26 January 202125 August 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

‘Useful Links & Resources for Translators & Interpreters’ Update – January 2021

Hi everyone! If you’ve never heard of my Useful Links & Resources for Translators & Interpreters pages before, please read the previous update (April 2020) as it explains how I divided all the links into five major sections with their own categories.

I update these pages on a regular basis when I either come across links to add or delete those that no longer work after running the broken link checker. This post doesn’t include everything new since last time, just a few of the highlights.

You can read about some of my favourite useful links here.

2 January 20217 July 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Do translations only have to be good enough?

Attending online events I’d never manage to go to in person is one of the few advantages of the COVID-19 pandemic. So along with a handful of Group Translation Chats (GTC) members, I signed up for the CopyCon 2020 conference held by ProCopywriters.

Long before we got to the talk on perfectionism, some speakers floated the idea that copy doesn’t have to be perfect. Sandra Wu from Blinkist told us that perfectionists were wasting their time because people skim content and only read around 30% of what you write. Copy doesn’t need to be beautiful and engaging to convert and so rewriting text to make the language better doesn’t pay off.

8 December 20207 July 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

What should and what shouldn’t we change when revising a colleague’s translation?

This is the title I chose for the November hosted session of the Group Translation Chats (GTC). Besides two coffee-break chats per week, which are drop-in meetings anyone in the group can attend, we hold one moderated chat on a particular translation-related topic every month.

I’ve always been interested in editing and revisions. Not only do they account for a large chunk of my workload, I’m also now a member of a RevClub and an Edit Club, meeting with my colleagues on alternate weeks to discuss texts we’ve translated with the aim of improving them and learning from each other.

29 November 202019 May 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Review of MA in Translation at the University of Manchester

Let’s be honest, after completing a four-year undergraduate language degree (and spending the previous 15ish years in education), the last thing you probably want to do is go back into education.

That’s how I felt at least. I had just graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in German with Dutch and decided I wanted to be a translator. I started to look for jobs in translation, but it seemed as though they all required an MA, so I did some research into Translation MA courses.

There were two universities I was interested in: Surrey and Manchester. I had no preference, so applied and was accepted to both. Shortly after, my partner received an offer for a job based near Manchester and we decided to relocate together.

16 November 202018 March 2024 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

10 things I wish I’d known when I first started translating

I was extraordinarily wet behind the ears when I first started translating professionally in Spain over 20 years ago.

Although I’d studied literature translation at university as part of my BA language degree course, it was not an appropriate preparation for a career as a translator.

Here’s a list of 10 things I wish I’d known when I first started translating that would have made my life much easier.

2 November 202010 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

What’s the difference between translation and transcription?

This is a guest post written by Danilo from Espresso Translations, a translation agency specialising in translation and transcription services. It was founded by two translators working in tandem and has grown to become a leading language services provider.

One question we’re often asked is whether translation and transcription are the same thing. Sure, they both sound similar, but it’s safe to say they’re actually quite different. Both services have amazing benefits and can help your business, but it’s important to know how they differ and which is the right approach for you.

27 August 202013 February 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Conclusions of the Results of the Translation Qualifications Survey (Part 4)

After an overview of the initial results in part 1, in parts 2 and 3 we focused on comments made about the main survey questions.

Specifically in part 2 we examined whether the respondents were thinking of doing any of the four surveyed qualifications (MA/MSc, Diploma in Translation, ATA certification and ITI exam) and which of these four they thought was better.

In part 3 we looked at responses to three questions: Which of the four qualifications are more highly regarded by translators (1), by agencies (2) and by direct clients (3).

This fourth and final part of the results includes some general comments made at the end of the survey and also some insights given under the specific questions that I didn’t manage to fit into the previous three parts of the results as they are more wide-ranging.

14 August 202015 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Is it worth it for you to do an MA in Translation Studies?

This article by Gwenydd Jones looks at the pros and cons of doing an MA in Translation Studies. It’ll help you think ahead and figure out whether doing an MA is the right choice for you.

With the cost of university study continually rising, you’re probably asking yourself whether doing an MA in translation studies is worth the investment. The answer will depend on your own circumstances and goals, as this article will explain. By the end, you should have a better idea of whether or not doing an MA in translation studies is worth it for you.

You’ve probably found your way to this article by googling to find the pros and cons of doing an MA in translation studies compared to the other options available for training and qualifying as a translator.

13 August 202027 August 2020 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Results of the Translation Qualifications Survey (Part 3)

This is the third and penultimate part of the results of the translation qualifications survey, which focused on the DipTrans, MA/MSc, MITI exam and ATA certification.

In Part 1, we looked at the graphs and pie charts resulting from the survey. However, as I decided to reopen the survey to gain more responses, you’ll find all the definitive graphs and pie charts in Part 2 and in this post.

In Part 2, we examined the results of the first survey questions in more detail as well as some of the comments made to explain respondents’ choices.

In this Part 3, we’ll look at the comments for the last three questions: Which of the four qualifications surveyed are more highly regarded by translators (1), by agencies (2) and by direct clients (3).

10 August 202027 August 2020 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Results of the Translation Qualifications Survey (Part 2)

Introduction

As many of you will know, a large part of my blog is dedicated to posts by guest writers reviewing their MA or MSc in translation or translation and interpreting. Budding translators often need help deciding which MA course to take and so they come here to read about previous students’ experiences and ask for advice.

Colleagues who haven’t followed the MA route but want to get qualified often wonder (in my circle at least) whether they should take the DipTrans, ITI or ATA exams. And some who have studied an MA feel they need to go a step further and take one of these exams as well. Consequently, knowing which of these four qualifications is more likely to get them translation work would be helpful. Hence the reason for this survey.