Japanese at DCU

racheldna

I'm going into 6th year in September and I'm hoping to do Japanese in college afterwards. I want to be a translator eventually, if I get into DCU do I have to take the translations studies degree and do two languages? Or do I have any other options for becoming a translator? For example, would a joint honours degree with Japanese and a translation studies module be enough? any help or advice would be much appreciated!

Konata

racheldna wrote: »

I'm going into 6th year in September and I'm hoping to do Japanese in college afterwards. I want to be a translator eventually, if I get into DCU do I have to take the translations studies degree and do two languages? Or do I have any other options for becoming a translator? For example, would a joint honours degree with Japanese and a translation studies module be enough? any help or advice would be much appreciated!

I'm just finished the Applied Languages & Translation Studies course so I'll do my best to provide you with some info.

First off, you don't need any sort of a translation degree to become a translator. Most translation agencies will require you to pass their own exam before they take you on their books for freelance work. For getting an in-house translation job a degree might push you up the pile a bit but with translation experience is everything. You could sit at home and teach yourself Japanese and have as much a chance as becoming a translator as someone who studied it in uni as part of a translation degree. For getting an in-house job in Japan, employers will care more about your JLPT level, your experience and whether you can communicate well enough in an interview than a translation degree (although as I say, if two candidates have the exact same level and experience it could push you up a bit).

But all of that said, there is a real skill to translation and DCU is a fantastic place to learn it. There are many people who are excellent at a language but are crap translators - because they haven't learnt HOW to translate. There's so much more to it than knowing your 2nd lang (but obviously that's really important too!).

SO to answer your question you could do either course and become a translator. BUT if translation is really your goal right now then you should aim for the Applied Languages and Translation Studies course. That will give you the chance to have modules in Translation Theory, Localization, Translation Tools etc. etc. - all fantastic practical skills to have already learned when you start to work as a translator. The Japanese department is absolutely fab in DCU, I'm actually so sad to be leaving!

Anyway, if you have any other questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer

EDIT: I also wanted to add that translation is a tough road to go down and prepare to work hard from day one on your language. How good your Japanese is won't be determined by your degree - that is, just because you've completed 4 years of study in univeristy doesn't necessarily mean your Japanese is good enough to become a translator! But if you work hard right off the bat, you will definitely be in a very favorable position by the time you graduate

racheldna

Konata wrote: »

I'm just finished the Applied Languages & Translation Studies course so I'll do my best to provide you with some info.

First off, you don't need any sort of a translation degree to become a translator. Most translation agencies will require you to pass their own exam before they take you on their books for freelance work. For getting an in-house translation job a degree might push you up the pile a bit but with translation experience is everything. You could sit at home and teach yourself Japanese and have as much a chance as becoming a translator as someone who studied it in uni as part of a translation degree. For getting an in-house job in Japan, employers will care more about your JLPT level, your experience and whether you can communicate well enough in an interview than a translation degree (although as I say, if two candidates have the exact same level and experience it could push you up a bit).

But all of that said, there is a real skill to translation and DCU is a fantastic place to learn it. There are many people who are excellent at a language but are crap translators - because they haven't learnt HOW to translate. There's so much more to it than knowing your 2nd lang (but obviously that's really important too!).

SO to answer your question you could do either course and become a translator. BUT if translation is really your goal right now then you should aim for the Applied Languages and Translation Studies course. That will give you the chance to have modules in Translation Theory, Localization, Translation Tools etc. etc. - all fantastic practical skills to have already learned when you start to work as a translator. The Japanese department is absolutely fab in DCU, I'm actually so sad to be leaving!

Anyway, if you have any other questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer

EDIT: I also wanted to add that translation is a tough road to go down and prepare to work hard from day one on your language. How good your Japanese is won't be determined by your degree - that is, just because you've completed 4 years of study in univeristy doesn't necessarily mean your Japanese is good enough to become a translator! But if you work hard right off the bat, you will definitely be in a very favorable position by the time you graduate

Thank you so much for all your information ! That was very helpful, thank you ! I'd love to do the applied language and translation studies course, I really hope I can get into DCU next year. Just one more question, on the DCU site it says 'You will take either two intermediate languages, or one intermediate and one beginner's level language.' Is it necessary to take two languages? I'm really only interested in Japanese, can I take it alone?
Anyway, thank you so much ! And congrats on finishing your course, best of luck

Konata

racheldna wrote: »

Thank you so much for all your information ! That was very helpful, thank you ! I'd love to do the applied language and translation studies course, I really hope I can get into DCU next year. Just one more question, on the DCU site it says 'You will take either two intermediate languages, or one intermediate and one beginner's level language.' Is it necessary to take two languages? I'm really only interested in Japanese, can I take it alone?
Anyway, thank you so much ! And congrats on finishing your course, best of luck

Yes, you have to take two languages. I dropped French after 2nd year but unfortunately they've changed the rules since then and I believe you have to carry both languages to completion.

If you only want to do Japanese then the Arts course might be more suitable but it would have the disadvantage of not having the translation modules. Something for you to think about over the next year anyway but you've loads of time to mull it over