Foreword.
Preface
1 How to become a translator
”Oh, so you’’re a translator - that’’s interesting!” A day in the life of a
translator Finding a ’’guardian angel’’ Literary or non-literary
translator? Translation and interpreting Starting life as a translator Work
experience placements as a student Becoming a translator by
circumstance Working as a staff translator Considering a job
application Working as a freelance What’’s the difference between a translation
company and a translation agency? Working directly with clients Test
translations Recruitment competitions
2 Bilingualism- the myths and the truth
Target language and source language Target language deprivation Retaining a
sharp tongue Localisation Culture shocks Stereotypes
3 The client’’s viewpoint
Who should you get to translate? The service provider and the uninformed
buyer How to find a translation services provider Is price any guide to
quality? Communication with the translation services provider
4 Running a translation business
Starting a business Is translation a financially-rewarding career? Support
offered to new businesses Counting words Quotations Working from
home Private or business telephone line? Holidays Safety nets Dealing with
salesmen Advertising Financial considerations Marketing and developing
your services OK, where do you go from here?
5 The translator at work and the tools of the trade
Your working environment Arranging your equipment Eye problems Buying
equipment What does it all cost? Purchasing your initial equipment Ways of
working
6 Sources of reference, data retrieval and file management
Dictionaries Standards Research Institutes and Professional/Trade Association
Libraries Past translations Compiling glossaries Product literature Data
retrieval and file management Database applications
7 Quality control and accountability
Source text difficulties Translation quality in relation to purpose, price and
urgency Localisation Translations for legal purposes Production
capacity Be honest with the client Problems faced by the individual
freelance Quality takes time and costs money Pre-emptive measures Quality
control operations Deadlines Splitting a translation between several
translators Translation reports
8 Presentation and delivery of translations
Thou shalt not use the spacebar! Setting up columns Text
expansion Macros Desk top publishing Compatibility between different PC
packages Electronic publishing Getting the translation to the client
9 What to do if things go wrong
Preventive measures Equipment insurance Maintenance Indemnity
insurance Clients who are slow payers or who become insolvent Excuses
offered for late payment Checklist for getting paid on time Procedure for
dealing with client disputes Arbitration
10 Professional organisations for translators
Federation Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT) Professional organisations for
translators in the United Kingdom The Institute of Translation and
Interpreting The Translators Association
11 Glossary of terms
12 Appendix
Translation organisations in the United Kingdom Recruitment
competitions Suggested further reading References Marking up texts when
proof-reading or editing
13 Index
