Yay!

[syredronning]

Last week, when I was in Pinneberg, I took the official 2 hours initial written test for the "Staatl. geprüfter Übersetzer" (certified translator). The test was partially German grammar etc. where I scored 65/68 points = very good, and English grammar and translation where I scored 59/75 points = satisfactory.

Which means I would qualify for the training course for becoming Cert. Translator! YAY! :)

However, I'm more inclined not to pursue this road at the moment. Reasons:
- It's a 24 months course with an estimated invest of 14 hours a week into studying (which is a lot).
- It costs quite some money.
- But more problematic is that you need to attend about 9 modules that take place on weekends, and foremost in the south of Germany. Which adds very considerable costs for driving and hotel as well as blocking a lot of weekends...and I tend to have lots of weekend activities.
- Another point is that I don't really want to be able to translate commercial or legal texts, and the cultural background of the US and UK isn't that important for my IT work either.
- I DO get techwriting-with-translation projects for years, and I don't think that I a) want to do more pure translation work and b) would get more techwriter work if I had that title.

The English part of the test checked if you had the necessary English level, which is ALTE4 = Certificate of Advanced English (CAE). Now, when I worked through some of that grammar stuff, I found I lack knowledge in some fields. So right now I'm thinking about just perfecting the ALTE4 level and get the CAE, which would be helpful for my work and hobbies without costing too much time and money.

Well. I really liked the material for the Cert. Translator which I could see in Pinneberg, but I fear it would eat my life (we're talking about 10 cm of DinA4 paper/module!). I wish I could book some of the modules only, like translation techniques...

In any case, it's been the first written test in ages, and I'm very happy and relieved I scored well :))))

Comments

[cedara]

I'll take that course for you, :-D

And congrats!

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

If I had the money, I'd sponsor you :) Didn't you want to make that Fremdsprachensekretärin track?

And thank you! :)

*still deeply in Heroes squee*

[cedara]

Yeah, I wanted to. But they don't finance it. Not without being offered a job. But I can't get a job if I don't have better qualifications.

Duh.

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Uh :/

[epistrophia.livejournal.com]

Oh, I got very excited when I saw your post... and then read your list of "why not"s and can see why you might not want to do it. But still, very good result, and maybe you'll find something that fits you better?

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

It's the only program for that particular title (except for studying on a local school, for which I wouldn't have the time at all).

A part of me would love doing it, because I like to learn new things. But it would be a big commitment, really...sigh .

my english is polish enough!

[illariy.livejournal.com]

Congrats, those results are good! The Cert. Translator training course certainly sounds intriguing but the cost both of time and money is rather demanding :/

I really liked the material for the Cert. Translator which I could see in Pinneberg, but I fear it would eat my life (we're talking about 10 cm of DinA4 paper/module!). I wish I could book some of the modules only, like translation techniques...

I wonder if it occured to them that people might be interested in doing parts only? Or if it wouldn't be worth the extra bit of organising to them... in any case, I hope you find good material soon :-)

--illariy
(who should probably polish up her English :P but finds it difficult to locate workbooks that are challenging enough and yet not too nitpicky=boring. Or it could be just procrastination at work *g*)

Re: my english is polish enough!

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Heya :)

They do offer a few of the modules, but as distance course only (nothing online, nobody to talk to) so it's of limited use IMO.

I'm now checking other options, like attending something at the http://wallstreetinstitute.de/ .

I like the two books I got for the First (http://www.amazon.de/Grammar-Vocabulary-First-Certificate-Sch%C3%BClerbuch/dp/3526400180/ref=sr_1_2/302-9960009-5248824?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179865869&sr=8-2) and Advanced Certificate (unavailable?) grammar some years ago. It takes some energy to start, but once you make a little progress, it's fine.

Re: my english is polish enough!

[illariy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if you get only the paper and no interaction, it wouldn't be the same.
I'd planned to take an English course at the university again this semester but at first, it looked as if it wouldn't take place and when it did come back on, I'd already committed myself to Hungarian 4 hours a week. Which is also fun but less use for my studies, and for communicating (plus there is no Spock!torture in Hungarian, duh).

So it's books only for me until next semester, hopefully. Many thanks for the recs, I'll go dig in the university library tomorrow :-) And also thanks for the encouragment re: studying with them on one's own!