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With the advent of modern telecommunications and new global business
practices, the world as we know it has gotten significantly smaller
over the last half century, in that it is now possible—in fact,
easy—to interact and do business with someone thousands of miles
away. In the exciting new economic environment that has developed
around this idea of a global village, businesspeople and consumers
alike must communicate with each other every day, in hundreds of
different languages, in order to remain competitive, making translation
a cornerstone of modern business. The Danish language, which is
spoken by almost six million people worldwide, is a major section
of this new market, and companies in Denmark and around the world
will require the services of talented Danish language translators
in order to capture it.
Anyone who is considering a new career as a Danish
language translator should consider the following criteria in order
to evaluate their chances of success:
1. |
Writing Abilities: Professional
Danish language translators have excellent written expression
skills, and are able to communicate fluently both in Danish
and another language. They must feel comfortable experimenting
with the wording of documents in order to produce something
that reflects the meaning of the source material in the target
language. Do you consider yourself a writer, someone who is
able to express subtle gradations of meaning? |
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2. |
Education and Training: Most Danish language
translators have taken at least a bachelor’s degree in their
language of choice, and many have passed certification exams
offered by the American Translators Association (ATA) or the
International Federation of Translators (FIT). Are you interested
in language enough to commit yourself to a full-time course
of study? |
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3. |
Areas of Specialty: Many Danish language
translators specialize in a given field, handling only translations
that fall within their areas of knowledge. For instance, a
person with business experience might translate financial
documents, balance sheets, or tax information, while a scientist
might translate lab reports, case studies, and textbooks.
What other skills do you bring to the table? |
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4. |
Finally, Danish language translators
must possess an intimate knowledge of regional dialects, as
well as those of different social groups, and select the dialect
that fits the assignment and the intended purpose of the translation.
A business contract or a deed might be translated in standardized
Danish, for example, in order for it to stand up in court,
while an advertisement might be translated into colloquial
Danish, so that it will have a better chance of reaching its
audience. Are you familiar with the nuances of Danish dialects? |
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If you are encouraged by the answers to the questions above, then
finding a career in Danish translation might be the right move for
you.
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