Job Discussion Forums

The K Dog · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 24 Location: Paris

Dear readers,
Yes, I am considering going back to France next year, but seeking something more this time than private language cram school instructor. This time, I would like to know if it is marketable to be a translator in French. I speak the language fluently (although interpretation is somewhat of a problem sometimes when they speak rapidly); anyway, do you think that a person could make good additional money translating documents in various domains, i.e., medicine, law, architecture, taxation, etc? I would be very grateful if you could help me out here as I would like to expand my range next time I am in France. Thanks.

dyak · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 630

I had a friend who did that for a living, just outside Paris. She translated technical documents amongst English, French and German; I can't remember the exact name of the qualification she had but she called herself a 'tri-lingual secretary'. She'd done a post-bac course with much the same title I think.

cabby · Joined: 12 Sep 2003 Posts: 3

Hi K-dog,
in regards to whether you can make a good additional revenue out of translation, I am pretty sure most require a translation degree. Being half french, half canadian, my sister who is perfectly bilingual has a bachelor in translation and works in translating documents french-english english-french for companies such as Jaguar, amnesty international, etc...in Paris
Therefore, I am not too sure if you can actually get a job as a translator if you do not have the degree.
hope this helps......wish you all the best.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Professional translators also should specialise in a field, say in medicine, or the law, or business.
And, translation does NOT pay that well. It's a tedious, time-consuming and highly repetitive kind of work.

rogan · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 416 Location: at home, in France

And you need to be registered with the Chamber of Commerce.
So you have to pay all the standard fees that any Company would have to pay.

When you move from being employed to beding and employer - then the costs go through the roof.

rogan · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 416 Location: at home, in France

Sorry
' being and employer"
not
"bedding an employer"

If only ????????

rogan · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 416 Location: at home, in France

3rd time lucky
"being an employer"

amkring · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 2

If the competition is fierce in the region you're in, I doubt you'll have much luck finding translation work. However, you may find work if translators are scarce. You may also find work if your fees are extremely low, but you will probably make enemies out of the other translators.

Someone else who posted a reply was right in saying translation is tedious and long work. It's not simply a matter of reading a text in one language and scribbling down the same idea in another. Hours upon hours of research, revising, and editing go into every text. If you don't know the subject, expect the whole process to take even longer. For example, an experienced translator translates approximately two thousand words in an eight-hour workday. A rookie translator is lucky to translate one thousand words in the same time period. If you hire yourself out at reduced rates, you will find yourself working for peanuts because translators are paid per word or project, and not per hour.