What do translators study and where do they work?

Competitions for faculties of foreign languages ​​sometimes amount to 10 or more people per place, many strive to become translators. In 2007, the competition for the translation department of the Russian State Humanitarian University was 11 people per place, at Moscow State University - 10 people, at the Moscow Institute of Foreign Languages ​​and the Moscow Linguistic University - a little less.

Applicants are waiting for interesting and not the most stressful years of study and a good company - a cheerful contingent gathers at the linguistic faculties. But what awaits them after graduation? Most likely, students will even learn a foreign language well, but no matter how fluently a person speaks a foreign language, no matter how long he lives in a language environment, this does not mean at all that he can be translator. Just like not everyone who can write is a writer. It is not enough just to correctly understand information in a foreign language - you need to be able to process it and present it in another language.

"English translator I dreamed of working at school," says Tatyana, a sophomore of the Moscow Linguistic University. "I have not yet decided on my future profession, but I think that knowledge of foreign languages ​​(and most English) will make me in demand on the labor market, "says Alena, a student of the Dubna University near Moscow. Both Tatyana and Alena chose English language because it was taught in school. However, if the girls talked to experienced recruiters, they might be disappointed.

"Demand translators from European languages in Moscow it is falling, and in the provinces it has always been low,” explains Mikhail Levshin, CEO of Brightmen Recruiters recruitment agency. - Rare languages ​​are in demand, and young professionals with knowledge English or French there are many times more jobs on the labor market than there are vacancies." "We have orders for translators, but usually companies are looking for specialists with work experience," adds Olga Chervyakova, the territorial director of the Kelly Services recruitment company.

Difficulties translators

It is clear that different types translation require different abilities and temperament. Interpreter must be able to collect himself: his task is to convey information as fully and immediately as possible. It is unlikely that he has the opportunity to rummage through dictionaries, consult with experts. Qualities required interpreter, - resourcefulness, the ability to overcome gaps in their knowledge with the help of common sense and general erudition. Plus artistry, the ability to transform into a speaker, without which it is difficult to convey all the information to the audience.

If simultaneous interpreters abilities are often affected consecutive interpreters store in memory a five-minute fragment from the speaker’s speech in order to later present this fragment in another language, then the ability simultaneous interpreters speaking at the same time as the presenter obviously intimidates everyone else.

Still considered the highest caste simultaneous interpreters- people who are able to translate on the go. In Moscow, such specialists are paid 100,000 rubles a month or more. Their services are required at international conferences and government events. This is the pinnacle of a career. translator, which units are able to climb.

On the other hand, one should not expect a miracle translator equally qualitatively translate oral negotiations, and then in the same breath perform written translation. It is also not easy to be a master in written translations. But equally good to do translations of literary texts And technical instructions is an almost impossible task. Qualified technical translators most often specialize in one fairly narrow area. Declarations like "Doing technical, legal, economic, medical translations, as well as any other texts" cause distrust among professionals: it is extremely doubtful that such translator can really do a good job.

Good technical translators at best, they can count on a salary of 50 thousand rubles a month. Some demand for these specialists is created by oil and gas companies, but there are only a few such vacancies. Besides technical translators must know the industry vocabulary very well - the transition to work in a company in another industry is very difficult. Even if a non-specialist, due to common sense and a good knowledge of grammar, understands a completely new situation for himself, then, without knowing the necessary terminology, he will not be able to convey his understanding to a specialist reader. And the consequences of this can be the most deplorable. After all, if "hard disk" with translation from English to call instead of "hard" "hard disk", then this will only cause a smile, but if in an algebraic article we translate from English"prime ring" with the words "primary ring" - and not "primary", then this will make the statement of the theorem incorrect, since there is also a "primary ring", but corresponds to English"primary ring".

Legal translators required legal companies and legal departments of large companies. Recently, Kelly Services had a vacancy for such a specialist. The requirements for knowledge of terms are even higher here, lawyers always need one hundred percent accurate translation. Salary - the same 50,000 per month, vacancies rarely appear, and they will hire an experienced worker rather than a graduate.

Most often, graduates have to do written translations- as a rule, these are single orders. Similar work exists in publishing houses and in any companies that have foreign partners. The initial salary of such specialists in Moscow, if there is a permanent place for them in the state, is 15 thousand rubles - not much by the standards of the capital.

Where to transfer?

There are two professions to retrain in which a certified translator has the best chance. The opportunity for girls is to become an assistant to the head of the enterprise if he has to deal with foreigners. An option for young people is to get a job as a sales representative.

Igor, a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Foreign Languages, knowledge languages(English, French, Spanish) allowed to work as a sales representative in Russia of foreign clothing brands. Igor is looking for buyers in our country, concludes contracts and organizes deliveries.

Although in modern business, a university specialty often does not play a big role in employment. There would be a head on his shoulders and energy - a career can be made in almost any field. For example, the Moscow Linguistic Institute was once graduated from the co-owner of the Promsvyazcapital holding, billionaire Alexei Ananyev, and the managing director of Kit-Finance, Leonid Bershidsky. Yes, and the leader of the LDPR party Vladimir Zhirinovsky is a graduate of the Institute of Oriental Languages ​​at Moscow State University.

Translator is a general concept of specialists engaged in the translation of oral or written speech from one language to another.

Translator- the general concept of specialists involved in the translation of oral or written speech from one language to another. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in foreign languages ​​and Russian language and literature (see the choice of profession for interest in school subjects).

There are several explanations for where the different languages ​​came from. For example, the Bible describes the legend about the Tower of Babel. According to this tradition, God confused the languages ​​of the builders of the tower because of their desire to surpass him and excessive pride. People ceased to understand each other and dispersed around the globe without completing the construction of the tower, which was supposed to reach the heavens.

There is an explanation in the difference in the language of people and from a scientific point of view. Even in prehistoric times, people began to speak different languages ​​due to disunity due to the mountains, deserts and oceans located between them. Languages ​​were formed in different tribes in isolation, one tribe communicated little with others. The greater the degree of geographical isolation, the more distinct the language. On the plains, where it is easier to move around, individual languages ​​occupy very large spaces (Russian, for example). But whatever the background, there has long been a need for people who know more than one native language.

Most modern people not only know their own language, but can also speak a foreign language to some extent. Tourism is actively developing, and with it there is a need to communicate with foreigners, to understand at least superficially the language of the country you are going to. Most often, the population learns English, which is increasingly taking the place of the universal language of international communication.

But for professional translation, competent, prompt and clear, people with special education and experience are needed. Such specialists are called translators. In a general sense, translators are divided into oral and written.

An important quality of an interpreter is the ability to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and partnership. The specialist must understand that the success of the ongoing negotiations largely depends on him. It should help to find a common language for people with different cultures, mentalities and who understand business in different ways.

There are two types interpreters- sequential and synchronous.

A consecutive interpreter is indispensable in business negotiations, at events where some of the participants speak one language, and some speak another. In such cases, the speaker makes his speech with small stops so that the interpreter can formulate the phrase in the language of the listeners.

Simultaneous translation- the most difficult type of translation. Such translation is carried out with the help of specialized equipment for simultaneous translation. A simultaneous interpreter must speak a foreign language almost better than his native language. The complexity of the profession lies in the need to quickly understand and translate what is heard, and sometimes speak at the same time as the speaker. The most valued are specialists who are able to build competent and informative sentences that do not allow pauses in their speech.

Translators can be engaged in the translation of technical, legal, fiction, business documents. Currently, more and more specialists use modern technologies (for example, electronic dictionaries). Such special software for translators will help increase their productivity by up to 40%.

Technical translators work with technical texts containing special scientific and technical information. Distinctive features of such a translation are accuracy, impersonality and unemotionality. There are many terms of Greek or Latin origin in the texts. The grammar of technical translations is specific and contains well-established grammatical norms (for example, indefinitely personal and impersonal constructions, passive constructions, impersonal forms of the verb). The types of technical translation include full written translation (the main form of technical translation), abstract translation (the content of the translated text is compressed), abstract translation, translation of headings and oral technical translation (for example, for training employees to work with foreign equipment).

Legal translation aimed at translating specific texts related to the field of law. Such a translation is used to exchange professional information related to the socio-political and cultural characteristics of the country. In this regard, the language of legal translation should be extremely accurate, clear and reliable.

Legal translation can be divided into several types:

• translation of laws, regulations and their drafts;
• translation of agreements (contracts);
• translation of legal opinions and memorandums;
• translation of notarial certificates and apostilles (a special sign that certifies signatures, the authenticity of a stamp or seal);
• translation of constituent documents of legal entities;
• translation of powers of attorney.

Fiction translator- a specialist in the translation of literary texts. He must, in addition to a comprehensive knowledge of a foreign language, be well versed in literature, master the word at a high level, be able to convey the style and style of the author of the translated work. There are many examples when recognized masters of the word (V. Zhukovsky, B. Pasternak, A. Akhmatova, S. Marshak, etc.) were engaged in translations. Their translations are works of art in themselves.

Translator Training

On this course, you can get the profession of a translator remotely in 1-3 months. Diploma of professional retraining of the standard established by the state. Completely distance learning. The largest educational institution of additional prof. education in Russia.

The profession of a translator can be obtained by graduating from an institution of higher professional education at the faculties of a foreign language.

Required professional skills and knowledge

• perfect command of one or more foreign languages;
• competent Russian;
• good knowledge of technical terminology, both in the source language and in the target language (especially important for technical translators);
• deep knowledge of literature and literary editing skills (for translators of fiction);
• knowledge of the characteristics of language groups;
• the desire to improve knowledge of a foreign language every day.

Personal qualities

• linguistic abilities;
• high level of analytical thinking;
• the ability to store a large amount of information;
• accuracy, patience, attentiveness;
• high level of erudition;
• fast reaction;
• the ability to concentrate, to be attentive;
• sociability;
• verbal abilities (the ability to coherently and extremely clearly express one's thoughts, a rich vocabulary, well-delivered speech);
• high efficiency;
• courtesy, tact.

pros

• the possibility of implementation in different areas (written translation, simultaneous interpreter, translation of films, books, magazines, etc.);
• a person who speaks a foreign language can find a very prestigious and highly paid job;
• there is an opportunity to communicate with people of different countries and cultures;
• high probability of business trips and travel.

Minuses

• in different months, the volume of transfers can vary several times, hence the unstable download;
• often translators are paid not upon delivery of the material, but when payment comes from the customer.

Place of work

• press centers, radio and television centers;
• international funds;
• travel companies;
• ministries of foreign affairs, consulates;
• book publishers, mass media;
• translation agency;
• museums and libraries;
• hotel business;
• international firms, companies;
• international associations and associations;
• international funds.

Salary and career

Salary as of 04/04/2019

Russia 25000—80000 ₽

Moscow 25000—90000 ₽

Career growth of a professional translator depends on the place of work. Thus, a translator serving government delegations receives a much higher salary than a full-time translator in a small company engaged in international deliveries. However, the more prestigious and profitable the place, the higher the requirements for the competence of an interpreter. The most valued specialists who know 2-3 foreign languages. In general, a successful career start for a translator can be employment in a large international company engaged in diverse activities.

Translators who speak common languages ​​(for example, English or German) can count on a stable availability of orders. While translators who know more rare and complex languages ​​(for example, Japanese or Chinese) have higher rates for their services.

In modern business, there is a tendency towards constant cooperation with foreign partners. And this means that any company operating in the international arena must have at least one linguist-translator on its staff. This profession is also in demand today because many companies seek to translate their official websites into foreign languages.

A qualified translator will be required for business trips abroad, and for negotiating, and for translating correspondence from foreign colleagues. Knowing that the demand for specialists in this field is quite large, many school graduates who speak foreign languages ​​well want to become a translator. If you are thinking of mastering this profession, then our material will be very useful to you.

Exams for translators

To enter the institute for the specialty of a linguist-translator, graduates need to score as many USE points as possible in the following disciplines:

• Russian;
• foreign language;
• literature or history (optional).

At the same time, the state exam involves the possibility of passing only four languages:

• english,
• french,
• spanish,
• German.

As a rule, when entering a university in the first year of study, the main focus is on in-depth study of your profile language. In some institutions, a second language is introduced into the program from the second or third semester. At the same time, the choice of the second language is carried out by the dean's office of the faculty, and not by the students. Therefore, when looking for a university that suits you, be sure to ask what is the additional foreign language. you have to study.

It is also worth clarifying exactly which subjects you need to pass in order to enter the university of your choice. Some educational institutions conduct additional interviews in a foreign language and involve passing written tests. You can get all the detailed information in the dean's office of the faculty.

It is better to start preparing for the Unified State Examination a year before the date of the exams and admission to the university. First of all, this concerns a foreign language, which requires deep knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. The exam will also test your ability to perceive and understand foreign speech, the ability to speak the language, writing and reading. This is a rather serious exam that requires preparation.

Where to apply for a translator

Now it is very difficult to meet a true master of his craft, who knows a lot about translations. Some translators today cannot find an open position or work as freelancers for a small fee. However, many qualified specialists are engaged in truly prestigious work in large companies, well-known publishing houses or in embassies. Why is this happening? Poor knowledge does not yet mean that a person studied poorly: perhaps he was simply taught by weak teachers.

Not all universities can provide high-quality knowledge, therefore, when choosing a university, you should study its history in detail, look at the statistics of the progress of students of linguistic faculties and pay attention to the teaching staff. If possible, it is worth talking with graduates or undergraduates of the proposed place of study and revealing all the ins and outs of the faculty that attracted you.

There are a number of educational institutions in Moscow that have long established themselves as the most prestigious linguistic universities in the country, where you can enroll as a translator-linguist:

• Moscow State Institute of International Relations;
• Moscow State Linguistic University;
• Moscow Institute of Foreign Languages;
• Lomonosov Moscow State University (Faculty "Higher School of Translation" and Faculty "Foreign Languages ​​and Regional Studies);
• Moscow Institute of Linguistics.

On this page you will find more than 30 institutes of foreign languages ​​and faculties of foreign languages ​​in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia and neighboring countries. This will allow you to choose the language university that is most conveniently located and offers exactly the profile of language education that you need.

As for ratings and preferences, it is still considered that the highest level of language teaching and translation is at the Moscow State Linguistic University (former Maurice Thorez Moscow State Linguistic University - Moskovsky Inyaz). Indeed, the Inyazov traditions and methods remain. But the teaching staff has changed a lot over the past 40 years. Teaching at a university, even in such a seemingly elite one as the Moscow State Linguistic University, has ceased to be prestigious and profitable at all.

Not to mention the fact that the former Inyaz itself has turned in the post-Soviet era from a fairly compact target university into a kind of all-encompassing monster, where they teach everything, not just languages ​​(the status of a "university" obliges). Such omnivorousness and universalism have both their pluses and minuses.

As for the level of education of specific students, it is "as lucky." Much will depend on the composition of teachers (and the turnover is now very high: it doesn’t happen year after year). And we should not forget that when teaching languages ​​and translation, 70-80% depends on the student himself: on his efforts, on how much time and effort he spends on mastering the language.

Foreign language and translation are applied disciplines. No knowledge of theory will save here. You either know the language or you don't. Therefore, the final criterion for the level of language knowledge acquired at the university will be practice. Even the best language knowledge obtained in the best specialized university will disappear in a year or two if they are not consolidated in practice. Yuri Novikov

BELGOROD

Belgorod State National Research University
Faculty of Foreign Languages

EKATERINBURG

Ural State Pedagogical University (USPU)

IZHEVSK

Izhevsk State University

IRKUTSK

ISLU - Irkutsk State Linguistic University
ISLU official website (islu.ru)

KIROV

KIIA - Kirov Institute of Foreign Languages, Kirov (formerly Vyatka) - founded in 1998

KRASNOYARSK

LIPETSK

LGPU - Lipetsk State Pedagogical University
Faculty of Foreign Languages

NSPU - Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University

OMSK

JIFL - Omsk Institute of Foreign Languages

(1989, ifl.ru)
Specialties and areas of study at the Institute of Foreign Languages: translation and translation studies, qualification Linguist, translator. Linguistics, academic degree Bachelor. English, German, Spanish. Full-time day and evening forms of education. Second higher professional education. Additional professional education. Foreign language courses, Russian language center, faculty of additional professional education, school of translation, translator in the field of business communication, school of referent translators.

In the parable of the Tower of Babel, God, wanting to punish people for their pride, forced them to speak in different languages. And this parable is not only about the fact that pride is a bad quality, but also about how important it is to understand each other. The question of mutual understanding has arisen especially acutely in recent times. And here translators come to our aid - people who know foreign languages ​​and work to make peoples understand and respect each other.

In the parable of the Tower of Babel, God, wanting to punish people for their pride, forced them to speak in different languages. And this parable is not only about the fact that pride is a bad quality, but also about how important it is to understand each other. The issue of mutual understanding has arisen especially acutely recently, when we began to feel acutely that people who speak different languages ​​are getting closer and closer to each other every day. And here we come to the rescue translators- people who know foreign languages ​​and work so that peoples begin to understand and respect each other.

Of course, in order to understand the meaning of what was said or written by a foreign colleague or friend, you can use the appropriate dictionary or electronic translator. But with its help it is impossible to capture all the nuances and details of a text or story, which in the end can carry very valuable information. After all, a professional "live" translator conveys not just a literal translation of a set of phrases, but also the specifics of the translated text, taking into account the peculiarities of a foreign language.

It seems to you that there is nothing difficult in translator's work No, and just learning one or two foreign languages ​​is enough? Wrong! In the professional activity of an interpreter there is a huge number of specific features, due to which this profession is available only to a limited number of people who demonstrate curiosity, linguistic abilities and the desire to constantly work on the "purity" of speech. Want to know more about these features? Then read this article carefully.

Who is a translator?

An interpreter is a highly qualified specialist whose main task is to provide a high-quality and maximally complete written or oral translation of speech from one language into another.

The name of the profession is a tracing paper (literal translation) of the Latin translatio - to transfer something, to transfer something. In other words, representatives profession translator conveys the meaning of what is said in a foreign language. In Rus', translators were called interpreters (interpreter is a Slavic word, akin to the word “interpret”, “interpret”). This profession arose at a time when people realized that they speak different languages, but they need to communicate. Most likely, this was the period of the early states, when it became obvious that contacts were impossible without an interpreter.

Today there are three main types of profession: technical translator, translator of fiction and simultaneous interpreter. Note that a technical translator does not deal exclusively with texts of a technical nature. This title rather reflects the essence of the work, rather than the content. Most often, this is an employee of a translation agency dealing with texts of various kinds.

A translator of fiction has a higher qualification. It is not an easy task to convey the style and figurative structure of the author of literary texts, and such translators themselves must have artistic talent. Among such people there are also great translators, for example, Tatyana Shchepkina-Kupernik or Mikhail Lozinsky, who opened Shakespeare and Hugo, Dumas and Schiller for the Russian reader.

Finally, simultaneous interpreter is a person who translates oral speech online. It is generally accepted that only a highly qualified interpreter can become a simultaneous interpreter. Why? Yes, because the simultaneous interpreter must not only know a foreign language perfectly, but also have a good reaction, speak his native language at a very high level, and also have the makings of a diplomat. After all, he has to perform very quickly not only accurate, but also the most diplomatic translation. That is why there are quite a few simultaneous interpreters, and their work is paid very high.

But if we discard the lyrics, and formulate a generalized list of professional duties of an interpreter, then it will look like this: written translation of documents and literature, interpretation (including numbers and simultaneous translation), accompaniment of foreign citizens, unification of terms, improvement of definitions and concepts according to the subject, etc.

What personal qualities should a translator have?

The professional qualities of a translator are determined by his activities. And above all, the translator must have an excellent memory, constantly expanding the stock of foreign words and knowledge of the language. For example, in the rich and beautiful Chinese language there are about 84 thousand hieroglyphs, 30 thousand in common use, and 10 thousand the most necessary ones. It is quite natural that a person who does not have a good memory will simply not be able to remember such a volume of information. Besides, professional translator must possess such personal qualities as:

• Analytical mind;
• patience;
• accuracy;
• responsibility;
• sociability;
• stress resistance;
• attentiveness;
• literate and clear speech (both written and oral);
• neatness and external attractiveness (not required, but welcomed).

The specialization of the translator also imposes certain requirements on the specialist. For example, the translation of fiction is inconceivable without a "sense of the word", an understanding that the word is the same tool for the writer as paint is for the artist or notes for the musician. It is also necessary to have an excellent sense of style, an impeccable command of the Russian language and an understanding of art. In turn, reaction, diplomacy, and the ability to quickly respond to emergency situations are important for a simultaneous interpreter. Knowledge of the basics of psychology is also important for such a translator.

Benefits of being a translator

Translators have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the whole world, with a variety of cultures, with the traditions and customs of states through the language. This possibility infinitely expands the possibilities of a person in cognition can be called one of the main advantages of the translation profession. One of the main ones, but not the only one.

Since the profession of an interpreter is an intellectual one that develops the mind, memory and attention of a person, specialists in this field are almost always distinguished by erudition, which allows them to feel some superiority over other people.

The specifics of the work of the "interpreter" is such that people with disabilities can be translators. Moreover, the latest advances in science and technology allow interpreting (including simultaneous) without leaving home (for example, using the free Skype software).

And most importantly, the work of a translator, as a rule, is highly paid (according to statistics, the average monthly salary of a translator in Russia is about 50-60 thousand rubles). Moreover, a good translator is cherished and cherished, because the success of negotiations, speeches and communication at various levels depends on his efforts and knowledge of the language.

Of course, the level of salary largely depends on the qualifications of the specialist and the language that he speaks. In particular, translators of rare or complex languages ​​(for example, Japanese or Chinese), as well as specialists who studied the language not only according to the university curriculum, but also lived among native speakers (that is, are familiar with the peculiarities of and the nuances of the language firsthand).

Disadvantages of the Translator Profession

Disadvantages of the Translator Profession are associated with a high degree of employment and an irregular work schedule. This is especially true of simultaneous interpreters, whose working day depends entirely on the working hours of the parties who need the services of such a specialist. Simultaneous services may be needed both late at night and on weekends/holidays.

Despite the high level of payment, it is not always possible for a translator to immediately receive the money earned by his honest work. Quite often, the client makes the payment in a few days. It should also be taken into account that on the professional path of translators sometimes there are unscrupulous clients who may not pay at all for the services rendered to them (mostly freelance translators face such situations).

High psychological stress from the awareness of one's own responsibility (after all, multimillion-dollar contracts and good-neighborly relations of states sometimes depend on the quality of translation), as well as the constant need to quickly respond during simultaneous translation can cause enormous fatigue and stress. That is why the professional disease of translators is considered to be "chronic fatigue".

Where can you get a job as a translator?

If you have shown pronounced linguistic abilities since childhood, or have lived in another country for a long time, then you can start working in the profession after completing language courses. However get a job as an interpreter high class with great career prospects is possible only after graduating from a prestigious university. At the same time, it is desirable not only to obtain a diploma from a Russian university, but also to provide for the possibility of postgraduate practice abroad.

To the best linguistic universities of Russia whose graduates are in demand on the modern labor market not only among domestic companies, but also among enterprises with foreign news, can be attributed to:

• Moscow State University M.V. Lomonosov;
• Peoples' Friendship University of Russia;
• Russian State University for the Humanities:
• Moscow State Institute of International Relations;
• Moscow State Linguistic University.