Тема: Рынок переводческих услуг

Fluent? Expanding Translators' Market a Good Bet

Translators must be easygoing and ready to sacrifice their interests for the work.

Ina job market where the discrepancybetween anapplicant'seducation and the requirements of available jobs has grown ever wider — where a ballet

dancer works as a journalist and an aerospace engineer as a chauffeur — finding a well-paid position that suits you can be a real challenge.

One expanding market for people trained in a variety of disciplines is in translating and interpreting, where, according to translation agencies. knowledge of a foreign language can bring in up to $2,000 per month or provide a convenient way to earn some extra money in your spare time.

The majority of trained translators in Moscow have graduated from a special language institute, either independent — like Moscow's Linguistic University — or attached to another university (зд. faculty).

However, most employers and translation agencies say that neither formal qualifications nor previous experience is essential in this field: demonstrable fluency in a foreign language is often the most important skill.

While some employers advertise directly for (look for) full-time translating positions, many translators and interpreters work through agencies, which provide those on their books with regular assignments. Agencies will give candidates an interview — normally with a native speaker — and a written test of their language skills. Translators who are fluentin more than one foreign language usually find it easier to get work.

Translation work is divided into two main categories — interpreting and written translation — and most employers contacted for (опрошенных) this article said that few people work in both fields. The Russian translation agency I.B.S. Translation & Interpreting pointed out, some of the best written translators cannot actually speak the languages from which they translate, although they can render them accurately on the page.

Of the two skills, more people are capable of written translation than interpreting, translation agencies say. While the financial rewards can be greater for interpreting, written translation affords a rare opportunity to make money without leaving home and at your own pace (at your convenience).

As a rule, translators work from aforeign language into their native tongue. If not, in most agencies the translation will be edited by a native speaker.

Agencies also provide their translators with (give) style books that contain standards for various types of documents, from scientific texts to user's manuals.

According to agencies, most translators also specialize in a particular field, like medicine or law (право).

Most agencies contacted said that income (fee) from written translation can vary from $3 to $15 per page depending on the complexity of the original document, the quality of the translation and the amount of editing required after submission.

With interpreting, the most important quality is to be able to speak quickly enough for maximum comprehension, according to translation agencies.

By contrast with the rather solitary pursuit of written translation, "people skills" are an essential part of this job — getting along with people and being able to communicate. This is especially true in business, since an interpreter to some extent assumes the role of his client's representative: a good impression can go a long way toward closing a deal. People who have studied or lived abroad are frequently considered better suited for interpreting work because of their broader life experience and understanding of foreign cultures.

Interpreters are usually paid on an hourly or daily basis. Most translation agencies quoted (приводят) an average rate of $10 per hour.

While the money in translation work is generally good, anyone considering entering the field should keep a few things in mind about the downside (negative side).

It can be difficult working with other people's words all day, not to mention tackling a dry manual on maintaining a new refrigerator or repairing the suspension of a combine harvester.

Nor are you likely to be asked your opinion on the ongoing negotiations between firm A and company B, nomatter how well informed you might be.

A translator has to be "easy to get on with and ready to sacrifice his own interests for the benefit of the work," said Yelena Kolesnikova, translation coordinator for Interfax news agency, which employs about 20 translators — mostly foreigners — to translate its wire service stories.

But if working behind the scenes or playing second fiddle in order to earn some good money is not too high a price for you to pay, translation could be for you.

As a representative of the Alphabet Service Ltd., translation service said, "To be a translator or interpreter, you have to love the job. This is the most important condition of success. No matter how sound (deep) your knowledge of the language might be, you have to like the job or it will not come off."

"The Moscow Times"

Комментарии

discrepancy— зд. несоответствие; formal qualification— зд. диплом, формальное образование;demonstrable fluency— зд. умение показать беглое владение языком; those on their books— в списках; style book— сборник образцов, «подборки»; user's manuals— инструкции; solitary pursuit— уединенный труд; getting along with people= people skills — умение ладить с людьми; go a long way toward closing a deal— способствовать заключениюсделки; tackling— зд. работа над (переводом); suspension of a combine harvester— подвески зерноуборочногокомбайна; employer /ant. employee.

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Тема: Инвестиции (для перевода «под запись»)

America Top Foreign Investor

America once again has taken top notch as foreign investor in the Russian economy for the first quarter this year, the Russian Statistics Committee announced.

With a total investment of more than $3 billion since the collapse of Soviet Union, the United States has long been the largest foreign investor in Russia.

Belgium was ranked second, followed by Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Officials from both the Belgian and the Austrian embassies were surprised that they had been ranked ahead of Germany, which maintains a strong economic presence in the region.

"I think the reason that Austria has been placed ahead of Germany is because many international firms have their headquarters in Vienna. According to flawed Russian accounting methods, investments of those multinational companies are wrongly attributed to Austria," said Peter Reiner from the Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy.

Reiner also said although the Austrians (whose total investment last year was approximately $8 million) have been active in the forestry and hotel industries, investment in Russia is minor in comparison with that in former Warsaw Pact countries.

"Austrian investment in the Czech Republic or Hungary is at least 20 times more than in Russia," said Reiner.

"Part of the reason is, of course, the greater geographical distance between the two countries. But I think that most Austrian companies have a 'wait and see' attitude towards Russia. It is still too early for serious investment."

A similar sentiment was echoed by spokesmen from both the German and Belgian embassies in Moscow.

According to ITAR-TASS, the oil and gas sector, forestry and food products industries are of greatest interest to foreign investors.

As Russia possesses more than 20 per cent of the world's forest areas, and demand for timber and cellulose-based products is increasing in Europe, it is not surprising that much of the foreign investment is concentrated in the forestry sector.

Some Austrian lumber companies like Preting Holz Industries have even set up processing plants in Russia to process the timber before export.

According to analysts, direct American investment in Russia is mainly limited to food and tobacco companies like McDonald's, PepsiCo and Philip Morris.

Unfortunately for Russia's emerging financial infrastructure, there has been little foreign investment in the financial services sector, barring a few exceptions.

"Commercial banks in emerging markets are rarely attractive," said a US investment banker, who wished to remain anonymous. "Most international investment banks are hesitant to enter into joint partnerships with Russian banks because of their limited market experience and increased risks."

Analysts said, though, that the economic crisis might lead to a restructuring of Russia's banking system, which could pave the way for increased foreign investment.

V.Maheshwari ("Moscow Tribune")

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