Where to get Translation Experience

Summary

This video provides valuable insights for beginner translators looking to gain experience. It highlights several platforms where aspiring translators can volunteer to translate content, including TED Talks, Translators Without Borders, Ancient History Encyclopedia, and others. These websites offer opportunities to build a portfolio, gain recognition, and enhance resumes, even though they don't offer payment. The video encourages viewers to explore these resources, offering both practical tips for volunteering and strategic advice on using translated work to land paid jobs in the future.

Takeaways

• 😀 TED Talks offers volunteer translation opportunities, allowing you to subtitle talks in over 100 languages, great for building your portfolio and gaining experience.
• 😀 Translators Without Borders is a nonprofit offering translation services to organizations in need, providing an opportunity to gain meaningful experience and recognition.
• 😀 The Ancient History Encyclopedia is an excellent platform for translators with a passion for history, allowing you to translate academic content and enhance your resume.
• 😀 Global Voices offers translation opportunities in international journalism, translating global news articles into multiple languages, ideal for translators seeking high-visibility work.
• 😀 Audio PD focuses on promoting literacy among women, providing volunteer translation projects to help social causes and add experience to your profile.
• 😀 Translate Us (Wikipedia) is a great opportunity to volunteer by translating Wikipedia articles into various languages, with the added benefit of working on a widely recognized platform.
• 😀 Kiva provides translation opportunities related to microfinance, where you can translate content about financial inclusion and microloans in several languages.
• 😀 Local tourism websites may have untranslated content, allowing you to translate and offer it for free as a way to establish a relationship with potential clients for paid work.
• 😀 Education websites and courses also offer volunteer translation opportunities, which can help build your portfolio while gaining recognition for your work in the education sector.
• 😀 Many of these platforms allow you to gain reviews or ratings from project leads, which can further enhance your professional credibility and help you secure future translation jobs.
• 😀 Translating for well-known platforms like TED Talks, Wikipedia, and Kiva is an effective way to establish a strong online presence and increase your chances of landing paid translation projects.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of this video?

The main purpose of the video is to guide aspiring translators on where they can gain translation experience, build their portfolios, and get ratings or reviews by volunteering for translation projects. These opportunities are free but can significantly help in building a translator's resume.

What is TED's role in providing translation opportunities?

TED offers a platform for volunteers to translate TED Talks into various languages. The TED translation program is a great way for translators to gain experience and add the translations to their portfolio. Volunteers can apply through the TED website.

How can translators benefit from working with Translators Without Borders?

Translators Without Borders is a non-profit organization that provides translation services to humanitarian organizations. Volunteering here not only helps build a translator’s portfolio but also provides an opportunity to work on meaningful projects that can enhance a translator's resume.

What is the Ancient History Encyclopedia's translation initiative?

The Ancient History Encyclopedia (now known as World History Encyclopedia) offers a translation program where volunteers can translate historical articles. This is a good opportunity for translators interested in history or looking to specialize in historical translation.

What is Global Voices and how can translators get involved?

Global Voices is an international journalism platform that provides translation opportunities for news articles and stories from around the world. Translators can volunteer to translate content into various languages, which helps increase their visibility and experience in the translation field.

What is the role of Audio PD in volunteer translation?

Audio PD focuses on improving literacy among women globally, and volunteers can help by translating materials related to this cause. Although the specifics of the translation work are not detailed, it provides another opportunity for translators to build their portfolios and gain experience.

How does Translate Us work as a volunteer translation platform?

Translate Us is a platform where volunteers can translate Wikipedia articles into different languages. Translators can choose articles to work on, and the work can be used as a part of their portfolio. It is a widely recognized platform that can help build credibility for new translators.

What is Kiva and how can translators get involved?

Kiva is a micro-lending platform, and it occasionally needs translators to help translate content related to their projects. Translators can apply through the Kiva website to volunteer for various languages and support the organization's global mission.

What approach does the video suggest for translating websites for free?

The video suggests that translators can approach websites that are missing translations in their language. By offering to translate a page or section for free, translators can establish a relationship with the website owners and potentially secure paid work later on.

How can translators benefit from translating educational content, such as online courses?

Translating educational content, such as online courses, is another way for translators to build their portfolios. By translating courses, translators can gain recognition, and in some cases, the course creators may link to the translator’s profile as a form of acknowledgment. This helps establish credibility in the field.