Becoming credentialed to offer certified translation services is an important first step to becoming a professional translator. Once you are certified, it will be easier to persuade clients that you have the skills necessary to successfully complete their projects. According to the American Translators Association (ATA), translation jobs will increase 24 percent from 2006 levels by 2016. For this reason, the credentialing process is a worthwhile endeavor even if it takes some time to complete.

You should first decide what languages you will take the certification tests for. Your best bet is to use your native language, as well as whichever secondary language you are most familiar with. If you speak multiple languages, begin with your two strongest. The ATA gives a certification exam that includes 24 languages, so you will likely be able to find the languages you want to work with among their tests. To take the ATA’s test, you will need to submit proof of education that is related to the type of translating you will be tested for. If you have a graduate degree, you can take the translation exam, regardless of what field the degree is in.

Some courts, social service groups, and private agencies also conduct certification exams. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 26 percent of translators work on a freelance basis. Because of this, a recognized and respected organization is your best bet for getting credentialed. You will want prospective clients to know that your credential is meaningful.

According to the BLS, 9 percent of providers of certified translation services work for the federal government. However, also according to the BLS, federal government translators make the most money-these translators earned $79,865 annually on average. Many government agencies that hire translators give some kind of exam during the hiring process. Even if you do not take an exam that is recognizable outside of that particular agency, having worked for the government as a translator will bolster your credibility.

Many freelance translators find work through employment agencies. If you work with employment agencies, you will probably have to take in-house credentialing tests. Depending on the reputability of the employment agency you tested with, you may be able to use those credentialing tests in lieu of more official certification exams. Providing certified translation services is a financially and intellectually rewarding career, so accumulating as many certifications as you can qualify for is a good idea.

According to research conducted by Ethnologue, the most common language spoken in the world is Chinese. However, based on research conducted by Internet World Stats, English is the most common language used online. Both of these statistics emphasize the importance of Chinese to English and English to Chinese translation. However, there are a few challenges associated with English to Chinese translation.

The Chinese language uses a logographic system for written words. One Chinese character can symbolize an entire phrase. Similar to the English language, a character can also have more than one meaning depending on how it is incorporated into the overall text. Additionally, the English language focuses on sentence structure while the Chinese language focuses on the meaning of the sentence. It is not possible to translate English sentences directly into Chinese sentences. Rather, the translator would need to translate the sentences based on their meaning, which requires in-depth knowledge of both languages.

The English language is dynamic and constantly changes. Many of the words commonly used today did not exist in the language two decades ago. This means some words in the English language may not have a counterpart in the Chinese language, leading to text that cannot be translated. For example, slang is primarily localized. The slang used in English-speaking countries will not be the same as the slang used in Chinese-speaking countries. Therefore, an English slang word may need to be edited out of the text because a word with a similar meaning cannot be found in Chinese.

Another common difficulty in English to Chinese translation is grammar.  In the English language, information is conveyed with the use of verbs. However, in the Chinese language, information is conveyed through word order and intonation. English sentences must be deconstructed and rearranged before they can be properly translated into Chinese.

Lastly, the number of Chinese languages can present a challenge. The Ethnologue states there are 14 Chinese language groups. Different areas in China have different dialects. While the languages do share some commonality, they are dissimilar enough that a word in Mandarin may not have the same meaning as one in Shaojiang. This is similar to the English spoken in the United States having words that mean something different than those same words used by English speakers in the United Kingdom. The correct English to Chinese translation will depend on the area of China where the communication will be sent.

French is spoken by around 90 million people as a first language. A further 180 million speak it as a second tongue. Aside from France, French is spoken in numerous countries, from Quebec and Guyana to Laos and Mauritius. Therefore, a French to English translation may be necessary when dealing with documents from another country.

The basics of French are different from English. French has two distinct grammatical genders, which are a throwback to its Latin origins. The gender may be indicated by un or une, le or la, or de or du, for example. This is not to say une chat means that all cats are female; it merely means that the word itself has a gender that is not related to the actual gender of the animal. In addition, it has around 130 commonly used irregular verbs compared to English’s 200. French regular verb forms are divided into three distinct groups, whereas there is only one regular English verb form. So in some ways, English is a little simpler than French, but in other ways, it is more complex, as irregular verbs are often the more commonly used ones.

There are also words that are often known as false friends, or faux amis. La radio means “the radio,” but un car is “a coach.” Actuel means the present, not actual, and occasion means “bargain.” These words can trip up even experienced translators because there are thousands of them. Part of the problem derives from English and French having several similar influences that have mutated the language over the years.

As with any international language, different dialects may have different words for the same thing. In Metropolitan French, also known as standard French, bonjour means “good day.” In Creole French,bonzou serves the same function. In Qu√©b√©coise, the French spoken in parts of Canada, the word “to cheat” is cotchiner; in standard French, this word is tricher. This means an accurate translation can be a matter of educated guesswork if the translator is unfamiliar with the dialect.

Idioms are a nightmare for someone preparing a French to English translation. Appuyer sur le champignon literally means, “press the mushroom,” but a knowledgeable translator would translate it as “hit the gas.” Another phrase a translator might come across is √° la suave qui peut, which literally means, “he who saves, can.” A seasoned translator should know this means “every man for himself.” Idioms usually require specific knowledge, whether they are in a French to English translation or an English to French translation.

Often, a French to English translation has different problems, depending on whether the person translating is a native French or English speaker. French and English may use different verb tenses. A French speaker might literally translate j’ai jou√© au tennis hier as “I have played tennis yesterday. A native English speaker would know this should be, “I played tennis yesterday.”

A French to English translation can be a tricky thing for the inexperienced French or English speaker. While the countries where the languages originated from are only separated by a narrow channel of water, the differences in the languages mean that an accurate translation can be difficult to discern.