TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING

The National Network for TranslationThe National Network for Interpreting

Routes into Languages 1

• Two separate National Networks with separate budgets

• NNT: Universities of Salford (lead), Aston, Bath, Heriot-Watt, Portsmouth, Westminster

• NNI: Universities of Leeds (lead), Bath, Salford, Westminster, Heriot-Watt

Issues to address

• National shortage of first language English translators and interpreters

• Concentration on Western European languages in current HE translation course provision

• Low national profile of careers in translation and interpreting

• Need to develop stronger cooperation between course providers and potential employers

Translation as a profession

• Work in a translation company (in-house translator, project manager, terminologist, …)

• Work in translation department of national or international bodies (DGT, UN, European Central Bank, multinational enterprises …)

• Freelance translator (variety of texts and subject domains)

• audio-visual translation, software localisation, ‘transcreation’, ‘transediting’, ‘(trans)adaptation’ …

Interpreting as a profession

• Conference interpreting and Public Service interpreting

• For both - shortage of graduates with required skills and languages

• PSIT – in courts of law, police, immigration, health care

• EU Directive 2010 64, now binding = a legal obligation to provide translation and interpreting

Public Service Interpreting and Translation

• To ensure access to qualified legal interpreters and translators, EU countries are asked to set up a register of independent and qualified translators and interpreters which should be available to legal counsels and relevant authorities.

PSIT

• Translation and interpretation services should be of a quality sufficient to ensure that suspected or accused persons understand the case against them and are able to exercise their right of defence.

PSIT as a profession

• PSIT – languages needed now : Farsi, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali & Silheti, French/English-based Creoles, Panjabi,Tagalog (Filipino), Gujerati, Yorubu, Lingala, Ga, Somali, Kurdish, Polish, Turkish, Swahili, Arabic…

• Plus training in court/healthcare/police interpreting

Conference interpreting

• International organisations (EU, UN, NATO etc) need qualified interpreters

• As staff and freelances• Training offered in many countries• Training offered in UK…• Excellent language knowledge

needed

18 April 2005

To interpret professionally you must know about the world

Activities

• information events on careers in translation and interpreting (including talks by professional translators and interpreters and other representatives of the industry and professional associations)

• training seminars / workshops / Masterclasses / taster sessions / mock conferences

• generation of promotional material; talks on Network activities at various fora (national and international)

• creation of dedicated websites (resources, interactive exercises, information about the profession and required skills, events and news);

Close collaboration with:

• LLAS (and CILT)• The Regional Consortia• Aim higher, Widening Participation and

Career Services within the partner institutions

• Other Higher Education Institutions• Employers and professional associations

(e.g. ATC, ITI, CIoL, DGT, SCIC)• Networks of alumni

Why learn languages?

• In the UK many do not…..why not?

• Routes into Languages made a difference…• £4.5 million, Government and HEFCE• Networks for Translation and Interpreting – 6

years of events, taster sessions, careers days

• Shortage of English mother tongue graduates for language services of EU and UN

Main achievements and impactIncrease in numbers of students on programmes with English as A language

2007-2012 applications to translation and interpreting courses increased by 34%By 2013 spring, shortages no longer an issue – Routes plus EU and UN outreach campaign worked

But …. Languages out of favour?

A levels – decline in languages

FRENCH 10%, GERMAN 11% But SPANISH 4%And up slightly POLISH ARABIC RUSSIAN JAPANESE

New situation in Routes 2

• Cohesion: Even more cooperation and coordination of the two Networks

• Inclusiveness: Networks expanded in scope (covering the whole range of Translation and Interpreting, including PSIT) and membership (e.g Surrey, UCLAN, London Metropolitan …)

Challenges

• Networks don’t have separate budgets anymore – events need to be coordinated with regional consortia

• two national career events organised jointly by NNT/NNI, and one event in collaboration with each of the regions

• Request: please do contact NNT/NNI when you organise language awareness events or careers days

• Sustainability potentially in danger (programme closure)

Onwards and upwards

Commitment and determination of Networks to carry on with

• holding Careers events (as the most successful of the networks’ activities reaching a large number of students in a focussed and productive way)

• enhancing cooperation with employers (internships for students)

• promoting the professions widely

Websites:

• https://www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/translation

• http://www.nationalnetworkfortranslation.ac.uk/

• http://www.nationalnetworkforinterpreting.ac.uk/