Interviews with a Translator and an Interpreter

Do you have a passion for foreign languages? Have you ever thought about becoming a translator or interpreter? Careers in language accessibility are increasingly important with expanding global markets. I interviewed two professionals from these fields to help you get a better idea of what these careers entail as well as some advice for those looking to join. Learn more about translation and interpretation from Bénédicte and Bayda.

Bénédicte, translator:

Alexa: Where are you from and what is your native language?

Bénédicte: I was born and grew up in a small village in Alsace, in France, therefore my native language is French.

Alexa: Which languages do you translate?

Bénédicte: Currently, I translate from English and Italian into French.

A: How long have you been studying these languages?

B: I’ve studied English for a little over ten years, while I’ve only studied Italian for five years.

A: Where did you start to learn them?

B: For English, I started learning when I got to middle school, in 6th grade, whereas I started to learn Italian much later, when I started college.

A: What is your educational background?

B: I first obtained my high school diploma in sciences (baccalauréat scientifique) before really starting to lean towards languages. Once I had my diploma, I started my bachelor’s degree in Applied Modern Languages at the University of Strasbourg. I spent my third year abroad through the Erasmus Exchange Program (European study abroad program) at the University of Nottingham Trent in England. Then, I turned towards translation. I decided to apply for the Master of Professional Translation at the Institute of Translators, Interpreters, and International Relations (ITIRI) in Strasbourg. Through this program, I was able to spend a year at the Altiero Spinnelli Civic School of Interpretation and Translation (Civica Scuola Interpreti e Traduttori Altiero Spinelli) in Milan.

A: What made you decide to go into translation?

B: I chose translation because I love practicing languages and I am committed to making content more accessible to a larger number of people.

A: Do you work as a freelancer or with an agency?

B: Upon finishing my master’s degree, I decided to be a freelance translator.

A: Why did you make this choice?

B: To me, this was the obvious choice after completing my internship alongside Cindy Mittelette-Longuet, the founder of Passionatrad, who herself works as an independent translator. In general, I like the liberties that this working style offers: I like to be able to work at my own pace and at hours that I am most productive – I like to be able to choose the projects I work on, and I like to be able to make decisions that concern myself. I was also drawn to this career’s diversity; no two days are alike. In fact, as an independent translator, my schedule isn’t only filled with translation, but also with prospecting, accounting, and networking, among other things.

A: In your opinion, what are the most important qualities in a translator?

B: To name only three, I think that a translator needs to be curious, rigorous, and organized. In my opinion, curiosity and rigor are vital to translators so that they are able to create quality translations. Lastly, organization is a key element that that allows you to not become overwhelmed, to meet deadlines, and to be able to plan ahead.

A: Is there anything in your career that you dislike?

B: The most complicated aspect for me is always working in front of screens.

A: Do you have any advice for students who would like to become translators?

B: Believe in yourself and put yourself out there. Be an avid reader, do career research and don’t hesitate to ask questions. All of the translators that I have met and have had the pleasure of speaking with have always seemed open and gladly responded to my questions.

Bayda, Interpreter:

Alexa: Where are you from and what is your native language?

Bayda: I am from Syria and my native languages are Arabic and French.

Alexa: Which languages do you interpret?

Bayda: I interpret French, Arabic, and Spanish.

A: How long have you been studying these languages?

B: French and Arabic since I was born and Spanish since 1990.

A: Where did you start to learn them?

B: At home and at school.

A: What is your educational background?

B: I have a Bachelor’s in French Literature and a diploma to teach French as a Second Language. I also have a Master’s in Education – Curriculum and Instruction.

A: What made you decide to go into interpretation?

B: A love for languages and the ease of switching between languages from a very young age.

A: Do you work as a freelancer or with an agency?

B: I’m a freelancer.

A: Why did you make this choice?

B: No specific reason. I am also open to working with an agency.

A: In your opinion, what are the most important qualities in an interpreter?

B: An interpreter should be knowledgeable in a wide array of domains and should always work on expanding his/her vocabulary. An interpreter should always be careful to interpret onlywhat is being related without adding to or subtracting from what is being said by the client. One more thing, an interpreter should use “I” when interpreting for an individual.

A: What do you like most about being an interpreter?

B: Work flexibility and meeting many people from different backgrounds and different parts of the world.

A: Is there anything in your career that you dislike?

B: No.

A: Do you have any advice for students who would like to become interpreters?

B: You have to love what you do.

Hopefully these two have given you some insight into both translation and interpretation!

Reading in a Foreign Language: The Ultimate Language Learning Tool?

You’ve probably heard this before if you’ve ever taken a foreign language class. And it’s true, reading truly is one of the best tools out there to really master a foreign language, and here’s why:

You can analyze the grammatical structures and nuances.

When you read in a foreign language, you can analyze how a native speaker employs certain grammatical structures. This, combined with the visual memory reinforcement that reading provides can help you to improve both your speaking and writing in your target language.

You are exposed to a large amount of vocabulary.

Reading is also an exceptional tool when it comes to learning new words. Not only are you able to learn these words, but by reading them in a book or in an article, you are able to see how they are used in context without relying on a translation. This will eventually allow you to express yourself more freely in the language you are learning.

What should I be reading to improve my language skills?

Anything, really. However, there are some types of reading material that are better than others. To start, if you have not been learning your target language for very long, it may be better to read children’s books, as they usually have simplified vocabulary that will be easier for you to understand in the beginning.

As you progress, reading books that you have already read in your native language are another great way that you can use to improve your language skills. It is a fantastic for picking up new words based on context clues and analyzing grammatical structure.

Finally, another useful tip is to follow along with an audiobook. Not only are you getting the benefits that reading in a foreign language provides, but you are also able to hear how a native speaker would pronounce these new words that you are learning. Moreover, you are able to work on your reading and listening comprehension skills simultaneously.

If you really want to improve your reading comprehension as well as your writing skills in another language, try to find material to read in your target language and just see how much you’ll improve!

Common Mistakes French Speakers Make While Learning English

Learning a new language is difficult, the grammar and syntax are different and there are sounds that may not exist in your native language. It’s a struggle for anyone, no matter which language you have decided to learn. However, one way you can improve your communication skills in a foreign language is by identifying common mistakes in that language made by people who speak your native language.

For example, French, like many Romance languages, has a specific sentence structure and grammatical rules that don’t necessarily apply to English. For someone who is just starting to learn, these differences can be challenging to grasp in the beginning. Let’s look at some of the common mistakes that French speakers make while learning English.

Sentence Structure

In French, adjectives come after the noun, which can surely be an adjustment when speaking English. It’s not easy to change the order of the words in your sentence when you’ve been saying it differently throughout your life!

Look at this phrase, “la voiture rouge” means “the red car,” but the word “voiture” means car, and “rouge” is red. As you can see, you must change the word order. Even though an English speaker would understand someone who said, “the car red,” it would certainly sound weird to their ears!

Infinitives After Modal Verbs

As English speakers, we may not notice that we are doing this, but the infinitives after modal verbs should not include the word “to.” In French, infinitives are only one word, not two, so there is no need to change the infinitive when it comes after a modal verb. Therefore, French speakers oftentimes forget to eliminate the word “to” in their sentences.

An example would be: “I must finish my homework tonight.” A French speaker may say, “I must to finish my homework tonight.” This is because in French it would be written as, “Je dois finir mes devoirs ce soir.” As you can see, the word dois, or must, is followed directly by finir, or to finish. The verb finir is already in its infinitive form, there are no changes to be made. This can be a complicated concept for French speakers to understand at first.

Pronunciation Mistakes

French is a very specific language because there are many sounds that are either pronounced differently or that don’t exist in English or French at all.

The most common one, as most people know, is TH. This is a sound that does not exist in French, so many French speakers struggle to make the sound. It often ends up being pronounced more like a Z or S sound, turning “this” into “zis,” or “think” into “sink.”

Another pronunciation error is the omission of the letter H. In French, Hs are silent, so it is very common for a French speaker to forget that the letter H must be aspirated in English. Instead of saying, “I am happy,” you may hear them say, “I am appy.”

How to Improve

The first step to mastering a foreign language is learning about the common mistakes are and how to fix them. Once you learn which grammatical notions you struggle with, you can find exercises to correct them, or read books in the language you are studying. Reading is one of the best tools when learning a foreign language. As for pronunciation, find native speakers that you can chat with not only to listen to how certain sounds are pronounced, but also to practice them yourself! If you don’t have the opportunity to speak with someone, then you can use videos or recordings to listen to native pronunciation. Don’t be discouraged when you make a mistake. Instead, use it to your advantage and learn from it!

English and French Conversation Lessons

Are you interested in improving your English or French conversation skills? Do you want to learn to interact more naturally with native speakers?

We are hosting two new conversation courses for both English and French to help you reach your language speaking goals!

The English language conversation course will be taught by Lauren on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30am EST, starting Monday, May 2nd. This course is aimed at intermediate to advanced (B1-C2) English speakers. Topics covered may include:

• American food and culture

• American traditions and holiday customs

• Hobbies

• American Schools

• American news media

• Making small talk

• Politely sharing opinions

• Idioms and sayings

To sign up for English conversation classes, click on the following link! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/english-conversation-for-intermediate-and-advanced-students-b1-c2-tickets-324251844997

*The English conversation class is $10

The French conversation course will be held by Alexa on Friday, April 29th from 3:00-4:00pm EST. This class is aimed towards intermediate speakers (B1-B2). We will cover topics such as:

• French culture and traditions

• Common French phrases

• Discussing how we are feeling

• Politely sharing opinions

• Descriptive vocabulary

To sign up for the French conversation course, click on this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-introduction-to-french-conversation-b1b2-tickets-324118325637

*The French conversation class is FREE