Translator in Training

REDOCTO

United States10 Posts

March 28 2013 13:22 GMT

Hello!

I am a Korean international student and a recent undergrad graduate.
I've been here in the US since 1999 (age 9) and have lived here ever since. (14+ years)
Although I am a Korean citizen and have a Korean passport, I spent most of my childhood and "balls-dropping" years in 'Murica.
I definitely feel more at home here and whenever I do visit Korea it feels foreign and unfamiliar even though I speak the language.

As you may or may not know, just like many Korean pro gamers, I eventually have to serve in the military since it's mandatory for Koreans.
I was thinking maybe I can take advantage of my bilingual skills and look into do some translating. I am not sure if such a task exists/is needed but it can only help right?

At the same time, as eSports and Starcraft 2 grow bigger and become more globally connected, I am sure (at least I hope) translating English/Korean is needed.
I don't really have any previous experiences but would love to jump in and get some practice.

I think my advantage, at least with translating Korean into English, is that having lived here in the US for more than half of my life, I should be able to pick up on many Korean expressions/comments that get lost in translation when they are translated word for word. I will try my best to translate them so any reader can fully understand what is being expressed including subtle meanings.

All in all, I would love to give it a try but I am not sure where to begin and offer my service. I've already seen well translated articles/interviews on TL and don't want to create any "duplicates."

So any suggestions/advice would be great! I can also take mini-requests/questions on here if that's appropriate.

Thanks for reading! :D

Kommatiazo

United States579 Posts

March 28 2013 14:03 GMT

I think at the very least you could translate interviews/articles for us non-linguists. Even that would make a HUGE difference. Maybe build up some experience with it then go out and get a "real" job translating, and I'm sure there's opportunity for translators in the Korean military so if it's something you enjoy/are good at I think you should try and stick to it man!

I look forward to your work dude! Maybe we'll see you on OGN or GOMTV someday XD

docvoc

United States5491 Posts

March 28 2013 14:51 GMT

Sounds like you have skills to give

. You should totally do that! Also, what is mandatory service like? How much free time will you have?

Recognizable

Netherlands1552 Posts

March 28 2013 16:49 GMT

Man, mandatory service must suck. Aren't there any ways to get out of? My dad did it by doing so incredibly god awful at every exercise they had to kick him out haha.

calh

537 Posts

March 28 2013 21:03 GMT

Being from a family of translators, I have 2 advices to give:
- Knowledge of the subject is far more useful than language skill. If you have troubles with a certain text, a little bit of reading around the subject will make it a lot easier than clinging to the dictionary.
- Like most other things, translation is a matter of practice and compromise. Don't get too hung up on any particular detail; maybe there's no good way to translate it, or maybe you can revisit it one you're more familiar with the document as a whole.

ieatkids5

United States4628 Posts

March 28 2013 21:13 GMT

always nice to see people contributing. i've done a bit of translating myself (chinese/english), and i'd have to emphasize calh's points. you definitely learn a LOT of new words when translating a particular subject that you're not familiar with. a dictionary helps a ton, and be sure to read up on existing articles to familiarize yourself with the terms used.

compromise is also important, as calh said. sometimes, you need to decide whether keeping the sentence's structure, wording, and particular details are more important than the general tone and natural flow of the paragraph, and vice versa. it's pretty fun actually, and not only will you enjoy translating, but you'll hone your skills in both languages.

REDOCTO

United States10 Posts

March 28 2013 22:53 GMT

Maybe we'll see you on OGN or GOMTV someday XD

That would be awesome if I can make it to that stage! But baby steps first

There is a lot to learn.

what is mandatory service like? How much free time will you have?

I actually have no idea. It wasn't really my concern until recently. With all the news about North Korea acting up, it's making me nervous for sure.

Aren't there any ways to get out of?

There are ways to delay the conscription (continue studying abroad, etc) and very limited ways of avoiding it completely. I would love to delay as long as possible to pursue my career/passion but at this point I've accepted it as my duty and as long as it is still the 2 year commitment, I think it'd be a rewarding experience.

@ calh, ieatkids5

They are some great points there. I am hoping to run into/learn more technical/business Korean words because obviously I am only familiar with conversational/day-to-day Korean. At the same time, I can learn more about the Korean scene.

I think it's an interesting problem because one thing I've noticed is that perhaps some of the "personality" aspect of the person get lost when translated just to get the main message across. I guess it's much less so in written interviews but during live interviews/translation, I think it's prevalent. Whenever I listen to Korean pro gamers in foreign events, I am able to understand and enjoy the subtle jokes and personality. But when the translation is made for the spectators they tend to get lost or not very well understood. So compromise is definitely important to consider.

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