Re: India doesn't have this problem
- From: "PeterL" <po.ning@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 21 Feb 2006 15:32:43 -0800
goodgutgut@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Desperate need for translators, interpreters 21/2/2006 9:24
One would think that with the international interest in China and in
the Chinese language, translators and interpreters would be begging for
jobs.
The opposite of course. A short course on supply and demand will set
you straight.
Far from it.
Translators and interpreters are needed desperately for both foreign
and Chinese governments and enterprises.
This shortage of language skills occurs at a time when foreign language
has never been more popular in China - it's compulsory in schools.
And learning Chinese is popular overseas.
But not everyone wants to be an interpreter or translator.
The translation industry employs around 500,000 people, including
retirees, college students and returnees from overseas universities who
work as freelancers.
But only 60,000 professional translators can produce accurate
translations from Chinese into a foreign language, according to Wang
Xin, an official with the Training Center of the China International
Publishing Group.
China currently has nearly 3,000 registered translation firms with more
than 400 in Beijing, according to the Translators Association of China.
But many of them are "briefcase companies" with only a telephone, a
computer and one or two full-time employees. The part-time translators
and interpreters they hire are not always qualified.
"Even the 60,000 professionals is not enough to meet China's growing
demand for exchanges with other countries," Wang said on the sidelines
of an address on "cultural aspects of translation," by Professor Wang
Ruojin of Beijing Foreign Studies University.
"Unless the problems are tackled properly, it will become a major
obstacle to China's economic development," said Wang, adding "China may
lose access to a huge amount of valuable information if no accurate and
timely translation is given, particularly with regard to the
state-of-the-art economic, scientific and technological updates from
the rest of the world."
English is compulsory in primary and secondary schools.
Besides, Chinese companies are facing worldwide customers and
competitors, she said. "The accuracy and efficiency in translation are
essential in the globalization drive."
(Xinhua)
.
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