Friday

Globalization Demands Learning Another Language

By Daniel Crosby


One of the most drastic changes that has impacted the world during the last few decades is globalization. Despite where we may look or turn, the world appears to be growing smaller by the day. Of course, it has remained the same physical size as always. Nonetheless, increased travel, information exchanges that occur in milliseconds thanks to the World Wide Web and mass media have served to draw the four corners much closer together. As a consequence, globalization requires an increased need for learning another language in order to maximize employment and/or business opportunities. This phenomenon is especially applicable to those who must communicate with others from foreign countries.

Increasing globalization means there is more need for translation, and there seems to be no sign of this need slowing down. The increased need for translation services means that there are numerous opportunities for jobs in this field, although you will need to be fluent in two languages in order to translate a document or carry on a conversation. If this is something that interests you, the right education and training are both essential and can open up the doors to a career in translating.

Moreover, this undertaking can be tricky, as people make frequent mistakes that cause the meanings to get lost in translation. This is primarily the result of word-for-word translation, instead of translating per the true meaning of a text, phrase, or sentence. This is comparable to how software programs might translate text, thus misrepresenting the meaning, as many sentences or words can have multiple meanings in a particular language.

In short, you will need to speak a second language as fluently as a native speaker, if you are learning another language to work in the field of translation. As a translator, you will need to have the following attributes to be successful:

- An excellent knowledge of both languages in their written and spoken forms;

- Knowledge of the subject matter being translated;

- A good understanding of when to metaphrase or paraphrase;

- Knowledge of both cultures.

Languages are much more than mere collections of words and rules of grammar. Rather, they include means of interconnecting expressions, secondary meanings, and cultural references. Consequently, a lot of experience is necessary if one wants to provide exceptional service and stand out from the rest in the translation field. Thus, one must not have the mistaken idea that mere bilingualism is enough to be an effective translator. In view of that reality, it is safe to say that the world has a great need for experienced translators who can help its peoples translate their communications or documents in other languages.

For anyone interested in learning another language, perhaps to work in the field of translation or simply for their own satisfaction there are various resources widely available. Private tutoring can provide invaluable one on one instruction and can help you to write in another language as well as talk; tutoring is often more effective than the more conventional classroom setting. Tutoring may not be the best option for everyone as it can be quite costly, and another more affordable solution is to take advantage of the many online resources fro learning a second language. A virtual classroom is an affordable way to learn, and one on one instruction is also available.

In addition, people trying to learn another language in order to enhance their translation skills, whether for their own personal benefit or to start a new career, also have some awesome software available to them. This is much more affordable, and one may always have lessons at their disposal to learn according to their own pace and rate of progress. If you excel in a certain area of the course, you may progress faster. On the other hand, if you require additional help in a given subject, you can slow down until you master the relevant concept(s).

The most important thing to really understand is that translation skills in one or more languages is a "must have" skill in today's world, as globalization has proven and continues to prove every day. Selecting a second language to learn is critical, because you want one that imparts value to your everyday life, whether for business or pleasure. It also requires you to think "outside the box," such as adjusting your own habits and lifestyle to become more attuned to the traditions and culture of those whose language you are working to learn.




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