right now i am currently 13 and was thinking about becoming a language interpreter for the UN does that pay good money? I want to know now because i would like to start learning languages immediately. Right now i am fluent in English,Spanish,and Japanese I
want to learn Chinese Sign language,Italian,French, and Polish. How long will learning all these also take??
I Know its a lot of questions but i need to decide and if this doesn’t pay much i would also like to get into architecture
Thanks So Much!!!
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Spanish, English, & Japanese are very common languages that many people speak at the UN. Competition for a job there will be tough. As are the other languages. In hindsight, I wish I had learned Arabic while I was in the service back in the mid 80’s. It’s in so high of demand now. The Air Force has a big language school than any service member can take. Many a time I wish I had done that. So for right now, learning an Arabic language is the way to go. That may change later on.
Good luck with it, but let me tell you a word of warning: live interpretation was rated a couple of years ago as the second most dangerous job in the world (after mining)! It takes so much energy from your brain and mental system, and most probably result in mental deficiencies at the end of the day!
Ok, I think I can help you. When I was in high school, I wanted to be a translator and that’s what I eventually became. In college and university, I took linguistics and studied over a dozen languages. I’m not 35. I’ve been a professional translator for over 8 years.
First off, you must know that an interpreter is also a translator and translation is pretty much a must before you do interpretation. At least, that’s what I’ve witnessed. Places that hire interpreters will want them to do translation also, unless you work as a freelancer. But you’ll want to work with more experienced people before you start out on your own. Otherwise you won’t be able to see the mistakes you make. Trust me on this one — you’ll need to work with experienced people first.
So let’s talk about translation first. It’s nice to see that you speak or want to learn many languages, but it’s unlikely that you will ever reach a good enough level to be a translator in many of them. I work in Canada with really qualified people and good translators only translate into their mother tongue. Usually, they only translate from one language. However, in Europe, I often see ads of people translating to and from 3 or 4 languages. Personally, I have my doubts as to the quality of work they can produce and this is the general opinion of the translators I know. If you work really hard at it, you might become knowledgeable enough to translate from 2 languages into your mother tongue. English is my second language and I don’t translate into it.
When you do translation, you need to have an excellent command of the language. People are paying for your work and it should be flawless.
As for interpretation, it requires further studies (a Master’s degree in most cases) and it is a bit of an extreme sport of sorts. It requires a different set of skills over and above those of a translator. The vast majority of translators I know would never want to be an interpreter or couldn’t be. I used to think I could do it, and perhaps I could with the right training (I’m quick witted, I speak clearly, I’m not afraid of speaking in front of people, etc.), but I appreciate being able to take my time and work at my own pace with no one watching me.
Nevertheless, I do know some people who do interpretation. They all interpret into their mother tongue, and only from one language.
The UN is a special place. This will most definitely not be the first place you work, not by a long shot. Not only will they only hire experienced translator, but they must have more than 2 languages — 3 or 4. However, you might have an advantage if you can work from an exotic pair like say Mandarin and Finnish. Or Russian and Arabic. I’m sure that the UN is proper goal to have. You can wish to become an interpreter, but the UN is just one of many employers out there.
Pay? Oh, it’s pretty good. I suppose a job at the UN is around 100,000 or 120,000. But you get the stress and the responsibility that goes with it. Otherwise, in Canada, translators working for the government top out at around 75 to 85,000. They probably start around 40 or 50,000.
I hear interpreters can freelance and charge 500 for a day, but work can be irregular.
But I will stress one thing: once you’ve become a qualified translator with a good reputation, you won’t be out of work and your work will be valued. You will also have the possibility of working in an office or from home, and many translators get the opportunity to accept work abroad if they want.
In the meantime, continue having fun with languages and maintain an excellent general knowledge about the world. Make you sure you reach an excellent level in at least a second language and you must have excellent writing skills in your own language. In a few years’ time, ask professional freelance translators to work for them for cheap. You will learn lots, they will correct you and you will earn a heck of a lot more that at McD’s.