This talk is the opening welcome to the Modlingua internship programme. Ravi Kumar explains what interns will and will not do, and why linguists who add business and technology skills earn a better deal in the market. Run time is about 13 minutes 30 seconds.
Summary of the talk
- Focus on survival skills. The programme builds the basic skills a new professional needs in the translation and language market. It does not repeat what students already learn in college, such as grammar or how to translate a text.
- Managing problems, not just text. The training covers the problems translators meet at work and when entering business: how to brand yourself, how to promote your business, project and quality management, documentation, understanding client intentions and filtering out bad clients early.
- Learn by doing. Using the example of learning to ride a bicycle, he stresses that theory is one thing and practice another. Everything discussed in the programme is practised, with feedback on every assignment.
- Power relations and bargaining. People with knowledge and authority get a better deal in any system, with higher pay, perks and standing. A linguist who works only on text has limited scope next to a project manager, sales manager or localisation engineer.
- Upgrade beyond translation. To claim a bigger share, linguists should add technology, project management, sales and social media skills, so they add value across the supply chain. In time they can become entrepreneurs and job providers instead of job seekers.
- Continuous improvement. Skills grow brick by brick through assignments, correction and improvement on a regular basis, with the trainer acting as guide during the programme.
About the speaker and programme
Ravi Kumar draws on about 20 years in the field, including 13 years as a professor at the Indian Institute of World Trade and training of more than 2,000 linguists and interpreters. He also mentions the Entrepreneurship Development Center, which has published books such as The Role of Translation in Nation Building, Joy of Translating in Indian Literature, Machine Tools and Translation and Translation Processes.
More from Modlingua: rubric analysis and common writing errors, error control for writers and translators (Hindi), and our article Translation: art or skill?
By Ravi Kumar
