Insights from Assuna: Chinese translation to English Project

Chinese translation to English

It’s almost midnight, and I just got off the metro from Shekou to the Grand Theater, now waiting in line for a taxi to Buji. I’m 87th in line, so it’s going to be a 30-minute wait. Today, I had another gig – a large Chinese translation to English project for over 100 people.

Over the years, I’ve been quite lazy, handing off difficult projects to others and just taking a commission for myself, enjoying a relatively easy life. But during slow months, to make ends meet, I have to take on even the toughest projects myself.

The New Year is coming and it is quite costly for me to go home by plane. And I also want to give my parents some money to spend. So I chose to take a very difficult interpretation project about floriculture. There were many terms that are hard to remember.

As an Interpreter, You Need to Take on the Toughest Chinese translation to English Project

In the past, I once studied something about color theory, but this project is still hard for me. I have to download many documents and meet my client early in the morning. But unluckily, when I arrived, the client told me that they had hired a Chinese to Korean interpreter. So, I have wasted all of my time. But I understood my client because the project was truly complex.

Remembering the names of different flowers is very hard. Then, one of my clients asked me to be the interpreter for him. It was a easy task, and I enjoyed a feast in his company. On the 10th, I served as a certified interpreter for a blockchain roadshow.

To make better preparation for Chinese translation to English project, I barely slept that night, seeing all the materials to be perfectly prepared. I printed out many documents, but on my way to the venue, the client sent a completely new PPT to me. So I had to prepare faster and check the script. I modified my Chinese translation to make it more natural. Luckily, I finished the project.

Many people spoke highly of my work. As a result, I made a lot of money. I felt quite happy. But it was really tough during the project. There are so many materials and we have to know everything. Moreover, we have to learn to rise to the occasion. As an interpreter, fluent use and accurate listening of English and Chinese is very important. So I often participate in speaking events, especially impromptu speeches. We must learn to tackle with emergencies.

For example, when we missed some information, we have to come up with some solutions. That’s why we can get a high payment. Not everybody can complete such task. As an interpreter, you need to take on the toughest interpreter project. To practice, I have to listen to English radios to improve myself and do some sports to keep my shape.

Reflections on Learning English from a Professional Interpreter

Chinese translation to English

As a freelance interpreter, having a stable client base and a good reputation is essential. We certified interpreters have to keep learning and improve our practical ability. Obtaining a certificate is not enough for us.

First, we must know more vocabulary. Even the liaison interpretation or exhibition interpretation require us to know about 8,000 words. In other words, we must be equipped with a TEM-4 level of English to do interpretation. Or, we might be troubled with some strange words uttered by our clients.

Then, we must know something about everything. At least we must remember the English names of different countries like Barbados and Ecuador.

Now, let’s talk about English learning. It’s definitely about listening and practicing more. Watch some American dramas, sitcoms, and watch them repeatedly; you’ll pick up a lot of everyday vocabulary. I’d recommend some useful websites. Kekenet.com is a good platform; There are two parts of this platform: CNN and NPR. These two parts are bilingual, and you can learn a lot by listening to them. But you cannot give up.

Everyday, you can just learn two paragraphs and check if you can understand most of the content without watching subtitles. Then you can see the bilingual version for several times and recite the unfamiliar words. In this way, I believe your listening skills will improve rapidly.

NPR, short for National Public Radio, is a comprehensive radio station targeting the American public. In fact, many materials from NPR have been included in our compulsory course Listen to This for English majors in China. You can learn native American pronunciation and expressions, as well as American history and culture through listening to it. As a result, your English listening ability will improve quickly.

NPR was established in 1970, and nearly 10% of the American audience choose to listen to it. Among its audience, there are many intellectuals, politicians, and business people. Even the former US President Clinton claimed to be a loyal listener of it.

NPR English programs cater to various groups: English learners preparing for exams like CET-6, TEM-4, and TEM-8; individuals planning to study, visit, or reunite in the US; students majoring in English or other fields in colleges and universities; participants in TOEFL, IELTS, and other English training courses; journalists, foreign affairs personnel, and employees of foreign enterprises; and self-learners aiming to improve their listening skills.

It is tough to become a professional interpreter. Let’s take me as an example. I have to go different places for Chinese translation to English project every year. I have to learn words of various fields and suffer from great pressure. But I think if you are really interested in interpretation, nothing can stop you.

While if you think you’re not prepared yet, I recommend you to find a stable job. Although I am very busy, I have been keeping reading and listening to English everyday. I am afraid that my English will become poorer if I don’t keep practicing. So, we must stick to it and believe ourselves in learning English.

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