Recommendation: if you want to learn a foreign language, DON'T start by visiting a country full of its native speakers straight away

It's easy enough to claim that the purpose of language is universal and fixed (basic communication)... but language itself is a broad topic, isn't it? Not least because there are always occasions where the mere implication of particular words or phrases is enough to cause embarrassment (at best). Or language itself can be a source of immense confusion or frustration. I sometimes wonder if a foreigner has ever come to Britain and learned some lower variety of English - like, say Geordie English - only to gain the impression that that it is standard English when it is clearly not (with apologies to the Geordie community).

I suppose this only reinforces the statement by the translation company http://www.trans-localize.com that "Translators are the importers of foreign cultural values and key players at some of the great moments of history." Come to think of it, I have to agree that it is the same in real life; with professionals overlooking the marketing statements about themselves that are present in what is usually just accepted as standard and straightforward practice for businesses in general (such is the delivery of invoices). At any rate, one would do well to be aware of the reader-friendliness factor when attempting to "sell" something (themselves included)... I am hoping that this blog would encourage its readers to consider how much of a link there is between lack of reader-friendliness present in whatever written material, and the concept of someone reading the same understanding information from it that is false, not valid... not existent. And after all, writing legal documents is just one example of a task that requires the proper experience and perspectives!

New translators: you may well find yourself being asked this question (in the future)

So you want to be a freelance translator?

First of all, good luck - but this is not really an in-depth study of what you "should" be aiming to do on a regular basis, or of how to approach translation projects, or anything like that; this is but a piece of friendly advice.

Sometimes when you register with new translation agencies they will ask you on their application form how many words you have translated professionally since you started. I have registered with new translation agencies that would ask this exact same question, but I could not give an answer because I had no idea how many words I had translated; and it took me ages to find out!

The point of this blog is pretty clear. Keep a record of how many words you translate, so you won't make the mistake I did.