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Translation work for native English speakers

Translation work for native English speakers

Old Aug 21st 2012, 12:00 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by jackytoo
For official documents you need to be accredited by the Junta so they can put the official stamp on. We had to pay around 40€ for each one-sided A4 in the 1990's even though I could have done it myself.

As someone said having a second language doen't make you a good translator or a language teacher. The best translators, and the highest paid work for the EU.
So if people who are fluent in a second language dont always make a good teacher, what about the back packing TELFlers.......who havent even had the experience of learning a foreign language themselves.
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Old Aug 21st 2012, 12:08 pm
  #17  
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by JLFS
So if people who are fluent in a second language dont always make a good teacher, what about the back packing TELFlers.......who havent even had the experience of learning a foreign language themselves.
a good teacher can teach anything - as long as they know their subject matter
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Old Aug 21st 2012, 12:20 pm
  #18  
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by lynnxa
a good teacher can teach anything - as long as they know their subject matter
But do all the TEFLtons know their subject matter well enough?

Is they rigorous English testing before the certificates are doled out?

I have known Spanish people who have been told

"it just sounds right and you will pick it up with practice" when there is a grammar rule already in place and it is not just trial and error, which is what the teacher told them.
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Old Aug 21st 2012, 12:45 pm
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by JLFS
But do all the TEFLtons know their subject matter well enough?

Is they rigorous English testing before the certificates are doled out?

I have known Spanish people who have been told

"it just sounds right and you will pick it up with practice" when there is a grammar rule already in place and it is not just trial and error, which is what the teacher told them.
Judging by some of the basic stupid questions I see asked on TEFL forums, and by the appalling written English I have seen on the same forums - I'd say some can barely write English in the first place

to be fair - sometimes in English the only answer is 'because it is!!' though - although of course I'm not talking grammar
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Old Aug 21st 2012, 12:46 pm
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by lynnxa
Judging by some of the basic stupid questions I see asked on TEFL forums, and by the appalling written English I have seen on the same forums - I'd say some can barely write English in the first place

to be fair - sometimes in English the only answer is 'because it is!!' though - although of course I'm not talking grammar
I find the "because it is" answer is given, and even I know the rule of grammar where the "teacher" doesnt.
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Old Aug 21st 2012, 12:53 pm
  #21  
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by MoonBaby
I was wondering if anyone has any information on this? A friend of mine is moving to the Valencia area in the next few months and is looking for translation work (preferably not autonomo - I know this is a tall order) or any kind of work involving language skills. She speaks Spanish and French very well, has a degree in languages and one in translation. Obviously work of any type is hard to come by in Spain, but I would be grateful for any advice!
If she has a specialist subject in addition to languages she might be able to get work translating for a business or research organisation in that subject. That's what I do, though there isn't much work these days. Often it's just a case of correcting the original writer's English. Google Translate has put me out of business!
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Old Aug 21st 2012, 1:11 pm
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by JLFS
I find the "because it is" answer is given, and even I know the rule of grammar where the "teacher" doesnt.
I'm not talking about grammar - that should never be the answer where a grammar point is concerned

I mean things like Slough, rough, thought

I don't know for sure why they are pronounced differently - no teacher I have ever come across has really known, either - except that they are - probably because of the way the words evolved through centuries - but not definitely

you could get into research & discussion about the linguistic roots of the language - but that is usually beyond the interest of the student - so you say 'just because it is!'
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Old Aug 21st 2012, 7:39 pm
  #23  
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Default Re: Translation work for native English speakers

Originally Posted by JLFS
But do all the TEFLtons know their subject matter well enough?

Is they rigorous English testing before the certificates are doled out?

I have known Spanish people who have been told

"it just sounds right and you will pick it up with practice" when there is a grammar rule already in place and it is not just trial and error, which is what the teacher told them.
Like every profession, there are bad apples. You can become an EFL teacher with a four-week course, so obviously that doesn't teach you everything you need to know, just the basics. The good teachers will take it upon themselves to learn and improve as they go. The bad ones will continue to feed the stereotype that EFL teachers just wander into classes and chat to the students.

Originally Posted by lynnxa
I'm not talking about grammar - that should never be the answer where a grammar point is concerned

I mean things like Slough, rough, thought

I don't know for sure why they are pronounced differently - no teacher I have ever come across has really known, either - except that they are - probably because of the way the words evolved through centuries - but not definitely

you could get into research & discussion about the linguistic roots of the language - but that is usually beyond the interest of the student - so you say 'just because it is!'
The problem is that some students are unable to distinguish between normal, sensible questions ("why do we use the present perfect there?") and stupid questions like the example you gave. A lot of people seem to have been brought up to think questioning anything and everything is good and to expect answers to all their questions. As you say, sometimes it IS just because!
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