligence'sclients.Additionally,followingapproval,wecontinuetomeasurethequalityofwhatthetranslatordeliversinthisway:Evaluationsforfirst3projectswhichareadministeredbyLanguageIntelligence'sLocalizationProjectManagers.InclusionontranslationteamswithvettedLanguageIntelligencetranslators.OngoingevaluationsoccurforalltranslatorsregardlessoftheirhistorywithLanguageIntelligence.TheabovecriteriaareallfactoredintoLanguageIntelligence'stranslatorqualificationprocess.However,eachbearvariedsignificanceintheprocessdependingontheindividual'scredentials,certification,educationorexperience.Meaning,ifatranslatordoesnotcarryacertificationinthetargetlanguagebuthasmanyyearsofexperiencetranslatingwhichisreflectedinanexcellentsampletranslation,theweightoftheselectionisnaturallyplacedontheexperienceandevaluation.Wewouldbeveryinterestedinhearingyourperspectivesontranslatorevaluation.Pleaseprovidefeedbackandcomments!Maybeyou'vealreadydonesometranslationwork,paidorpro-bono,ormaybeyouarecompletelynewtothebusinessandarewonderingifbeingatranslatormaybethejobforyou.Youmaybeaskingyourselfwhatittakestobecomeatranslator.BasicRequirementsNaturally,youhavetoknowatleasttwolanguages-that'sobvious.Howfluentdoyouhavetobe.Let'stalkaboutyoursourceandyourtargetlanguages.Thesourcelanguageisthelanguageoftheoriginaltextyou'retranslating.Thetargetlanguageisthelanguageyou'retranslatinginto.Mosttranslatorswillonlytranslateintotheirnativelanguageormothertongue.Thereareexceptions,ofcourse,especiallywhereatranslatorhasbeenlivingabroadformanyyears.Generally,though,mostpeopleonlyhavenativeproficiencyin,well,theirnativelanguage.IamaGermantranslatorandIhavebeenlivinginCanadaforover8years.Istillhavemytranslationsproofreadbyanativespeaker.(It'sgoodifyou'remarriedtoone.)HowdoIgetover10,000visitorsamonthtothissiteandearnanicesupplementalincomeReadthestoryhere...However,justbeinganativespeakerisnotenough.Ifyouareagoodwriterinyourfirstlanguage,youhaveprobablycomeaccrosssomewriting,evenpublishedwriting,thatmakesyoushudder.Nativespeakerscanwritepoorly,too!Ifyouwanttobeatranslator,youneedsuperiorwritingskillsinyourtargetlanguage.Youneedanexcellentcommandofgrammarandstyle.Ifacompanypayshundredsorthousandsofdollarsforatranslation,thedocumentmustbeimportanttothemandtheywillexpectquality.Therequirementsforyoursourcelanguagearenotquiteasdemanding.Youshouldhaveanexcellentcomprehensionofyoursecondlanguage,ofcourse.However,whenyou'retranslating,youhopefullyhaveaccesstolotsofdictionariesandreferencematerial(moreonthatlater).Keepinmind,though,thathavingtolookupalotofwordsofthesourcetextwillseverelyreduceyouroutputandspeedintranslating.IoccasionallytranslatefromFrenchtoGerman,butIdohavetoconsultmydictionaryalotmore.Ibelievethatmytranslationisstillgood,butittakesmeaccordinglylonger.Lastly,itisgoodtohaveabroadeducationandgeneralknowledgeofcertainspecialistfields.Translationagenciesandclientslookfortranslatorsthatarefamiliarwiththetopicofthetranslation.There'snothinghardertotranslatethanatextthatyoudon'treallyunderstand.Specializingincertainfieldsalsogivesyouamorelimitedvocabularyyouneedtomaster,especiallyconcerningtechnicalterms.Youmayacquireyourknowledgethroughaformalcollegeoruniversitydegree(IhaveaBachelorDegreeinPhysics),orsimplythroughreadinguponthesubjectmatterregularly.TechnicalResourcesAsanabsoluteminimum,youneedtoown,orhaveunlimitedaccessto,thefollowing:Acomputer.CanbeWindowsorMac,butIwouldrecommendWindowsifyouhavethechoice.Youmighthavepersonalpreferences,butWindowswillgiveyoubettercompatibilitywithyourclients.(Idon'twanttogetintothewhole'Billisevil'discussionhere.UnfortunatelyWindowshasade-factomonopolyinthemarket,andsomeimportantsoftwareisnotavailable,ornot100%compatible,onMac).AnInternetconnection.Withdocumentsgettinglargerandlarger,broadbandwouldbepreferable,butdial-upisfineforstarterstoo.It'simportantthatyou'reabletocheckyoure-mailseveraltimesaday,soanInternetcafeisnotagoodidea.Anofficesuite.YouwillneedatleastMSWord.(DOSversionsdon'tcounthere.)Excelisimportant,too.Powerpointmaybeagoodidea,butisnotascommonlyrequired.Ifyouaretranslatingwebpages,youwillneedanHTMLeditor.FrontPageisgood,butmostfreewaresoftwarewilldojustfineforthispurpose.Faxcapability.Thiscouldbeafaxmodemorane-faxservice.Afaxmachineisbetterbecauseyoumayhavetosigncontractswithtranslationagenciesandfaxthem.*Amobilephoneorapagerwouldbeagoodideaifyougooutduringbusinesshoursalot.Dictionariesandreferencebooks.Youcanneverhavetoomanyofthose.TheInternethasbecomeanexcellentresourcetoo.Andlastly,aquietoffice.Itdoesn'thavetobelarge,justenoughtoaccommodateyourcomputer,yourbooksandyourself.Youshouldbeabletoworkwithoutdistractions.Ifyoulivealone,yourlivingroomoryourbedroommaybejustfine.Ifyouhaveafamily,especiallykids,orroommates,youmustbesuretoeitherhaveanofficewhereyoucanclosethedoor,ortheremustbetimeswhereyourfamilyisout(workorschool)Othergoodthingstohave,butnotabsolutelyrequired,includedesktoppublishingsoftware(suchasPageMaker),atranslationmemory(DejaVu,Trados,Wordfast,etc.,moreonthatlater),andmoredictionariesandreferencebooks.Whatsoftwareisrequiredoftendependsonthefieldyou'reworkingin,andyou'lllearnasyougo.TranslationDegreeDoyouneedatranslationdegreetobecomeatranslatorYesandno.Readmoreaboutithere.TobecomeagoodinterpreteristheaspirationcherishedbyeverystudentofEnglish.Then,whatarethenecessaryqualitiesthatmakeagoodinterpreter?Inordertogettheanswer,wehavetounderstandthenatureofworkofaninterpreter.Theworkofaninterpreteristoreproduceorallyinanotherlanguagewhathasjustbeensaid.Toputinanotherway,itisoraltranslationonthespot.Interpretationcanbeconsecutive,thatis,reproductionafterthespeakerhasstopped,orsimultaneous,thatis,atthesametimeasthespeakerisspeaking.Therefore,specialrequirementsarisefromthespecialnatureofinterpretation.Someveteraninterpretershavesummarizedtherequirementsofinterpretationas"accurate,quickandsmooth".Obviously,acorrectunderstandingandreproductionofthespeaker'smeaningcomesfirst,becauseaninterpreterismerelyamediumamongspeakersofdifferentlanguagesintheircommunication.Atthesametime,aninterpretermustbequickinhis/herwork.Theymustnotdelay.Theirinterpretationshouldbesmoothsothatitcanbereadilyunderstood.Toachieveaccuracyininterpretation,aninterpretermustcomprehendcorrectlyinthefirstplace.Togetherwithsmoothreproduction,itisnotdifficulttoseethatagoodcommandofEnglish(orotherlanguages)andChineseisthe"prerequisitecondition”.Aclearpronunciationandintonationarecrucialforaninterpreter.However,theachievementofspeedneedsspecialtraining.Oneofthedifficultiesliesinmemory.Manystudentscomplainthattheycannotrememberwhathasjustbeensaid.Here,note-takingmayhelp.Note-takingservesasanaidtomemoryonthespot,soyoudonothavetotakedowneverywordbeingspokenwhichisbothimpossibleandunnecessary.Youonlyneedtotakedownthekeywordswhichrepresentthemainideasandofcourse,numbersandfigures.Yournotemusthaveaclearpresentationorpatternwhichindicatesthelogicaldevelopmentofthes