I want to become a translator/interpreter between English and a few Asian languages. The ones I want to translate are Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, but mainly Japanese.
I can transfer to 2 different universities each with different degree options.
Uni 1: East Asian Studies major
Uni 2: Japanese major and Chinese major
I was wondering which one you think would be better for a translator. All the languages I’m learning are East Asian, but would it be better to get a general degree or a specific one? If I can double major in Japanese and Chinese would that the best option (I’m not sure if this is possible at the university).
Thank you!
What do you want to translate?
The actual major is a secondary consideration. Your level of fluency in your language(s), including speed / accuracy / slang / regional accents / dialects / etc. will matter more. You will want to spend meaningful time living in the language, get internships and do an interpreter course before sitting a certification exam.
The real key is to figure out what you want to interpret (internships are great for this)- it should be something intrinsically interesting to you. Most interpreters specialize in a field or sector, b/c you get familiar with the field-specific vocabulary and some background in the field makes for a better interpreter. And if you are thinking “UN” or something general like that- which part of the UN?? you can do anything from agriculture to intellectual property, from government to technology, from economics to human rights, etc.
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