Translators in Localization — Finding the Right Fit
How to reinvent yourself as a translator
“A translator is a reader, an interpreter, and a creator all in one,”
Bijay Kumar Das
Translation is Everywhere
Translation may be one of the oldest professions. Depending on the geopolitical climate, it goes through waves of self-doubt and re-examination of its own longevity to affirmation of its rightful place in many aspects of our lives, testifying to its resilience. The landscape changes often, both geographical and technological, leaving many within it plagued by difficulties finding sustainable, fairly compensated work. The new technologies bring in grand opportunities and change to the language industry, yet also cause dizzying uncertainty in the profession of a translator.
As Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World accurately points out, translation permeates virtually everything we encounter and is often taken for granted. Translation plays a crucial role for large players — from Google to Microsoft to Facebook to NASA and the Olympics — as well as our homes and products we use — product user manuals, assembly instructions, software and application interfaces, books, labels on shampoos and medications, etc.
Language is Big Business
- Market size in the U.S. alone is $5bn
- Diverse and technology-driven, the industry carries an increasing impact on both global and regional economies.
Consider these facts:
Even though individual translators may have a hard time sustaining themselves by translation alone, translation industry as a while has been experiencing sustained growth with no signs of slowing down, as shown by these overall global language industry size estimations:
- In 2019, was estimated at $49.6 Billion (USD)
- This year (2021), it is estimated to reach $56 Billion (source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/257656/size-of-the-global-language-services-market/)
- 6.5–7.5% — projected annual growth rate through 2018 3
- €29 Billion — the estimated size of the language technology industry
For those looking to continue on a strict translation path, Tomedes.com notes the following as the translation paths of the future:
You’d think such promising future for the translation industry should help translators rest easy. Not so fast. Translators do need to keep up with the latest developments in the various market segments of interest. Particularly, anyone wanting to stay abreast with how technology affects translation should pay attention to the localization track, which carries numerous options for those already expert or interested in translation.
Localization Paths — Translation Work Venues
Translators have an important role to play in the localization process, and not just as linguists.
“Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture,”
Anthony Burgess
Their cultural, demographic, and geographic expertise can be of high value. While highly trained in their field, they are very versatile. Translators are often also expert at research, document formatting, OCR technology, terminology creation, layout, not to mention the high level of adaptability and being able to learn completely new industries on the fly to understand new subject matter. Often without realizing it, they already have the necessary skills for a variety of roles within the localization and communications industry that may not be on the straight translation path. Because many have worked on their own and had to figure out effective self-promotion, they are no strangers to sales tactics, business development, and strategizing.
Below are some of the venues (some of which may require additional training) for translation professionals within the localization industry:
- Consulting & Strategy (offer cultural expertise for a particular geographical area or market)
- Language Expertise (native or near-native expert translation, regional dialect, local cultural nuances)
- Localization Engineer (multimedia content, advanced technology)
- Editor / Language QA (edit existing translations, provide comments and feedback on language nuances, content tone and register, etc.)
- Quality Control & Testing (accuracy validation, product functionality testing, post-production QA)
- SEO / Social Media Localization (ensuring the right SM venues are addressed)
- Project Management & Customer Service (Translation or Localization PM/coordination, QA coordination, LSP vendor management, etc.)
- Sales (use translation expertise to sell localization services to prospective clients)
Because translators know how to “Think Global, Act Local,” Localization is a great extension of their translation know-how and expertise. Often, localization (adapting content/service/product in one language to feel native to not only another language, but also cultural, technical, political standards) is already part of translator’s job to ensure that everything is being understood correctly. Dates formats, temperature measurements, distances, speed, georgraphical names are adapted in the way that is understood best by the taret audience.
Translators are unique bridges between different worlds on our planet. They help us build the roads to understanding.