Why I Want to Be a Translator

by Estelle Xinyi Guo

First Year Writing Awards

First Place, Category: Information

Not long ago, Chinese translator Zhang Jing’s debut at the China-U.S. meeting in Alaska had sparked heated discussion on the Internet. Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a speech that lasted nearly 20 minutes, and Zhang Jing, a senior translator of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, completed the interpretation task calmly and smoothly. Undoubtedly, her solid performance, accurate translation and calm personality had earned her much praise. I was also surprised and admired about her excellent performance, and meantime I started to question myself why I want to be a translator. I come to realize that the reasons for this ambitious dream vary, mainly focusing on personal interest, diverse cultures and future life.

First and foremost, a keen interest in the process of translating and interpreting has guided me into being a professional translator. In learning and practicing translation, faced with a new text that needs to be translated into English or Chinese, I always obey the rule that I should take it seriously, learn the background and type of it, take full advantage of my reservoir of knowledge and then weigh every word carefully. It is full of magic, just like getting paid to solve puzzles all day. Sometimes the puzzles are easy, and I speed through them, other days they are like monster brain teasers that follow me from my desk to the grocery store to the dinner table to the shower. Suddenly, a blockbuster notion breaks through in a flash of insight that is as unexpected as it is blazingly clear, and the answer is right there. I found it! Or it found me! Either way it is a better day’s work. From my perspective, after finishing a piece of translation and checking the answers, I was surprised and delighted to find that my word choice matched the answers, especially in the translation of the prose. I really take pleasure in that inspiring moment and that wonderful journey, although at this stage I keep studying translation theory and learning how to become a qualified translator. Indeed, learning is a prolonged process in which the seeds must be carefully chosen; they must fall on good ground; they must be sedulously tended, if the vivifying fruits are to be at hand when needed. Anyway, I enjoy the feeling of crossing the threshold and walking on the road whose destination is my ideal.

Then, apparently, it is an excellent chance to be exposed to diverse cultures with peculiar customs. Translation is a demanding job that requires not only an effort to improve English and Chinese language skills, but also a constant absorption and enrichment of basic knowledge of the history, geography, politics, military, diplomacy, economy, culture, science, and customs of the related country. For instance, while translating “..., Philip went back to his rooms. It was Saturday afternoon, and the landlady was cleaning the stairs.” I am highly likely to mistranslate “landlady” into “a female landowner”. In fact, in Britain, the local people often rent out their houses separately for foreigners to stay in, which is called “landlord” or “landlady”. A few slight differences in the meaning between them may bring about misunderstandings which is the big no-no in translating. And it is by learning translation that I have a chance to learn these points regarding to cultures.

If I am a real translator, I will enjoy the privilege of walking freely through these worlds that non-translators catch only glimpses of. Through translation, it may well be that I can learn about higher education systems in different European countries, the make-up of African and Latin American economics, the technical and tactical aspects of transoceanic sailing, the history of Spain, the graphic design process from start to finish, how small businesses work and what services they offer and a vast range of other fascinating information. But more than that, my translations can give a much wider audience access to this information and shed light on a variety of cultures.

Finally, what stands out for me is the bright future life. Despite staying in the learning stage now, I am firmly convinced that this flexible and interesting job will be a double blessing for me in the future. In the first place, I have been hankering for a full and independent life which undoubtedly is based on enough money. I have met a variety of translators from social media, such as Weibo or Official Accounts where they often share their colorful work experience and personal life, thus learning that this is a well-paid occupation with 30,000 to 40,000 monthly salaries, certainly on the premise of being equipped with qualified or excellent professional ability. If this comes true one day, high salary brings the ideal life to me, and translation is my interest so that I even can get double satisfactions from working. Besides, it is not just that and then I am able to buy my favorite Daddy Sugar’s toasts, chocolate croissants, bacon bagels and muffins to eat freely. In other ways, money can be exchanged for a warm house, bought, or rented, with the open floor plan, the spacious kitchen (especially the oven) and a big bathtub that it is sheer paradise to relax in after a hard day’s work. But more than that, a private room is what I want most. It is a golden opportunity to escape my parents’ continual chatter, although I feel kind of attached to mum’s cooking. However, I am a person with fragile hair, thus losing my hair easily, especially in the shower when my hair always falls out in big handfuls, which is a tough problem I cannot change. Fed up with my dad saying all day long that my hair stains the floor and clogs the drain, I am eager to own a private room. Therefore, I can easily find a sense of fulfillment in a giant jewelry box with all the beautiful things that I have desired for a long time, such as a wide array of unique and delicious food or bread, a merry temperament and even freedom and privacy, all of which strengths the case for being a translator.

Certainly, Zhang Jing’s story, behind which is her sedulity, determination, and perseverance, offers a snapshot of the translation field. With the fast pace of globalization and communication between China and the world, competent translators are desperately needed, meanwhile businesses need translators to contribute to international exchanges, and at the same time put higher demands on the translation ability of talents. My translation journey would be a heavy burden and long road, but I do not give up whatever. It is my strong belief that watching the sunrise must wait till dawn!