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Becoming an interpreter - worthwhile? | ||
Tags: Interpreting | Career | ||
 Language Learning Forum : Languages & Work |  | |
| Iwwersetzerin Bilingual Heptaglot Senior Member Luxembourg Joined 5668 days ago 259 posts - 513 votes  Speaks: French*, Luxembourgish*, GermanC2, EnglishC2, SpanishC2, DutchC1, ItalianC1 Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin | Message 9 of 16 11 December 2011 at 6:15pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
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I attended the University of Geneva right after finishing high-school (equivalent to Abitur in Germany), I did a 4-year degree in translation and a 1-year specialization in terminology. With the Bologna reform, the system has changed a bit, the University now offers a 3-year BA in multilingual communication and several Masters in translation and interpreting.
There are a few translation programs at BA level (Geneva is one example, Germersheim is another), but there are generally many more Masters than Bachelors. I don't know of any BA in interpreting, for example, and it wouldn't make much sense to offer interpreting at that level. Interpreters usually either take a first degree in translation (some programs combine translation and interpreting), foreign languages or a combined degree like languages and business and then go on to an MA in interpreting. So, if you want to become an interpreter (as opposed to translator), you would take a BA in a related field and then specialize in interpreting with a Master program. It definitely makes sense to combine the study of languages with another field, such as business or law, as the languages alone are not enough, you also have to know that you are translating or interpreting about. (I have a law degree in addition to my degree in translation.) There are definitely not enough GOOD interpreters on the market. The EU is desperately trying to recruit top-notch interpreters and they actually have a shortage of highly qualified conference interpreters. That's one of the reasons the European Masters in Conference Interpreting was created. See for example this article 4 persons have voted this message useful | |||||||||
| dinguino Nonaglot Groupie GermanyRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4753 days ago 55 posts - 96 votes Speaks: English, German*, FrenchC1, Catalan, Latin, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese Studies: Norwegian, Turkish, Russian, Irish | Message 10 of 16 11 December 2011 at 6:43pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
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Alright, so if I study English + business in France, I don't have to care whether the studies are designed for German native speakers..? I can choose the university I want to and take a 3-year BA. And subsequently I will take a MA in interpreting, which has to be for German native speakers. Is that right?
What if I study e.g. Italian and business, but I acquire C2 in French due to staying in France for 3 years. And apart from that, I can speak English fluently - what will I do in the MA, which language do I choose? If the MA in interpreting requires English and French (which is what I read for some universities), I therefore should study English or French and leave any other language alone..? What do you do in the MA of interpreting? Do you still learn the languages or is it a precondition to know them perfectly when entering the MA? I just don't get the system, there are so many questions I can't even write them down :( 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Iwwersetzerin Bilingual Heptaglot Senior Member Luxembourg Joined 5668 days ago 259 posts - 513 votes Speaks: French*, Luxembourgish*, GermanC2, EnglishC2, SpanishC2, DutchC1, ItalianC1 Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin | Message 11 of 16 11 December 2011 at 7:00pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
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If you want to do an MA in interpreting, it's important that you choose a program designed for German native speakers, you need to be trained to interpret into German. That's what matters. For a BA, focusing on improving your foreign languages is a good idea in my opinion. You already need to have a high level (C1 or C2) in your foreign languages in order to be admitted to an MA in interpreting. They won't teach you the languages there, but focus on teaching interpreting techniques.
As for the languages, choose those that you are most comfortable in. English should definitely be included and I would say that in combination with German, there is higher demand for French than for Italian. You could also do 3 foreign languages if you are comfortable enough with all 3 of them or start out with two and add a third language later on, when you have acquired some experience already and feel confident enough to take on another language. 3 persons have voted this message useful | |||||||||
| dinguino Nonaglot Groupie GermanyRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4753 days ago 55 posts - 96 votes Speaks: English, German*, FrenchC1, Catalan, Latin, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese Studies: Norwegian, Turkish, Russian, Irish | Message 12 of 16 11 December 2011 at 8:15pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
Yes, there is no doubt that there is a higher demand for French, but I assumed that - as I would live in France for at least 3 years (time of BA) - it could be a nice idea to study another language than French because I would get fluently in it just by living in France. (Apart from that, I probably pass C2 in May since I already made some huge progress right now and have had a discussion on my level of French with a teacher!) So maybe I could just benefit from this and learn a supplementary language.
I would love to study 3 languages and even consider myself motivated enough to do so. But then again, how can I study 3 languages and do business/law additionally? I thought I could study 2 subjects which means one language and business/law/... Is there a possibility to study 2 languages and business, for example (or even 3?)? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| yaboycon Groupie United Kingdom Joined 4734 days ago 40 posts - 50 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Russian | Message 13 of 16 18 December 2011 at 12:28am | IP Logged | ||||||||
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I don't have any expert advice and know next to nothing about the subject however if some kind of super translating tool was developed (even though I doubt that this will be any time soon), then surely as an interpreter you could turn to teaching relatively easily?
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| Kris17 Newbie United States Joined 4583 days ago 1 posts - 1 votes | Message 14 of 16 30 May 2012 at 1:04am | IP Logged | ||||||||
I would get fluent in it just by living in France I would love to think that would be possible, but no. Becoming fluent requires actual participation. If one does not immerse themselves in the culture of the language and actively participate, they not become fluent. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| dinguino Nonaglot Groupie GermanyRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4753 days ago 55 posts - 96 votes Speaks: English, German*, FrenchC1, Catalan, Latin, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese Studies: Norwegian, Turkish, Russian, Irish | Message 15 of 16 30 May 2012 at 2:01am | IP Logged | ||||||||
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Hey there!
It's been a long time since I have written something here... just to tell you the news: I actually found a program of study in France which is called "LEA - langues étrangères appliquées" (=foreign applied languages). It's a Bachelor of three years with English and Spanish in addition to some economy, law, tourism etc. And later on there is the possibility to choose a third language what I certainly want to do! This just seems to be perfect... Afterwards we'll see what I am going to do - interpreting school, a master in France or something totally different.
Well, it's been nine months in France right now and I can say that I speak French fluently. I speak it every day, I watch films on French, I think in French etc. I know that you won't learn a language just by living in the country where it is spoken, but if you are motivated, attentive and just observing the people you talk to you will learn a lot! It's like you said - you have to participate, and when you work in France with Frenchmen, you just cannot not learn the language! :) Edited by dinguino on 30 May 2012 at 3:20pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Ogrim Heptaglot Senior Member France Joined 4638 days ago 991 posts - 1896 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, French, Romansh, German, Italian Studies: Russian, Catalan, Latin, Greek, Romanian | Message 16 of 16 30 May 2012 at 9:49am | IP Logged | ||||||||
I am not an interpreter, but I work for an international organisation and I can tell you that good interpreters are in very high demand, at least for the major European languages (English/French/German/Italian/Spanish). The different organisations in Europe are competing hard to attract the best interpreters. What matters is your level, if you can deliver a convincing performance in the interpreter booth, you'll get work. Besides, interpreters also retire at some point, meaning that younger people are needed to replace them:) 1 person has voted this message useful |
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