Foreword. Preface 1 How to become a translator "Oh, so you're a translator - that's interesting!" A day in the life of a translator Finding a 'guardian angel' Literary or non-literary translator? Translation and interpreting Starting life as a translator Work experience placements as a student Becoming a translator by circumstance Working as a staff translator Considering a job application Working as a freelance What's the difference between a translation company and a translation agency? Working directly with clients Test translations Recruitment competitions 2 Bilingualism- the myths and the truth Target language and source language Target language deprivation Retaining a sharp tongue Localisation Culture shocks Stereotypes 3 The client's viewpoint Who should you get to translate? The service provider and the uninformed buyer How to find a translation services provider Is price any guide to quality? Communication with the translation services provider 4 Running a translation business Starting a business Is translation a financially-rewarding career? Support offered to new businesses Counting words Quotations Working from home Private or business telephone line? Holidays Safety nets Dealing with salesmen Advertising Financial considerations Marketing and developing your services OK, where do you go from here? 5 The translator at work and the tools of the trade Your working environment Arranging your equipment Eye problems Buying equipment What does it all cost? Purchasing your initial equipment Ways of working 6 Sources of reference, data retrieval and file management Dictionaries Standards Research Institutes and Professional/Trade Association Libraries Past translations Compiling glossaries Product literature Data retrieval and file management Database applications 7 Quality control and accountability Source text difficulties Translation quality in relation to purpose, price and urgency Localisation Translations for legal purposes Production capacity Be honest with the client Problems faced by the individual freelance Quality takes time and costs money Pre-emptive measures Quality control operations Deadlines Splitting a translation between several translators Translation reports 8 Presentation and delivery of translations Thou shalt not use the spacebar! Setting up columns Text expansion Macros Desk top publishing Compatibility between different PC packages Electronic publishing Getting the translation to the client 9 What to do if things go wrong Preventive measures Equipment insurance Maintenance Indemnity insurance Clients who are slow payers or who become insolvent Excuses offered for late payment Checklist for getting paid on time Procedure for dealing with client disputes Arbitration 10 Professional organisations for translators F~d~ration Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT) Professional organisations for translators in the United Kingdom The Institute of Translation and Interpreting The Translators Association 11 Glossary of terms 12 Appendix Translation organisations in the United Kingdom Recruitment competitions Suggested further reading References Marking up texts when proof-reading or editing 13 Index