by Michael Bastin | 12 Jun, 2019 | Education, Careers, Professional Translation
Thinking of studying translation in the United Kingdom or Ireland?
Looking at potential translation degrees to study abroad in an English-speaking country?
With beautiful campuses, vibrant student life and a reputation for academic excellence, studying your degree in the UK, Northern Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland is always a good choice!
If you are looking to work in the field of translation or interpreting, it is crucial to lay down a solid foundation before trying to find work.
Many universities in the UK and Ireland specialise in language courses, as well as offering translation and interpreting degrees.
Consider the types of translation degrees available
There are many options available to you. Some choose to study an undergraduate degree in one or two foreign languages (some universities even allow you to choose three) and then follow up their undergraduate three or four-year Bachelor or four-year MA Hons with a Masters in translation or interpretation.
Some, however, prefer to stick to a specialised undergraduate degree in the field of their choice. The latter may only be possible for those who can prove their language proficiency before embarking on the course.
We have put together a definitive list of the English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and Northern Irish universities that offer translation degrees and training courses.
Keep in mind that we have only included degrees focusing uniquely on translation – all these institutions and many more also offer BSc or MA Hons language degrees.
Undergraduate translation degrees
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Unfortunately, we didn’t find any undergraduate translation degrees in Northern Ireland.
Still determined to study in this beautiful part of the world?
Why not start your academic career with an undergraduate language degree?
Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University in Coleraine both offer great course programs for prospective language students.
Republic of Ireland
Postgraduate translation degrees
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
As you can see, there’s no shortage of options for future students looking to further their studies in translation and interpreting.
Languages are becoming an increasingly popular career choice in the UK and Ireland, with students not only going into translation and interpreting but also language teaching, international journalism, media, and academia.
Still not convinced?
Many of our professional translators here at BeTranslated studied at one of these institutions and are now providing quality translation services under our name.
What do you make of our list? Have we missed any important universities?
We want to hear from you! If you’re thinking of studying in another country, check out our full list of university translation courses worldwide.
by Marian Gomez | 5 Jun, 2019 | Property Translation, Translation, Travel and Tourism
Property documentation translation is too important to be left to amateurs or to automatic machine translation engines such as Google Translate.
Even the smallest mistake could have disastrous consequences on your estate agency or holiday letting agent, causing a significant drop in your ROI. Find out just how to save your company from falling into this common trap…
The importance of working with professional translators
Your agency has everything it needs to succeed: an attractive website, beautiful photos of your properties, outstanding customer service, and your purchase or rental advertising is bringing in client after client.
Nevertheless, make sure you don’t lose your way when it comes to the translation of property documentation from English into any language your client may require.
Our professional translation agency specialises in the translation of property contracts and knows all the ins and outs of these documents, always making sure to maintain total accuracy.
These documents are the key point of contact between a future buyer or tenant and can make or break a deal.
We understand the importance of a well-translated contract, and we are always sure to provide our customers with a polished final translation.
Hire qualified, native translators
Our team of certified linguists have years of experience in the tourism and property sector and are therefore well-equipped to provide you with a contract in the language of your choice, respecting all the clauses of the original.
Do have a Russian buyer interested in a seaside villa or apartment? No problem!
BeTranslated’s translators based in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg will be assigned the task of translating the contract of sale into Russian.
The same applies to Chinese, Korean, Czech, or Arabic clients: we are happy to translate into any language commonly used in the property sector.
How to stand out in a booming sector
Our online translation agency also provides copywriting and SEO services for your property and tourism blogs in a large variety of languages – the perfect option to attract potential buyers from all around the world.
This customer outreach and marketing will help you stay a cut above the rest.
Our team of certified linguists can give you a helping hand to create quality content to turn even the biggest homebodies into potential international buyers or renters of property in the UK, USA, Spain, or elsewhere!
BeTranslated: your number one agency for property documentation translation
Our translation agency holds a sterling reputation in the property and tourist accommodation sectors and, in addition to legal documents such as contracts, we have an excellent track record providing content for blogs and rental sites all over the world.
This is thanks to the passion and work ethic of our team of language professionals who specialise in the field of property sale and rental in the UK and abroad.
We work with all file formats (even PDF) and on all online platforms such as WordPress or Drupal. Need a translation of a blog piece urgently from English into Spanish? No problem!
Our linguists are ready for anything, true pioneers of the online translation world.
Does your property rental or holiday villa estate agency need a boost to reach new international markets?
A well-executed localisation project might be just the ticket! Get in touch today for a quick, free, no-commitment quote!
by Michael Bastin | 25 Sep, 2018 | Multilingual, Machine Translation, Technology
After major advances in artificial intelligence (AI) over the last few years, a second generation of chatbots has emerged.
With innovative multilingual abilities, it’s now possible to converse with multiple nationalities with just one piece of software.
So is it time for your business to join the multilingual chatbot revolution?
The lowdown on chatbots
According to Chatbots Magazine,“a chatbot is a service, powered by rules and sometimes artificial intelligence, that you interact with via a chat interface”, and the chances are you’ll already have come across one.
They’re popular with online businesses such as Starbucks and Mastercard, but many others have taken up the technology.
What does a chatbox actually do? Well, they’re mainly used for customer interaction, but also have recruitment purposes.
You’ll typically “chat” with them through a web-based application or a standalone app.
The computer programme simulates a conversation after it recognises key terms. While this was primitive until recently, the aforementioned AI advances mean chatbots now offer a beneficial prospect to businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Intrigued? You can read this WordStream article for a detailed analysis of how they work, or read on to find out more about the latest innovations.
Multilingual chatbots have changed the game
Until recently, an online user from, for example, Brazil wouldn’t find a chatbot on a UK site capable of conversing in their native Portuguese.
They’d either have to know English or communication would come to an end. But businesses now have the lucrative prospect of using a single chatbot that can understand a wide array of languages.
And by this, I mean hundreds, complemented with the capacity to respond to queries in a relevant, useful, and sales-driven manner.
Seems too good to be true? Well, it’s a reality, a state of affairs that could well make the chatbot, unknown to the business world just a decade ago, indispensable.
o long as your business plans to expand beyond a local market, of course. If it does, then the technology could lead you to greater things.
Parlez-moi, s’il vous plaît
In an increasingly interconnected world, multilingualism has now grown as an important business factor. And why shouldn’t your doors open for interested consumers from across the world?
Language barriers and a lack of the right technology have held business back for decades, now we have the technology to overcome such boundaries.
Natural language chatbots can even receive training on customer intent; it’s possible to expand an existing model to have multilingual abilities – “train” it, essentially, to learn new languages.
One example can be seen with IBM Watson. As the company explains: “The chatbot identifies the intent to return a response. Before the response is seen by the user, [the chatbot] will translate the response to the language in which the question was asked.” And it can continue to learn from there; a “forced glossary” increases the accuracy of translations.
You can customise the glossary as you learn more from interactions with customers, making you adaptable to your customers’ needs.
Expanding into an international market
If this new technology has convinced you that now is the time to reach out to a wider, international audience, remember that making this big step is about much more than chatbots.
When expanding overseas, you’ll have to consider your market carefully. You’ll need to shift from a local to a global perspective.
But if this is all sounding ideal for your business, there’s plenty to consider. While multilingual chatbots are cost-effective compared to hiring an entire phone department, they still cost money to develop.
This is if you choose to create a bespoke chatbot for your business; you can turn to ready-made chatbots. This makes the process more cost and time-effective, but you will lose out on the individuality involved in a bespoke design.
What are the bonuses involved?
In summary:
Reach a wider audience
You can connect with customers from different nationalities and effortlessly communicate with them. You can also grow your following, increase sales targets, and advance your business.
Increase customer satisfaction
There’ll be no more confused emails between varying nationalities.
Cost-effective
There’s no need to hire native-speaking customer service specialists. Your software will handle the job for them 24/7.
Future-proof
Train your chatbot and adapt it to your industry’s needs. A few multilingual errors? You can update your chatbot to constantly deliver better customer service.
Ready to chat?
Introducing a multilingual chatbot across the 10 most widely spoken languages has far-reaching potential. It could help your business reach millions of new customers.
You could create an impressive customer service department—all with one chatbot, but the decision rests with you.
Do you take up the technology and try to steal an advantage on your competitors? Or do you wait a few years for the development costs to come down and the technology to become ultra-streamlined?
Either way, it’s a fascinating development for the online business world.
It’s setting new precedents and suggesting we’re heading towards a future where your sales strategy will consider dozens of nationalities. As a prospect, it’s unprecedented.
As you contemplate expanding into international markets, and all that that entails, consider how a professional translation agency could assist you in your mission.
Experienced native translators who are specialised in niche markets such as construction translation, like those working with BeTranslated, can be relied upon to provide a consistently accurate service.
If you have questions or want to request a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch today.
by Michael Bastin | 30 May, 2018 | Education, Good to Know, Languages
Idioms are expressions or phrases with figurative, non-literal meanings, that can easily confuse language learners.
They are often unique to a country or region and, as such, offer a glimpse into local cultures and ways of thinking. Learning English idioms can be great fun and very useful.
Familiarising yourself with idioms truly deepens your knowledge of colloquial, everyday language, which will give you a great advantage if you are thinking about travelling, working, or settling in that country.
If you’re heading to the UK and want to impress the locals with your English abilities, brush up on your idioms sharpish!
Turn yourself into an advanced level English speaker
If you’ve been learning English for a while and have reached a level where you can hold your own in everyday situations, it’s time to take it to the next level.
Having knowledge of some of the most common idioms will help you communicate better, and give you a deeper understanding of songs, TV shows, and books in English.
Not to mention, using them will impress any native you meet and chat with!
As idioms are often regional, native English speakers who are not from Britain could also do with studying British idioms if they plan to visit the UK.
Knowing these phrases demonstrates deeper cultural awareness and will aid in social integration, earning respect for your language skills from the Brits in no time.
A good place to start
We’ve come up with a list of 11 frequently used British idioms for you to peruse and add to your vocabulary. Once you’ve learned the real meaning of these idioms and how to use them correctly, you’ll sound like you’ve lived in the UK for years.
- You don’t know your arse from your elbow – we are not referring to someone who has a poor understanding of biology, but instead someone who has made a mistake or keeps getting things wrong. Be careful with this one, it’s best used in very informal settings!
- Working your socks off – this has nothing to do with removing anyone’s socks and actually refers to a person who is working extra hard.
- It’s a piece of cake – if the English were actually referring to cake with this one, we’d need more bakers! When used, this means that something is really easy.
- I’m over the moon – an unlikely place to be, unless we are referring to being really happy, a much more frequent occurrence.
- The ball’s in your court – not only used when playing sport as you may have guessed, it actually means that the decision or power lies with you. It’s your choice.
- You’re barking up the wrong tree – no dogs involved when using this term, or trees for that matter! It simply means that the person in question has misunderstood, or got the wrong idea.
- Biting off more than you can chew – this phrase is not about some hungry person stuffing their face with food. Instead, it refers to someone who has taken on more than they can manage.
- It costs an arm and a leg – don’t worry, no limbs have been used as a form of payment! This is a way to express that something was very expensive.
- At the drop of a hat – no reference to headgear here; this just means that something is done instantly.
- You’ve missed the boat – this doesn’t mean you’re late for your travel plans or missed your holiday, it’s an expression of being too late to make the most of something or having missed an opportunity.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – you don’t have to be a farmer to use this one! This expresses the need to wait for an outcome before assuming a result.
The importance of learning English idioms for language professionals
If you’re a language teacher, interpreter, translator, or content writer working in a foreign language or between a foreign language and your own, knowledge of idiomatic terms is crucial.
Idioms and proverbs are an ideal way to directly connect with a native speaker, crossing linguistic and cultural barriers and demonstrating mastery of their language.
This is why at BeTranslated we ensure that all our professional translators are certified native speakers, guaranteeing cultural sensitivity in our translations, both in understanding the source text and writing the final translation.
Also, students can visit sites like Studycrumb to find more advice on learning English idioms for language professionals.
Now you’re well on your way to communicating like a true English speaker!
Now that you’ve started learning some British idioms, you’ve taken a huge step towards sounding like a true native. Remember, there are hundreds of more idioms out there!
Why not challenge yourself to learn one a day for the next two weeks?
Are you working on your English in order to improve relations with British clients? Are you in need of a reliable translation service to work on your business documents, marketing material, or web content in a professional and authentic way? Contact BeTranslated today for more information or a free, no-obligation quote.
by Michael Bastin | 3 Apr, 2018 | Freelancing, Careers, Freelancer tips
Trying to succeed as a freelance translator can be tough. To some, it might appear to be as easy as just changing words from one language to another, but of course, it’s much more complex than that, and it comes with its own set of challenges.
That’s not to say that it isn’t a wonderful job with its perks, such as the freedom to work from home (staying in your pyjamas all day if you so choose!) and manage your time in a way that suits your lifestyle.
It’s also a job with a great deal of responsibility; whether they are translating medical records, business contracts, or marketing material, the pressure to convey the source text’s message accurately is significant.
Balancing this pressure with the additional requirements of running your own business as a freelancer and keeping a healthy work-life balance can be challenging, so we’ve compiled a list of nine tips to help you thrive as a freelance translator.
How to succeed as a freelance translator (pyjamas optional)
Following these nine tips will help you to achieve success in the freelance translation business without letting your personal life suffer. Let’s take a look…
Be ready for the variety this business brings
They say that variety is the spice of life and if you are someone who can roll with the punches, a career in translation will suit you down to the ground.
Even if you specialise in a very niche area, each translation project comes with its own set of challenges and puzzles for you to solve.
Translators often find themselves learning about all manner of topics through the research they do for their translations, add this to relationships with direct clients and there’s never a dull moment.
In those moments when the stress is mounting up, remind yourself of the joys of this eternal learning process for curious minds like yourself.
Prepare yourself for working alone
As a freelancer working remotely, you usually work alone and this can get rather isolating. If you think this may be something you will struggle with, we recommend you put some systems in place to mitigate any feelings of loneliness.
This could be as simple as changing where you work; instead of always working from home, you could spend some time working from a co-working space (which are great places to network) or even a café or library.
Why not reach out to your peers? Building relationships with other translators can give you a strong support system and could even lead to professional opportunities.
on’t forget to build a compelling personal brand that highlights your business name to gain credibility and win your peers’ trusts faster.
Joining a professional association such as ITI (The Institute of Translation & Interpreting) is a great place to start making connections, and they also run many events that can provide much-needed opportunities to socialise with fellow professionals.
Read some more tips about how to deal with loneliness from a fellow freelancer before you embark on your career, and you will find success as a freelance translator in no time.
Be aware of changing markets and upcoming business trends
Make sure you’re always informed of the latest changes in the marketplace. Using new technology to improve your productivity will not only benefit you, but your clients too.
With everything changing so regularly, make it your business to stay sharp and abreast of advancements in the industry.
As well as reading relevant publications and following influential figures online, take part in conferences and industry events to make sure you’re not left behind.
Don’t just focus on translation; keeping up-to-date on industry changes in your specialisation, whether that’s travel and tourism or aeronautical engineering, will give you a professional edge and ensure your translations maintain their quality.
Remember that “freelancer” also means “professional juggler”
It may surprise those starting out in the industry, but translation is only one of many responsibilities of the freelance translator. The list of your job roles will include, but not be limited to, accountant, researcher, project manager, customer service representative, brand ambassador, web designer, and personal barista.
It’s very easy for these tasks to take too much time away from the thing that actually makes you money: translation.
To avoid this, it’s crucial that you organise your day well, dedicating specific times for specific tasks.
Decide how often you’re going to do jobs such as replying to emails, sending out invoices, or updating your social media, and stick to this schedule.
It’s also worth considering what tasks can (and should) be outsourced. If setting up your own website is going to take you two weeks, keeping you from doing any translation in that time, it’s a smart financial decision to hire a professional. As with so many things, balance is key.
Master the skill of self-discipline
As we’ve already mentioned, the freelancer life is hectic and full of varied responsibilities that can be difficult to juggle.
Add to this the fact that you’re working from home surrounded by distractions everywhere you turn, from the TV in the living room to the pile of dishes in the kitchen, and it takes a whole lot of self-discipline to get any work done.
Luckily many people do this every day, and there are lots of resources out there to help you find the best system for you, whether it’s adopting The Pomodoro Technique or installing programmes that block distracting websites, find what works for you and stick to it.
Keep your clients happy
Never forget that without clients, your business doesn’t exist. Mastering the art of keeping your customers happy is vital to professional success, and sometimes that means being flexible and going that extra mile.
For translators this means having clear communication with the client to find out what their requirements are, coming up with a realistic deadline, and sticking to it.
Happy customers lead to repeat business, so don’t be afraid to ask clients for testimonials that can be used to attract new business.
Improve your money management skills
Keeping on top of your finances, from maintaining steady cash flow and doing your taxes to chasing up payments and outsourcing work, is a large part of any freelancer’s life.
When it comes to income, it can be tempting to focus solely on large projects that bring in the big bucks, but remember that small, regular projects can be just as valuable in the long run, filling in the quiet spells between those big jobs.
Consider using accounting software systems to help you stay on top of your finances. Wave or Freshbooks are both good options and once they are set up they will give you more time to focus on other important areas of your business.
Separate your work and personal lives
As a freelancer or small business owner, it’s all too easy for work to take over your life. There will be moments, especially at the beginning of your career, when you will need to work extremely long hours to meet tight deadlines, but the earlier you establish boundaries between your professional and personal lives, the better.
Set aside specific times when you are off the clock and give yourself some distance from the computer. Turn off your email notifications and step away from the office.
Giving yourself proper breaks will make you happier and more productive in the long run.
Prepare to explain what you do
To someone outside of the translation industry, your job may be a real mystery, which can make it hard to convince them of the importance of hiring a professional translation service provider over an unqualified bilingual colleague.
Take some time to come up with a clear, concise explanation of what you offer – an elevator pitch of sorts – and get comfortable defending your worth.
Now with all our worldly advice behind you, it’s time to get motivated, get out there, and get cracking! You are ready to succeed as a freelance translator!
If you are looking for a reliable translation service for any language from German to Portuguese, BeTranslated is here for you.
With a vast network of translators specialised in areas such as website translation and business translation, we have the right linguist for you. For information or a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch today.
