| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: How much time have you spent in a country of your main source language(s)? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
Michele Fauble 
United States
Local time: 12:04
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
Most of that time in Norway and France, but also Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Spain, England, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium.
| | | | | about 3 weeks | May 24, 2015 |
Admittedly this is a special case as I've spent loads of time in the other Scandinavian countries.
But I strongly disagree that you have to have lived in the source language country. It depends entirely on what you translate. The more technical it is, the less likely it is to matter.
I'd be more worried about those who live abroad losing their mother tongue...
| | | | Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 00:34
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Six months or a life time | May 25, 2015 |
My main source language is English, and I have lived all my life in India, except four short spells of not more than a few months to the US, Europe and China.
The situation of India with regards to English is ambiguous. While English is one of the two official languages of India (the other being Hindi), India is by no stretch of imagination an English-speaking country. Yet many people receive all their education in English, use it as the main working language, and get extremely prof... See more My main source language is English, and I have lived all my life in India, except four short spells of not more than a few months to the US, Europe and China.
The situation of India with regards to English is ambiguous. While English is one of the two official languages of India (the other being Hindi), India is by no stretch of imagination an English-speaking country. Yet many people receive all their education in English, use it as the main working language, and get extremely proficient in it.
So you can take your pick, it is either six months or a life time, in my case.
This poll again highlights the special case of English, a language that has gone global. Many contentions that would be just fine with other languages, crumble down when faced with the peculiar case of a language that straddles the globe and has more non-native users and speakers than natives. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
I fully agree with Chris S, that it is not absolutely necessary to live for a long time in a country where your source language is spoken, to be able to translate from that language into your mother tongue.
My good knowledge and understanding of the English language arises from many years of study, lots of reading, my working for 25 years as bilingual secretary and interacting with many English speaking people, including two bosses coming from U.S.A.
Finally, my fiel... See more I fully agree with Chris S, that it is not absolutely necessary to live for a long time in a country where your source language is spoken, to be able to translate from that language into your mother tongue.
My good knowledge and understanding of the English language arises from many years of study, lots of reading, my working for 25 years as bilingual secretary and interacting with many English speaking people, including two bosses coming from U.S.A.
Finally, my fields of expertise are in the technical area. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 15:04
Portuguese to English
+ ...
I've spent 1 day in la Ciudad de Juarez, México, and it's the only day I've been outside of my country,
but I have Boricuas and Mexican@s in my own family, and was married to a Brasileira, I've lived with 1 Peruana, 1 Chilena, 3 Colombianas, varias Boricuas...and all three of my source languages (ES, FR, PT) are spoken by local immigrants in my city, and I speak them all regularly right here.
Local immigrant communities (Latinos, African... See more I've spent 1 day in la Ciudad de Juarez, México, and it's the only day I've been outside of my country,
but I have Boricuas and Mexican@s in my own family, and was married to a Brasileira, I've lived with 1 Peruana, 1 Chilena, 3 Colombianas, varias Boricuas...and all three of my source languages (ES, FR, PT) are spoken by local immigrants in my city, and I speak them all regularly right here.
Local immigrant communities (Latinos, Africans (Guinea, Congo) and Haitians that speak French, Brasileiros, Cape Verdeans, and Portuguese (no Moçambique or Angolans, yet...)) know me and invite me to their barbecues and stuff.
I've been outside my country for one day, but I've partied with people from around the world!
I can dance salsa, bachatas, vallenatos, forró, (tried to learn cuecas from Chile, but that was tough) and I listen to mucho rock en español, and muito de MPB e tropicalia from Brasil, as well as rock brasileiro, African music, etc. all the time.
(no so much music in French...the French, malheursement, do NOT rock...although I do enjoy Keren Ann and Francis Cabrel, and a few others on a rare occasion).
My life is full of other language, cultures, food, music, etc., and I love it that way!
[Edited at 2015-05-25 01:55 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 15:04
Portuguese to English
+ ...
| lack of funds, not respect | May 25, 2015 |
Phoebe Ruth wrote:
So far, 13.9% of respondents say they have spent less than one month in the country of their main source language!!
How can you gain any real insights into a culture or mentality without spending time there? I'm not saying you have to live there for years and years... but less than a month seems to me to display a total lack of interest – as if it's not even worth spending your holidays there!
I would LOVE to spend some time in Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Brasil, Moçambique, México, Peru, Spain, France, Portugal, and other countries where my source languages are spoken (I speak 4 of the 7 most spoken languages, and they're spoken all over the globe), but I grew up dirt poor (Dad did farm labor), and I simply never had the funds for study-abroad programs, after college I taught in public schools, where I remained dirt poor, and came to translation shortly before W. flushed our economy down the toilet, and I was already a single parent by then (I've raised my daughter on my own since she was 6 months old. She'll be 16 years old on June 1).
I have absolutely no lack of respect for the cultures that speak my source languages; I have studied them and take every possible opportunity to meet and spend time with those here who are from those places, and learn as much as I can from them; I read their books, listen to their music, watch their movies, etc., etc.
I haven't had the means to travel abroad. Heck I haven't even had the means to take "holidays" but once in my entire adult life (I took my daughter to Disney). When I was a teacher, I spent every summer painting houses or waiting tables, just as I did while putting myself through university.
When I was younger, I had opportunities to travel all around my own country (farm labor is like that), where many, many languages are spoken.
Not everybody is spoiled and privileged enough to travel the world.
[Edited at 2015-05-25 02:04 GMT]
| | | |
Anthony Baldwin wrote:
Not everybody is spoiled and privileged enough to travel the world.
It is very naive to say that if you do not travel enough to the countries of your source language is because of a lack of interest. I am glad to know it is not only me who thinks the same.
If you have been privileged in life you see life through rose-colored glasses, unfortunately.
| | | | | Lack of interest? | May 25, 2015 |
Phoebe Ruth wrote:
So far, 13.9% of respondents say they have spent less than one month in the country of their main source language!!
How can you gain any real insights into a culture or mentality without spending time there? I'm not saying you have to live there for years and years... but less than a month seems to me to display a total lack of interest – as if it's not even worth spending your holidays there!
I’m always astonished when people generalize and judge people quickly. Aren’t we all different? Don’t we all live in different circumstances? I only started traveling late in life as I found myself alone (widow) with three small children to support. Was I less interested in cultures and languages because I couldn’t travel for a while? NO!
| | |
|
|
|
Chris S wrote:
I'd be more worried about those who live abroad losing their mother tongue...
That's something I'm quite aware of and I have been paying every attention to…
| | | | | Longer than anywhere else | May 25, 2015 |
I think it depends a lot these days what language you live with and how accessible it is on the Internet and in the media.
If the source is not very widespread and the target is widespread (in my case Danish to English), then it is a great advantage to live in the source country. I can't escape English anyway.
I have lived in Denmark for 36 years. There is the risk of losing my native language, but I visit the UK and work at my English. Anyone my age has to work at thei... See more I think it depends a lot these days what language you live with and how accessible it is on the Internet and in the media.
If the source is not very widespread and the target is widespread (in my case Danish to English), then it is a great advantage to live in the source country. I can't escape English anyway.
I have lived in Denmark for 36 years. There is the risk of losing my native language, but I visit the UK and work at my English. Anyone my age has to work at their language to keep up - there are so many phenomena that simply did not exist when we were young, right down to screens on computers! I hope I don't sound like an elderly hippie, but that would be the result if we spoke as we used to when we grew up.
It would be far more difficult to keep up a real minority language from a distance. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
I was given the opportunity to live in Argentina for a couple of years, which is when I started interpreting and translating.
Aside from living with my Argentine wife/translation partner, we live in an area with a large and active Spanish speaking population. Of course, the US is the second largest Spanish-speaking country in the world (behind Mexico) ^_^
| | | | | Being young and having three main source languages, not that long... | Jun 5, 2015 |
I just graduated 10 months ago, have been working full time(not as a translator but as a secretary, because in-house translator jobs are scarce) for 7 months.
When I was a minor, I surely didn't have the possibility to choose where I lived, that was my parents' choice. Afterwards I attended university in my country as well (although I did use my languages a lot, studying Translation...).
I'm 24 years old now, have three main source languages (English, French, Spanish) ... See more I just graduated 10 months ago, have been working full time(not as a translator but as a secretary, because in-house translator jobs are scarce) for 7 months.
When I was a minor, I surely didn't have the possibility to choose where I lived, that was my parents' choice. Afterwards I attended university in my country as well (although I did use my languages a lot, studying Translation...).
I'm 24 years old now, have three main source languages (English, French, Spanish) and let's count how much time I have spent in countries of those source languages:
- English: this would be the language for which I spent the least time in "its country": 2x2 (so 4) weeks in total
- French: that's easier: If I really count: spending 24/24 7/7 in that region: 6-7 weeks. That being said, I now work in Brussels, where French is more spoken than Dutch (my native language)
- Spanish: 3+3+8 weeks = 4 months in total
Considering my age and situation, and considering I had to pay it all myself (while I didn't earn money yet), I don't think that that's too bad.
In total: 6-7 months. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| All of my life :P | Jun 9, 2015 |
About 80% of my work is PL>EN.
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: How much time have you spent in a country of your main source language(s)? | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
