Hot post by Annie PaganoMany jobs require more qualifications and work experience than most beginning translators can show. However, there are always companies out there willing to take a chance on fresh talent. Check out some of these places to find translator jobs.
Hi friends! Quick Question:
How many Native American languages do you think are spoken in the United States right now?
If you guessed 2, 10 or even 50 you’d be way off!
Native American languages in the US have succumbed to linguicide over time. According to the World Atlas, approximately 300 languages were spoken in the US before colonialism. When the Europeans arrived, they forced Native Americans out of their land. The government tried to eliminate the Native American culture, including the languages, by forcing English. As a result of enforcing English in schools and in society in general, many languages were lost.
Language means so much more than communication between people – it represents culture, history, tradition and identity. According to UNESCO, there are more than 6000 languages in the world today. A startling fact is that about 97% of the world speaks just 4% of these languages, including languages such as English, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Indonesian and Arabic. Only 3% of the population speaks the remaining 96% of the languages, many of which are indigenous languages.
Around 600 languages have already disappeared in the last century, and experts estimate that others will continue to disappear at a rate of one language every two weeks. If this trend continues, up to 90% of the world’s languages are likely to disappear before the end of the century. Why is this happening and what can we do about it?
By English speaking United States application standards, I identify as a full-blooded citizen of the Navajo Nation from Northern Arizona where I grew up north of Window Rock, AZ. I speak, write, and read Navajo, English, and Spanish.
You have decided to become a translator and are ready to start applying for translator jobs. Whether you plan on freelancing or becoming an employee, these initial steps apply. Your goal is to get the best work you can, even if your first gigs do not pay well.
Following the steps below will help you get hired for your first assignment. You could benefit from following advice from more experienced peers on how to become a translator as well.
Did you know that roughly 40% of the world can only speak one language? While about the same amount of people speak two languages fluently, less than 1% speak more than 5 languages! Every language has its own history, its own personality, and has evolved greatly over time with speakers constantly finding ways to make languages easier to use. Therefore, it’s probably safe to assume that someone who speaks more than 5 languages has a deep understanding of how human languages work. So what does that mean for conlangers, or people who invent and construct new languages?
Bonjour mes amis ! Have you guys been keeping up with my Instagram? I just love being able to share my adventures with you in writing and in photos! I also love Valentine’s Day. Love is the glue that binds us all, and what better place to experience love than in Paris!
If you are looking to break into the translation field, you will likely be confronted by the classic chicken-or-egg scenario: you need experience to get translator jobs, but you need jobs to get experience! So, what to do?
