Translation theory and practice

¶ … supervisor first handed me the stack of medical documents, case studies, and academic papers, my eyes bulged. As I had no formal medical training, much of the jargon looked like gibberish to me. In fact, I felt that I needed my own translator to turn the medial documents into plainer English. I quickly wondered how on earth I would be able to accomplish this task, and wondered if I had gotten in over my head. However, I took a deep breath and relaxed. My supervisor smiled at me, offering me a strong vote of confidence just by the look in her eyes. I smiled back and told her, "Of course!"

That marked the beginning of my successful career as a technical translator. Already a lover of languages and proficient in several, I wanted badly to become a professional translator so that I could channel my talents toward a viable goal. While at the university, I worked hard in related coursework and finally earned internship and professional positions as a translator. Because many people in my family work within the medical field I was somewhat familiar with the terminology and wording of technical documents. However, I had never worked as closely with medical or scientific jargon as I did during my stint at the university. With the assistance of my professors, academic advisors, coworkers, and assistants, I eventually developed a skill set that included a command of both English and Spanish medical and scientific terminology. Translating technical documents felt more like puzzle-solving than anything else. I approached each project as I would a strategy game and with accuracy, precision, and care, I worked on several important academic papers, making them accessible to non-English speakers in the medical profession. Therefore, I feel that my work makes an impact on the world, as I help doctors and scientists bring their work into the international community. Their studies and findings are now accessible to countless more individuals who can build upon their work.

Gradually, through my work in university courses and in professional and internship positions, I realized that translating technical documents is actually a specialty of mine, one that I would like to hone and perfect. I performed so well on those initial assignments that I was offered continued work and greater responsibilities. During my undergraduate career I worked directly with faculty physicians to draft and edit several scientific texts. Working with esteemed faculty and scientists boosted my self-confidence as well as added to my skill set. I have also been able to acquire advanced computer skills, especially in applications related to the office and word processing environments. Through my various professional positions, I have developed keen managerial, communicative, and business skills that will translate themselves into any workplace scenario. As I seek admissions to the Imperial College Masters Program in technical translation, I know that I already possess the requisite background knowledge and fundamentals to pursue and obtain my degree. Moreover, I feel I will be able to contribute greatly to the academic community as well as the student body in general, because I have considerable professional and academic experience and because I have traveled considerably throughout the world.

For instance, I recently worked as a translator in the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. My ability to work within various cultural, linguistic, and professional environments will be a powerful asset for me in graduate school. I am adaptable to many different environments and love weaving between cultures just as I like shifting from lexicon to lexicon. In fact, I look forward to learning new tongues and expanding my capacity for translating difficult technical documents between various languages including English and Spanish. While I feel I can adapt to any situation and work in any capacity as a translator, I do feel that my expertise lies within technical and scientific translations. I also know that this area of specialization will continue to be in high demand and I look forward to a rewarding and exciting career in this field once I complete my Masters' degree.

A Masters Degree will afford me the experience and further expertise that I need for a successful career in the future. I selected the program of study with care, as I have high expectations and I am finely focused on what I want to pursue academically. However, I also look forward to hearing the suggestions of my fellow classmates in the program as well as heeding the advice of my academic advisors. I am sure new doors will open for me as a graduate student, doors I might not have known existed before. At Imperial I will be able to work closely and network with faculty, staff, and fellow students, making contacts that could last a lifetime. Meeting new people, forging friendships, and learning new concepts in my chosen field are some of the most significant reasons why I eagerly look forward to commencing my graduate studies. As I am extremely focused and determined, I will bring energy and enthusiasm to the academic community at Imperial, and my friendly disposition will carry over into all that I do as a graduate student.

Although I work well with others I am also independent; much of my traveling has been solo and I truly enjoy adventure and challenge. A career in technical translation will potentially bring me to all corners of the globe. In fact, one of the reasons why I am particularly drawn to this profession is because I love interacting with and learning about different people and different cultures. I feel that translation is one of the most underrated and overlooked professions: with the hundreds of different languages around the world, it is we translators who build bridges between disparate people.