would like some advice please!

[fried_eggs]

Hello all, long time lurker here, first time poster.

 

A little about myself: got a B.A. in Latin American Studies at a top 20 university, and currently a masters student at my state university in poli sci. very interested in things like I.R., politics, refugee problems, immigration.

 

What I would really like to do is become an interpreter/translator for high-level politics. Like when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Brazil, to communicate he had to have an interpreter right? Or when Shinzo Abe and Park Geun-Hye meet, they need to speak through interpreters. I would like to do that as well as translate official documents (memos, articles, press releases etc.)

 

Currently, the only language I am 100% fluent in is English, although after learning Spanish for so long I would say I am fluent in Spanish but not to a college-educated level native speaker. Maybe more like a high school student. 

I am conversant in mandarin Chinese (half Chinese, so I guess heritage speaker but nowhere near totally fluent), and intermediate level French as well as beginning Korean. I would also like to pick up Japanese if possible.

 

Other than reading and using these languages everyday (I do that already, for the ones that I can at least), what do you think I should do to prepare? Are there grad programs specifically tailored to this? Should I even bother with a grad program? If not, are there other non-degree programs I could do? I am only 21 years old, soon to be 22, so I have the time. But I am not sure about money . 

 

Please help! 

Thank you in advance. 

Edited January 21, 2015 by fried_eggs

[snyegurachka]

I get you. I studied Russian for four years and speak like an 8 year old. The best way to get better at a language is to use it in the context that you want to be able to use it in.

 

Middlebury is good for short term intensive language skill building.

 

Applying to Fulbrights countries that use 1 or more of your languages would be a good cost-effective way to do this and will also improve your resume.

 

I am pretty sure that Chinese (and possibly Korean) qualify for the same "critical language" scholarships that Russian learners are offered. They are more IR oriented, so not great for me but would probably be a very good idea to explore for you.

[victorydance]

Sorry man, but you are all over the place here. Spanish, French, Chinese, starting Korean, want to learn Japanese? You are putting the cart before the horse. A good translator is fluent in two or three languages and hedges those skills. You don't need to be a massive polygot to be a good translator. In fact, you are wasting a lot of time and resources learning a bunch of languages to a rudimentary or intermediate level. Chinese is a massive commitment considering the amounts of characters and it's tonal nature. 

 

You need to pick a stream of language based on area and go hard with that. If you are interested in Latin America that would mean English + Spanish + Portuguese. If you are interested in East Asia that would mean English + Mandarin Chinese + Japanese. 

 

I don't know how this career trajectory works so I won't give advice on how to get to where you want to go. But pick two foreign languages that make regional sense and perfect them. 

[fried_eggs]

Thanks for the input!

That's just my wish list of languages, I don't necessarily need to work in all of them.

You can take off French (the only reason I have intermediate skills is because of its resemblance to Spanish). 

 

I'm interested in East Asia, so I guess as you say Chinese + Japanese for now. I kind of wish I didn't do Latin American studies for undergrad, but I spent so much time learning Spanish it would seem like a waste if I didn't continue. 

 

So if I followed your advice and for now just stick to Chinese + Japanese, what would be a good trajectory to take? I'm probably around 50% fluent in Chinese, and am going to continue with Spanish on my own since I've done it for so long and am more or less fluent to a degree. 

 

I'll keep the fulbright in mind! 

Edited January 21, 2015 by fried_eggs