GSTI Translation &Interprettaion students are considered well-trained if they have exposure and experience in the following areas: Business/Finance, Court/Legal, Government/Diplomatic, Literary, Localization/Project Management, Medical/Health and Scientific/Technical. In additon to general knowledge on many subjectas, most translators and interpreters specialize in several areas, making them attractive to employers in those areas.
Translators and interpreters convert the written or spoken words and expressions of one language into those of another. Translators convert written words into written words. Interpreters convert spoken words into spoken words. Sight translators convert written words into spoken words and transcribers convert spoken words into written words. Translators, interpreters, sight translators, and transcribers convert the source language into the target language. Translators and Interpreters must have native, near-native, or high-intermediate fluency in the languages they convert and be very knowledgeable of the subject matter involved. In addition, they should have excellent research and public speaking skills.
Most of the work of the Translator falls into five major categories: economic and financial, legal, literary, medical, and scientific and technical. Economic and financial documents usually come from business and government sources and require direct experience or training in these fields. Legal Translators convert legal documents such as laws, foreign court orders, treaties, and foreign language documents used for evidence in Federal, state, and local courts. They must accurately translate even ambiguous or unclear statements. Literary translation is usually done on a commission basis for publishing houses and requires a flair for re-creating an author’s creative devices. Literary Translators work closely with authors for accuracy. In addition to providing translation for documents in hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices, medical translators might translate medical testimony in courts. Translators specializing in scientific and technical documents, require an excellent knowledge of fields such as aerospace, auto manufacturing, biotech, computers, engineering, marine sciences, mathematics, and patents.
Interpreters usually work either as conference, court, escort, meeting or seminar interpreters. They may interpret consecutively, waiting for the speaker to pause to convert what has been said, or simultaneously, in which case they convert continuously while the speaker is talking. The latter is a more difficult type of interpreting, but it is required of conference interpreters. It requires such an intuitive knowledge of the source language and the subject matter that the interpreter must be able to anticipate what the speaker will say as well as have the ability to listen, convert and talk at the same time. Court Interpreters mostly interpret consecutively except when required by the judge to interpret simultaneously.
The job of sign language Interpreters is very similar to the job of foreign language Interpreters. In sign language interpreting, however, the hands rather than a foreign language are used to communicate. Sign language interpreters convert a speaker’s words into American Sign Language (ASL), using their hands, fingers, and facial expressions. They also repeat the deaf person’s signed response to the speaker.
Translators and interpreters perform the following tasks:
• Convert approximate or exact message of speaker into specified language, orally or by using hand signs for hearing impaired.
• Convert responses from second language to first.
• Read written material, such as legal documents, scientific works, or news reports and rewrite material into specified language, according to established rules of grammar.
• Listen to statements of speaker to ascertain meaning and to remember what is said, using electronic or shorthand system.
• Receive information on subject to be discussed prior to interpreting session.
Important skills, knowledge, and abilities for translators and interpreters include:
• Active Listening-Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking-Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing-Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Service Orientation-Actively looking for ways to help people comprehend language conversions.
• Foreign Language-Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• English Language-Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Communications and Media-Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Oral Comprehension-The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words, ASL signing, and sentences.
• Oral Expression-The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension-The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Speech Recognition-The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Written Expression-The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity-The ability to speak clearly so others can understand.
• Memorization-The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures through mind retention and shorthand note taking.
• Selective Attention-The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• Near Vision-The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Auditory Attention-The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Many Translators and interpreters work on a freelance basis, either directly for their clients or through language service agencies. Some work for counties or states in departments with heavy public contact and services. A few have jobs with the Federal Government. The United Nations, non-government and international organizations and companies with global interests employ translators and interpreters. Translators and Interpreters working for private corporations commonly devote time to other duties such as technical writing and training. Sign language Interpreters work in whatever setting a deaf person needs to communicate. Interpreters sometimes get the opportunity to travel when acting as escorts or guides and at conferences.
The work environment for Translators and Interpreters can be quite varied, most work is done indoors, but interpreting can involve traveling to remote and possibly uncomfortable or dangerous places. Translators spend most of their time in front of a computer with periodic referencing of electronic and paper dictionaries, glossaries and terminology databases. Interpreters initiate an assignment with subject research before going to client meetings for the interpreting session.
Union Membership
A number of those in this occupation are members of the Translators and Interpreters Guild. The Guild is Local 32100 of the Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America.
The following information is from the occupational projections produced by the Employment Development Department (EDD) Labor Market Information Division (LMID):
Estimated number of workers in 2000: 2,000
Estimated number of workers in 2010: 2,500
Projected Growth 2000–2010: 25.0%
Est. openings due to separations by 2010: 400
These figures do not include self-employment of freelance and contract translators and interpreters.
Employment for Translators and Interpreters is limited and likely to remain so, even though the growth rate of this small occupation will be healthy over the next ten years. Over 900 jobs will become available during this forecast period, including those openings due to turnover and job separations.
In California, the majority of translation and interpreting jobs require fluency in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, or Vietnamese.
TrendsMost translators are using computer software in the course of their work. “Machine translation” is not yet a substitute for human translation due to its grammatical inaccuracy and error rate. However, some translators use computer programs as a labor saving device to do a rough draft translation that can be edited later. Computer-aided translation software memory tools allow translators to increase the word volume of daily translations to increase income as most freelance translators are paid by the number of words, sentences or pages.
California Earnings
From the Occupational Employment Statistics Survey of Employers by EDD/LMID:
Translators and Interpreters 2002 Wages
Hourly wages range from $11.43 to $19.92
Average hourly wage $16.86
Average annual wage $35,064
These figures do not include self-employment
Translators who work for the State of California start at $2,850 a month; the top pay is $3,465 monthly. Individuals who are classified as language specialists for the Federal Government begin at the GS-5 level (with BA degree) which starts at $23,442 a year or the GS-9 level (with MA degree) which starts at $35,519 a year and can advance to the GS-10 level which caps at $50,851 a year. For most major metropolitan areas in the United States, the Federal Government gives a “Locality Pay” increase of between $2,000 and $9,000 a year to cover the cost of living differences.
Salaries vary widely in the private sector by industry and language. Highly skilled conference interpreters can make $500-$900 plus expenses. Guide, or escort Interpreters, for example, may earn $50 to $140 per half day and from $75 to $210 per full day depending on the required time, complexity and technical nature of the interpreting.
The California court system employs interpreters on a regular basis. The Los Angeles Superior Court, for example, pays certified or registered Interpreters $147 per half day and $265 for a full day’s work, while non-certified or non-registered Interpreters are paid $92 per half day and $175 for a full day. Interpreters hired through agencies and handling depositions make approximately $125 to $300 per half day and from $200 to $400 for a full day.
Sign language interpreters who work through an agency earn between $35.00 and $60.00 an hour. Freelance sign language Interpreters can anywhere from $40 to $80 per hour.
Salaries of freelance or contract translators are determined by the number of words, lines, or pages they need to translate. The U.S. State Department, for example, pays an average of 11 to 23 cents per word depending on the language being translated.
Sometimes earnings are lower in the private sector. However, the United Nations and other international agencies pay higher rates than the U.S. Government.
Hours
Although some civil service translators and interpreters work a regular 40-hour week, free-lancers can't expect to work full time. Translators, interpreters and sign language interpreters often have to work long and unusual hours. The demand for their service may be sporadic.
Benefits
There is a wide variation in the benefits available to translators and interpreters as well as a wide variability in their value, but those working in-house for government agencies and corporations are eligible for good benefit packages which include paid sick and vacation leave, medical insurance, and retirement benefits.
Education and TrainingTranslators and interpreters need to be skilled in one or more languages other than their own, plus they should have a thorough knowledge of the culture and customs of the countries where these languages are spoken. California court interpreters must be certified. Cooperative Personnel Services in Sacramento is the only agency in California that administers testing programs for court interpreters. A college degree is generally not required for freelance work, but it provides the facility of expression and broad knowledge necessary for this work. Travel abroad is highly recommended for becoming familiar with the cultural environment of other languages. A Bachelor of Arts in the main language, passing a test and being skilled in three of the six official United Nations languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) and some experience are the minimum requirements needed to work for the United Nations.
Few schools in the United States provide degree programs in translating and interpreting. The Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, offers the only Master’s degree programs in both Asian and European languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish) combining translation and interpretation in the American Hemisphere. Three MA’s are offered in translation, translation & interpretation and conference interpretation with one-year (30 semester units) or two-year (60 semester units) programs. Admission requirements include a BA degree, passing a set of language tests, 3.0/4.0 undergraduate GPA, 600 written TOEFL (non-native English speakers), and at least 6 months in a foreign country.
Many community and four year colleges offer certificate programs and/or AA degrees in American Sign Language Interpretation.
www.cpec.ca.gov/CollegeGuide/CollegeGuide.asp
Licensing and Certification
Strictly speaking, no certification or licensing is required of translators and interpreters not involved in legal work. However, licenses and certificates and other educational accomplishments increase the salability of one’s services.
State certification for court Interpreter, administrative hearing Interpreter, and medical Interpreter is issued to those who pass the tests and pay of fees to Cooperative Personal Services in Sacramento. The Court Interpreter exam is given once a month in Los Angeles and tests ability in consecutive interpretation, sight translation, and simultaneous interpretation. The test costs range from $250 to $300.
An $85 annual fee, 30 hours of continuing education and 40 law-related interpreter assignments are required every two years.
The University of California Los Angeles Extension offers a certificate program in interpretation and translation, Spanish/English, English/Spanish, Chinese/English, English/Chinese, Korean/English and English/Korean. The program prepares students for the exams required by the courts and administrative agencies at the county, state and federal levels. There are seven required courses, offered in Tuesday/Thursday or Saturday sessions. The one-year program costs approximately $2,700 and begins in September with an application deadline of July 31. Students are required to be bilingual and a Bachelor of Arts degree is preferred, though not mandatory.
California State University, Los Angeles Division of Extended Education offers a certificate program in legal translation and interpretation. The program provides training for county, state, and federal examinations required for employment as certified interpreters and translators. Admission requirements for the program include completion of 54 quarter/36 semester units of post-secondary education, and passing a bilingual placement test (reading and listening comprehension, writing, diction, verbal fluency, dictation) at a cost of $20. The certificate program consists of seven courses in legal translation and interpretation and three optional courses for students whose multilingual skills need improvement. The courses vary from $375 to $500, not including materials and textbooks.
The Northern California Translators Association (NCTA – www.ncta.org) and Southern California Area Translators and Interpreters Association (SCATIA – www.scatia.org), which are the Northern and Southern California chapters of the American Translators Association (ATA – www.atanet.org); provide translation, interpretation, and other language-related services. NCTA and SCATIA (first and second largest ATA chapters) sponsor the ATA accreditation exams held in July for the Southern California area (SCATIA) and October for the Northern California area (NCTA). Individual membership fees cost $40 per year for SCATIA and $50 per year for NCTA.
The Recruiting Department of Bowne Global Solutions Interpretation Services in the Washington, DC area gives an oral exam for registration as interpreters. Bowne Global Solutions in New York City gives a written test to technical translators. Interpreters are divided into three types: consecutive, technical consecutive, and conference/simultaneous.
Although sign language Interpreters don’t need to be certified to obtain a job, employers often show preference to certified applicants.
Continuing EducationContinuation of education, while not required for a translator, is available at many colleges and translation associations and is recommended for on-going success in the business. In 2003 the ATA unveiled a new requirement for continued education to retain ATA accreditation by current members.
Direct application to employers remains one of the most effective job search methods. Most translators and interpreters are employed by translation and interpretion language service agencies. Those seeking work in state, federal, or local government, or within the court systems should look in the Government Pages of the white pages of the phone book.
Search these yellow page headings for listings of private firms: Translators & Interpreters
Internet Resources:Monterey Institute’s Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation Career Portal: http://faculty.miis.edu/gsticareers
Freelance Translators and Interpreters and Employers Marketplace Web Sites: www.proz.com and www.aquarius.net
Full-time Jobs Web Sites: www.bilingualsearch.com and www.bilingualjobs.com
America’s Job Bank: www.ajb.dni.us
CalJOBSSM: www.caljobs.ca.gov
Major Employers by County: www.calmis.ca.gov/htmlfile/subject/MajorER.htm
Local Job Service Offices: www.edd.ca.gov/jsrep/jsloc.htm
One-Stop Career Centers List: www.edd.ca.gov/ONE-STOP/pic.htm
Job Search and Resume Writing: www.worksmart.ca.gov/success_tips_men.html
Speed of advancement for translators and interpreters is determined by their skill. Advancement may consist of more difficult assignments and higher pay. Translators may advance to translation editor positions or reviewers who check the work of other translators. Some go on to own translation agencies. Interpreters and sign language interpreters may become chief interpreters, staff directors, or managers.
American Translators Association (ATA)
1800 Diagonal Rd, Suite 220
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-6100
Fax (703) 683-6122
www.atanet.org
Northern California Translators Association (NCTA)
P.O. Box 14015
Berkeley, CA 94712-5015
(510) 845-8712
Fax: (510) 883-1355
Email for general inquiries: ncta@ncta.org.
Southern California Area Translators
and Interpreters Association (SCATIA)
P.O. Box 34310
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(818) 725-3899
Fax (818) 340-9177
www.scatia.org
Cooperative Personnel Services
241 Lathrop Way, Suite A
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-3600
Office of the United Nations Resources Management
1 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
(212) 963–1234, Extension 2145
Monterey Institute of International Studies
460 Pierce Street
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 647-3531
FAX (831) 647-3560
http://www.miis.edu/
UCLA Extension
10995 Le Conte Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024-2883
(310) 825-9082/ (310) 825-1898
www.ucla.edu
California State University, Los Angeles
Division of Extended Education
Library South 804
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 343-4900
Fax (323) 343-4954
www.calstatela.edu
California Court Interpreters Association
345 So. Highway 101, Suite F2
Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 635-0273
Fax (760) 635-0276
www.ccia.org
The California HealthCare Interpreters Association (CHIA)
One Capitol Mall, Suite 320
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-669-5305
www.chia.ws/
American Literary Translators Association
The University of Texas at Dallas
Box 830688 Mail Station MC35
Richardson TX 75083-0688
(972) 883-2093
Fax: (972) 883-6303
www.utdallas.edu/research/cts/alta/htm
Bowne Global Solutions Interpretation Services
Recruiting Department
1730 Rhode Island, N.W., Suite 308
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 331-1887
Toll Free for Interpreters:
(888) 241-9149
Fax: (202) 496-0868
interpretations@bowneglobal.com
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc.
333 Commerce Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 838-0030 V
(703) 838-0459 TTY
(703) 838-0454 Fax
CA Division of Apprenticeship Standards
For the closest district office, visit
www.dir.ca.gov/apprenticeship.html
or call Apprenticeship Standards Information
listed in your telephone directory business white pages.
America’s Career InfoNet
www.acinet.org
Occupational Information Network (O*Net) Online
http://online.onetcenter.org
Employment Projections by Occupation
www.calmis.ca.gov/htmlfile/subject/occproj.html
Technical Writers No. 138
Librarians No. 154
SOC (Standard Occupational Classification)
Interpreters and Translators 27-3091
O*NET (Occupational Information Network)
Interpreters and Translators 27-3091.00
OES (Occupational Employment Statistics)
Other Professionals, Paraprofessional,
Technical NEC 399990
