*LONG POST ALERT*
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Today, I’d like to tell you about what I do for a living.
If you know me, you’d know that this is one part of my life I usually keep away from social media (except LinkedIn) and for very good reasons.
However, paradigms have shifted and we are in a completely different era now when it comes to working. Due to the pandemic, a great majority of us are working from home as much as possible and this isn’t going to change any time soon. I might as well take advantage of it now.
Revenons à nos moutons.
I am a professional Translator and Conference Interpreter [with a passion for creative writing]. Meaning, I did not just pick up language skills (which are skills you need to have before studying/training for these professions so no, this isn’t language proficiency studies) and started doing this. I actually went to school for it because I had a passion for it and it was my dream. I spent 6 years in total for each course and training.
I have come to realize that when it comes to my profession, a lot of people are still unaware of the technicalities it comes with. The African market is a different type of market for people of my profession and it is still new territory to an extent. From a few conversations I’ve had around, most people don’t even know that translation and interpretation are actual professions you need to go to school and get training for.
This is mostly because that in the past, all the translation and interpretation schools especially, were in Europe and if you wanted to get training, you had to go there.
Today, thanks to the existence of schools like the School of Translators of the Ghana Institute of Languages, and initiatives like the PAMCIT program (the Pan-African Masters Consortium in Conference Interpreting and Translation), it is no longer the case. There is still a lot to be done to professionalize the African market. One of which is convincing grey market colleagues that getting proper training is important and beneficial if we want to increase our collective value, and be taken seriously by our counterparts and employers from around the globe.
Back to the main matter.
So, what can I do for you ?
I can help you break language barriers by offering you the following services:
Translation (written language services. Yes, it is different from interpreting and I had to have a separate training for it):
ENGLISH into FRENCH
FRENCH into ENGLISH
SPANISH into ENGLISH
SPANISH into FRENCH
EƲE into FRENCH/ENGLISH
FRENCH/ENGLISH into EƲE
Conference interpreting – remotely for now via platforms like ZOOM, KUDO etc, then in person when we’re all safe and allowed to gather again. (spoken language services during any type of meeting):
FRENCH into ENGLISH
ENGLISH into FRENCH
EƲE into FRENCH/ENGLISH
FRENCH/ENGLISH into EƲE
Transcription (spoken into written language services):
FRENCH into ENGLISH
ENGLISH into FRENCH
EƲE into FRENCH/ENGLISH
Creative writing in FRENCH/ENGLISH:
-Helping you write a relatable story about your product for social media marketing.
-Helping you edit and put together your motivational letter for a college or job application etc.
-Helping you put together content for your devotional or blog.Voice over for advertisement in FRENCH/ENGLISH/EƲE
I am yet to offer the last two service on a professional basis but I have done it free of charge for friends in the past and I think it’s high time I marketed these skills of mine as well. Maybe seeing EƲE in there made you laugh ? Well, it did for me too until recently. I never took it seriously in terms of professional value, until a recruiter contacted me because I listed that language on my LinkedIn profile as a native speaker.
CALL ON ME if you need any of the services listed above. I would be glad to discuss the technical details with you.
At this point, I’m sure you have a few questions so let me answer them right away.
YES, a Translator is different from an interpreter. One skill does not automatically imply the other but very often, translators go on to become interpreters. You can then have both skills in one person, like in my case. You can also have someone who is just a Translator or an interpreter.
YES, there are different types of interpretation. The one you see being done at church is referred to as “community interpreting” and is not the same as conference interpreting. Both are specialities in their class.
NO, I do not offer language lessons (like teaching French or English. I consider myself as not having the necessary tools and interest for it)
YES, I am not cheap but what I offer you is professionalism, quality and value for your money. Aside from that, I help you avoid embarrassment during your important multilingual events/meetings because you chose to go for a professional who knows what she is doing, instead of just hiring anyone who’s considered a “bilingual”.
NO, I am not a Ghanaian. French is my A language (equivalent to mother tongue) and I am a francophone from nearby.
If you’re interested in becoming a language professional or you’re just curious about job prospects in this field, hit my inbox and let’s get talking.
#LSP#RSI#LanguageProfessional#translatorlife#conferenceinterpreter
If you read till the very end, THANK YOU so much for sticking around. Please remember to SHARE, LEAVE A COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE and most importantly, CONTACT ME for my services !!!
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