| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Would you encourage your children to become translators? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you encourage your children to become translators?".
This poll was originally submitted by Alan Corbo, CT. View the poll results »
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My children are no longer at an age to be encouraged, they are all grown-up! I have three children: a lawyer, an interior architect turned restaurateur and... a translator (working in-house in the field of in vitro diagnostics). When they were young I strongly encouraged them to become whatever they wanted and to be the best they could possibly be. I do hope my grandchildren follow the same steps…
| | | | | Hypothetical | Oct 21, 2021 |
I don't have children, but if I had, I would make sure they are multi-lingual, which would greatly increase that probability.
But who am I to say what they should become.
I don't envision an active encouragement to pursue any specific path. It'd be up to them. Just being there would be enough for me.
Live and let live. Grow and let grow.
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The implicit question is if I see any good prospects for this profession.
Well... See more I don't have children, but if I had, I would make sure they are multi-lingual, which would greatly increase that probability.
But who am I to say what they should become.
I don't envision an active encouragement to pursue any specific path. It'd be up to them. Just being there would be enough for me.
Live and let live. Grow and let grow.
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The implicit question is if I see any good prospects for this profession.
Well, I am sure it will exist in one form or another, which cannot be said for some other trades.
There is no babel fish (cf. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) in sight we could put in the ear and get instant natural understanding and communication capabilities between any given language pairs.
[Edited at 2021-10-21 06:49 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Freitas 
Brazil
Local time: 19:49
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
When I started, it was a great choice, and it became even better up to 2010, more or less. Nowadays, with clients who care a lot more for profit than for quality and accuracy, Google Translator is taking over several areas, and it's imporving too. I will be a translator until I die, and I can guarantee I'll keep great clients until then. I built my portfolio with high standards, and there will always be market for high standards.
But if my kids wanted to follow that path, I wouldn't... See more When I started, it was a great choice, and it became even better up to 2010, more or less. Nowadays, with clients who care a lot more for profit than for quality and accuracy, Google Translator is taking over several areas, and it's imporving too. I will be a translator until I die, and I can guarantee I'll keep great clients until then. I built my portfolio with high standards, and there will always be market for high standards.
But if my kids wanted to follow that path, I wouldn't advise them to do so. Not anymore. I still advise them to be self-employed and never work for companies, though. That's a lesson I've learned for life. ▲ Collapse
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| Another non-parent | Oct 21, 2021 |
I don't have children either, but I agree with Jean about not pushing children in any particular direction.
Jean Dimitriadis wrote:
There is no babel fish (cf. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) in sight to put in the ear and get instant natural understanding and communication capabilities between any given language pairs.
No, but we are within hailing distance of the Star Trek universal translator.
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I don't have children, but if I did, I would not encourage them to become translators because the profession has changed. Rates have gone down, instead of rising with the cost of living, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to be a well-paid full-time professional without other sources of income. That said, I'm always in favor of people learning foreign languages. It broadens the mind!
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 00:49
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
I do not and will never have children, but if I had children, I would tell them exactly what an unappreciative, cut-throat business translation has become, with dropping rates, clients expecting translators to edit machine-produced gibberish for an absolute pittance and generally not caring about quality at all. I have been enjoying my job and profession for years, but I am currently seriously contemplating getting out of it or going "dark side", i.e. seeking a job in some global company's trans... See more I do not and will never have children, but if I had children, I would tell them exactly what an unappreciative, cut-throat business translation has become, with dropping rates, clients expecting translators to edit machine-produced gibberish for an absolute pittance and generally not caring about quality at all. I have been enjoying my job and profession for years, but I am currently seriously contemplating getting out of it or going "dark side", i.e. seeking a job in some global company's translation management.
[Edited at 2021-10-21 06:00 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Abba Storgen (X)
United States
Local time: 17:49
Greek to English
+ ...
| Absolutely not! | Oct 21, 2021 |
That would be the same as encouraging children in the 80s to become typists. The question itself is a bit comical in the year 2021. I do not think you could even propose something like that to any child over 10 years old that won't show you immediately the automatic translator on their phone or computer.
But very good knowledge of at least 1 (if not 2) foreign languages is a must.
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| No, but I would be supportive | Oct 21, 2021 |
I have only one daughter and she has already chosen to be an IT programmer, which she is good at and enjoys. (I wouldn't).
However, she is a 'native speaker' of English, French and Danish (French father, Danish mother, home language English + spent many years in France, Denmark and Ireland), and she knows my business from within, sometimes helping with subtitling, bookkeeping etc. So it would not be difficult for her to jump into freelance translation, if she wanted to.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:49
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Eleftherios Kritikakis wrote:
..... I do not think you could even propose something like that to any child over 10 years old that won't show you immediately the automatic translator on their phone or computer.
So interpreting, rather than translating, is probably going to continue.
If you have children and you want them to learn a language, you need to make sure they're living and going to school in the country where that language is spoken.
[Edited at 2021-10-21 10:58 GMT]
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 18:49
German to English
Although my daughter speaks more than passable German and French from living and studying in Germany and France, it never occurred to her to consider translation or interpretation as a career, nor would I have encouraged to do so. I was uneasy because of the lack of potential job prospects when she decided to study art history when she started university and was somewhat relieved when she switched to social sciences. After completing a graduate degree in public health, she has a secure job which... See more Although my daughter speaks more than passable German and French from living and studying in Germany and France, it never occurred to her to consider translation or interpretation as a career, nor would I have encouraged to do so. I was uneasy because of the lack of potential job prospects when she decided to study art history when she started university and was somewhat relieved when she switched to social sciences. After completing a graduate degree in public health, she has a secure job which pays well enough for her to enjoy vacationing in places where she can use her languages while investing toward a comfortable retirement.
[Edited at 2021-10-21 12:39 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Not dying out | Oct 21, 2021 |
I think the idea that translators are about to go the way of typists is absurd.
A good translator does so much more than convert words into another language like a machine.
Most people can write, but how many are journalists? It’s all about how well you do it.
Both my children do things involving numbers. Odd that calculators can’t do it all for them…
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Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 00:49
Member (2006)
German to English
| Not encourage | Oct 21, 2021 |
Tom in London wrote: Eleftherios Kritikakis wrote:
..... I do not think you could even propose something like that to any child over 10 years old that won't show you immediately the automatic translator on their phone or computer.
So interpreting, rather than translating, is probably going to continue. If you have children and you want them to learn a language, you need to make sure they're living and going to school in the country where that language is spoken. [Edited at 2021-10-21 10:58 GMT]
I would not encourage them to do so, but if they went in that direction then so be it.
My two children are (have been) growng up trilingual and speak all three regularly.
At the moment they have other things in mind what they want to do in the future
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:49
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Unlike translating, interpreting is very well-paid.
| | | | Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 18:49
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Two strings to their bows | Oct 21, 2021 |
Besides having a native-like knowledge of two languages, and a few translation classes under their belt, I'd want my kids to have an in-depth knowledge of a field---could be construction, law, botany etc.--- and actually work in that field, and use its terminology, in their target language country. They could then either become excellent translators in their chosen fields, or, if the translation career fizzled out, they'd still be able to find employment in their area of expertise.
... See more Besides having a native-like knowledge of two languages, and a few translation classes under their belt, I'd want my kids to have an in-depth knowledge of a field---could be construction, law, botany etc.--- and actually work in that field, and use its terminology, in their target language country. They could then either become excellent translators in their chosen fields, or, if the translation career fizzled out, they'd still be able to find employment in their area of expertise.
Much as I hate to admit it, if the kids had a deep interest in programming, I'd encourage them to consider earning big bucks by using their know-how to design CAT tools, or even MT programs. ▲ Collapse
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