Translators use translators too?!
Today is TalkTalk (TalkTalk) interview time.
Toktok Interview is a corner for interviews with translators and people working in industries related to translation standardsThis is it.
Since we are conducting interviews with people working in the business, I hope this post will be a direct insight for all visitors.
Now, let me introduce Hino, a third-year translator and translator!
Q.
Hello! Translator, please introduce yourself briefly.
Hello, I'm Hino, a third-year English-Korean/Korean-English translator. I've been dreaming of becoming a translator since I was in middle school, and in line with this, I have a bachelor's degree in English literature and a master's degree in English translationI won it. After graduating from graduate school, a friend's Start a freelance translation job with an introductionI did, and after a lot of trial and error, I became a translator for the 3rd year. Currently, I am in charge of translation supervision as an in-house translatorI'm doing it. There are still many deficiencies, but I am always happy to work. 😊
Q.
How did you prepare for the translator?
As I mentioned in my introduction, I've wanted to be a translator since I was in middle school. I loved English, and I loved reading books.. That's why I joined the Department of English Language and Literature. However, related to translation I was always disappointed because I didn't have enough curriculum, and after graduation, I was overwhelmed because I didn't know how to become a translator.. While studying translation and searching for information every day, I saw an announcement that the Department of English Translation at HUFS Graduate School was recruiting new students and applied. I learned various know-how there and got a job through referrals from friendsI also received it.
Translation-related job seminars while attending schoolWhile listening to it, I understood what fields there are, After graduation, I learned how to handle a translation program at an academy and applied to a translation companyI put it in. Thanks The opportunity to work as a translator in various fieldsI got it.
People like me who are overwhelmed because they don't know how to do it Attend a job seminar promoted by the universityI recommend doing it. I can see that there are so many different fields of translation, and I can listen to vivid advice from the executive staff. Plus, you can even listen to the call for announcements!
Q.
What competencies do you need to become a translator, and what competencies should you develop after becoming a translator?
I've heard that “to be a translator, you have to have a heavy butt.” That much Persistence and focus are importantThat's it. and Flexible thinkingIt's also important. The field of translation is much more diverse than you might thinkDo it. “I'm going to be a translator in this field!” I hope you don't get stuck in a rut. Not only do I get into the field I want, but I also often get unexpected work. I recommend that you experience everything that comes in and become a beautiful translator..
And professional translators AccountabilityThis is more important than anything else. Ability to complete the “work I am responsible for” “within the deadline” and with “consistent quality”and a sense of responsibility is required. too Communication ability to communicate smoothly with customers and PMsI also need it. It's easy to think of a translator as a solo job, but I often get most of my work from a company. Good communication skills are essential if you want to keep trading.
This is a necessary skill regardless of whether you're an in-house or freelancer. Finally wellness Pack it up! Translators can easily gain weight and lose a lot of health because they sit for a long time. If you want to work for a long time, you must exercise and take good care of your health.:)
Q.
Please give me some advice for juniors who dream of becoming translators!
Translating is more difficult and tedious than I thought. So be sure to check if it suits your aptitude. If it suits your aptitude, and if you want to be a translator, I'll tell you what you should and shouldn't do.
It's something you should never do first.
1) Mistranslation! Don't think, “If I make a mistake, I'll take care of it and fix it.” Work with the mindset that there should be no mistranslation.
2) The second is breaking the deadline! If you break the deadline without saying anything, the work of the other people involved will also be disrupted. Please refrain from breaking promises without consultation.
3) Lastly, I hope you don't cheat. If you don't check for typos or make a final check because it's bothersome, it will all be ruined. No one likes translators who practice tricks.
Next, I'll tell you what you can do.
1) First, let's adjust the schedule. Before starting work, identify your competencies and get only the right amount of work. It's much better to build trust by meeting due dates than by forcing yourself to get work done.
2) And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. It's more efficient to coordinate after consulting with the manager rather than dealing with it personally. It's also a small tip to collect questions and ask them all at once.
Q.
Please briefly introduce your daily routine as an (in-house) translator.
My company has a flexible work system, so I can go to work from 8-10 o'clock, but I go to work on time for 9 o'clock. I'm trying to set my sleep time to 7 hours, but when I left work late, I went to bed late because I wanted to play. hehe (If I sleep less than 7 hours, I'm less efficient the next day, so I'm trying to match the pattern.) And I work all the time from 9:00 to 6:00 to meet my daily quota. Right now The task of comparing the original Korean text with the English translation to find out if there are any mistakesI'm doing it. There are times when I can't finish my work until 6 o'clock because it's a job I have to take a close look at, but when that happens, I go home and handle the rest of the work. Nothing special, right?
In terms of family, I've experienced both freelancing and in-house translators, and there wasn't much difference in working hours. If I had to pick a difference, I'd say that I have a different time frame to focus on.
Freelancers work leisurely in the morning and then focus on their work in the afternoon; in-house, they focus on working hours and have time to relax after finishing work..
Q.
Do translators use translators too? Is there an effective way to use a translator?
Yes, I am Use Naver Papago and Google Translator at the same timeI will. I've been given a variety of jobs, Use translators differently depending on the fieldI did. In formal translations such as papers and lectures, it is sometimes difficult to start a sentence. When that happens To get the ball rolling, let's turn the translator and look at the sentence structure. and There are times when I can't understand slang or idioms when translating entertainment or everyday conversation. In this case, to get a clue to the sentence Let's run the translator.
In my personal opinion The field of dissertation is PapagoI think the results are good. and Search Google for everyday conversation with “sentence/word+”Doing it has good results. though There are times when the desired results don't come out, and there are times when Papago is an absurd mistranslation. So be sure to check it out. If you don't get the results you want, Don't put in the whole sentence, break it in the middle Try turning the translator. This can also result in better quality.
Q.
How much translation work did you spend in 3 years?
I have many companies translating in various fields, so it's hard for me to pick one up and answer. Once I got the longest job Based on video translation, 1,000 lines per day (about 40-50 minutes)I translated it. The amount of work varies depending on the difficulty of the video, but if you calculate it as an overall average, that's true. I'm currently in charge of reviewing papers, and this one also checks at least 1,000 lines per day.
Q.
What are your strengths and weaknesses as a translator?
First, what are the benefits of translation Diverse fieldsI mean, that's it. significantly Publishing, video, technology, articles, games Divided into the back, etc., and even within it, it's incredibly large Segmentation into various fieldsIt's ready. Thanks to this, I was able to deal with topics I had never imagined, I can work without getting tired. Also, I like that there are two translation options: in-house or freelance. You can choose between the two according to your own preferences and circumstances. I think it's attractive to be able to experience the pros and cons of both fields.
However, it can also be a double-edged sword. As there are many fields, there are times when I am in charge of an outsider's part.. At such times, it takes a long time to get used to it at the beginning. Because if you're a freelancer at this time, you get paid for what you work Burden if it takes a long timeThis is it. Also, health is harmed. My back, neck, and eyes get tired from sitting and working all the time. If your body swells a lot and doesn't move, it's easy to gain weight
I need the ability to take good care of myself.
Q.
Insights from working as a translator? Know-how? Do you have a back?
Building work skills is also important for me, but connectionsI think the most important thing is to build up. As I said before, translating is not a solo job.
If a freelance translator doesn't belong to a company and the request comes in personally, 1) A person who has previously worked for various companies and built up connectionsor this, 2) People with high name values, such as translators Imido, Park Ji-hoon, and Hwang Seok-heeThis is the case. Most other translators work for a company, so they get their work distributed. At this time, the ability to communicate smoothly with the manager who shares the work is important. Translators who quickly accept feedback and continue to communicate in a friendly manner are also likely to renew their contracts. If you think the person on the other side of the screen is me and treat them as the other person you want to be treated, you will be able to continue a good relationship.
Q.
What does it mean to be a good translator?
As for translation (if the reader is Korean), it's more important to be good at Korean than in foreign languages. This is because readers' readability is important. Also, I think it's a good translation if it reads smoothly without being intrusive. When a movie is released, there is a saying that if the translation story doesn't come up, it's a successful translation. Translation is not an outstanding job like this, but it takes a lot of effort. However, it's a very rewarding job as much as it took so much effort. There's no right answer, so it's fun to find the best one. If a translation comes out that both the reader and myself are satisfied with, I think it's a good translation.
***
What impressed me the most during the interview was that the translator treated your work sincerely and really loved it. So after the interview, I felt like my heart fluttered and I wanted to introduce myself to all of you as soon as possible. It's not about doing work as a way to cheer up; it's about continuing to do what you love. That's how Sinabro is becoming an expert in that field without even knowing it. It makes me think that the truth hasn't changed since then. 😁
*This content has been transferred from Gicon Studio to Letterworks.
