| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5] > | Poll: What would you do if you were not a translator ? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Magdalena Wysztygiel (X) 
Local time: 11:35
English to Polish
| patients don't say "thank you"... | Mar 22, 2007 |
Fiona Peterson wrote: Hard work, but gratifying. At least the patients say thank you, which is more than 90% of my clients do 
I am an active anesthesiologist also, my patients do not say "thank you" - they are deeply asleep
but - seriously - if I weren't a translator, I would love to be one! - I love the job indeed )
| | | | | Artist/ Writer/ Poet | Mar 22, 2007 |
Well... I've done quite a few different things in my life and still do.
I've been painting since I was really young, started writing poetry (or singing it rather) before I could actually write. I used to weave stories for all the kids around my block when I was 11-12. I still do all these things. I'm not sure how good I'd be. People like my poems (at least those who have read them). And my friends used to enjoy my stories (I find those stories rather stupid now... may be I've... See more Well... I've done quite a few different things in my life and still do.
I've been painting since I was really young, started writing poetry (or singing it rather) before I could actually write. I used to weave stories for all the kids around my block when I was 11-12. I still do all these things. I'm not sure how good I'd be. People like my poems (at least those who have read them). And my friends used to enjoy my stories (I find those stories rather stupid now... may be I've grown old)...
I love doing it.
But I've never done these things as a profession so I'm not sure how successful I'd be. But yes, I'd enjoy them. And those will be my first preferences.
Maybe, I'd train to be a classical musician or dancer... I love it... but guess I'm too old to learn now.
Another option would be teaching. And I do that from time to time (and love it).
Anyways, I like variety in life... so I'll try all the professions that I've not tried yet... then maybe choose... or change whenever I got bored with one. And guess, translation gives me that opportunity. I learn all the time. I'm always on a new job, a new subject. So there's no reason why I should change? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 12:35
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
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| Retired or unemployed | Mar 22, 2007 |
seems translating was the only thing I was good enough for with 50+.
cheers
Heinrich
| | | | Nina Snoj
Slovenia
Spanish to Slovenian
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| I wouldn't mind being a | Mar 22, 2007 |
...chef or a spy:)
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Eliza-Anna
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:35
Danish to English
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I think this is a difficult question and it depends very much on where you live and your language combination.
The first thing is that I only want to work with languages. I have enjoyed languages all my life and I decided to be a linguist at the age of eleven.
The second thing is that I am English and live in the United Kingdom. It seems to be true that a great number of English people undervalue languages and linguistic skills. When I was at school languages were tr... See more I think this is a difficult question and it depends very much on where you live and your language combination.
The first thing is that I only want to work with languages. I have enjoyed languages all my life and I decided to be a linguist at the age of eleven.
The second thing is that I am English and live in the United Kingdom. It seems to be true that a great number of English people undervalue languages and linguistic skills. When I was at school languages were treated as if they were just part of the curriculum with no more depth other than having to pass your exams. Neither my parents nor my teachers seemed to understand that I had a genuine interest in languages.
After graduating from University my cv arrived in the hands of several potential employers who could not relate to my wish to use my languages. For example, I worked for one travel company that assumed I would be happy to use my numerical skills (only GCSE level - quite a joke really) and my German which is only A level standard, despite that fact that I have a degree in Scandinavian Studies with Danish as main language and French.
Answering this question from the point of view of someone who lives in England, I would say being a translator is the best option, failing that certain civil service jobs are a possibility.
Both in France and in Denmark people seem to have more sympathy with people who want to use their langauge skills. In France, people who I have met aknowledged my interest and my desire to get on. In Denmark, I find things a little easier - people actually seem to know what a translator is! Unlike England where people have some very strange ideas about the profession. So my second answer is that as a translator, Denmark is the best places to live out of the countries that I know (I do stress that I mean the countries I know). Other options in Denmark include travel, sport and a wide variety of civil service jogs.
Another thing is, it depends on your language combination. My favourite languages are Danish and Greek - I just love the cultural contrast! If I were either Danish or Greek, I would consider qualifying as a translator between those two languages - which is, as far as I know, pretty impossible because I believe there are no courses available! So that would put me back to square one, and the only option I would have is to teach if I wanted to use my language skills with a bit of interpreting here and there.
So, there we are. I am not wild about teaching and so living in the UK translation is my best option, though I know there are possibilities elsewhere but at present I need to live in UK. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I see it the other way round | Mar 22, 2007 |
I am a translator (mainly) because I can write but am no writer (and no journalist)
| | | | tradall
Local time: 11:35
English to French
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Hi
I'd be a journalist, probably an on-the-scene reporter or a war correspondent.
I already was a teacher at the University and I hated it.
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racing driver (well, I'm Italian...), or maybe palying the guitar in a band... other things: journalist or chef...
G
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Marta Bevanda
Netherlands
Local time: 11:35
English to Italian
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| Open my own restaurant | Mar 22, 2007 |
and who knows, maybe one day I will..
| | | | Mary Fremd
Local time: 11:35
English to Russian
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I would take people around the cities I've been to and fallen in love with.
| | | | Frances Bryce
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:35
German to English
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| Entertainments of some sort | Mar 22, 2007 |
rousselures wrote:
I'm an actress (stage mostly)
Wow. It's amazing..... so many poeple with so many different parallel 'what if' lives!
Rousselures has to be the closest to me though. I would definately have to follow my partner into the entertainment world. I miss being on stage and behind it and I have been in to theatre lighting and pyrotechnics for many years..... I also love being outside in the fresh air and meeting new people, which doesn't happen all that often with translation.
If the whole of the translation industry dissappeared over night it's nice to know I'd have something to fall back on...... I'm sure no one can say that this doesn't look like a lot of fun: http://www.lightfires.co.uk/Gallery2.htm#Fire
........... and if that didn't work I would have to resort to chocolate-testing for a living!!!
| | | | Beata (X)
Local time: 11:35
English to Polish
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aceavila - Noni wrote:
I´d have to find something which, like translation, would allow me to carry on learning all the time, and to enjoy languages.
Ah yes, or work as a dry-stone waller. Does that make me weird?
[Edited at 2007-03-21 18:24]
Who is a dry-stone waller?)
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I'd be a doctor of medicine: You (have to) go on learning all your life, you have to have a good command at least of English and this profession offers you to combine many aspects that are important to me, such as hands-on work, psychology, technology ...
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I'd be playing guitar or drums in a rock band
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I spent a few years to obtain a MA in law, so probably if I were not going to be a translator I would practise law, especially that I think both professions are to some extent similar, at least require similar skills like for example careful interpretation of written text.
BR
SC
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