As translators, we not only have to make sure that we keep our language skills fresh; we also have to keep up-to-date on what’s going on in the fields that we work in. Some of us our generalists, in which case we must keep abreast of developments in a wide range of fields. Others are specialists in finance, law, medicine or marketing, for example. But how do we go about maintaining our subject skills and increasing our knowledge in our chosen area of specialisation? The following tips are based on my own experiences, advice given to me on various training courses and tips that I have picked up from talking to translators over the years.
- Read industry publications
Reading industry journals and newspapers is a great way of keeping up with industry news and familiarising yourself with both industry-specific terminology and the style adopted in such publications. This is particularly effective if you read publications in both your source and target languages. As I specialise in marketing texts, I read the UK publication Marketing and the German equivalent, Werben & Verkaufen.
- Take a course
Taking an evening class, online course or even a fully-fledged professional qualification in your specialist field is another way of deepening your knowledge of the subject. Also try your local chamber of commerce, which may well offer seminars in sales and marketing strategy or training in regulations on financial reporting, for example. Alternatively, you could get hold of some textbooks in your subject area and teach yourself the basics.
- Attend industry-related events
Going to seminars, trade fairs and conferences in your field is an ideal way to learn more about how the industry works and the latest industry developments. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to get to know industry specialists. The contacts that you make at these events might be able to help you with terminology queries in the future and, you never know, they or someone they know could become a client one day.
What do you do to maintain your subject skills? Please share your experiences with us!
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Serena -
I’m a particular fan of the online options right now because they’re easiest for me. It’s a beautiful thing to attend a web conference with an Excel spreadsheet open capturing those phrases or terms that I know I wouldn’t have heard elsewhere. In listening to the conferences, I also pick up on regional variations in pronunciation or usage because the presenters come from a variety of places.
I would also like to take the occasional field trip, though. I have my eyes on a wind farm in New York state that is not too far from where I’ll be vacationing this summer.
Hi Kelly, thanks for your comment. I agree, online options are often very convenient. I also find conferences and seminars a very useful source of terminology. The visit to a wind farm sounds like a great idea - I’d be interested to hear about your experiences if you do decide to pay it a visit! Anyone else been on or planning to go on field trips or site visits to help maintain their subject skills?