French is one of the most popular languages in the world, and the United Nations even use French as a powerful language of diplomacy. Moreover, it’s known as a working language in the UN because it’s one of the six languages they use when conducting official business. That’s why you will find tons of professional work for French translators in the UN and many government agencies. Aside from that, offering French translation services services is a great way to earn a living in today’s world.
If you’re planning to get into the business of French translations, there are some facts about the language you need to remember. It will help you establish a good name in the market, and more people will hear about your name. Read on to know some of these important facts.
Know the Type of Frech You’re Going to Offer
If you’re about to start your career as a French translator, then you already may have known about the other continents that also speak French. Some of these countries are France, Canada, Haiti, and Madagascar. Even though they all speak French, there’s still a considerable difference in pronunciation, grammar, meaning, and vocabulary. That’s what it means to be divided by a common language. So before you start your business, you need to customize your content to ensure that it’s understood in different countries.
French Has Tricky Idioms
Idioms are often difficult to translate word for word, and the French language has a lot of idioms. You need to be linguistic and have the cultural knowledge to find the exact equivalent of a French expression. Translating it in its correct words is not enough unless these phrases exist in your target language. If you take it literally, the translations will be funny or nonsense. For example, “C’est la fin des haricots” has a literal translation of “It’s the end of the beans.” But its correct equivalent is “It’s the last straw.”
The French Equivalent Expands When Translated from English
If you’re translating an English document to French, it will usually take up to 15% to 20% of your page. That means if you follow a format, you will need to adjust it again after you have translated a text. Or you need to come up with an alternative and find a better translation.
The Bottomline
French is a part of the Top 10 list online. So you don’t have to worry about the French language disappearing since the French President is looking for more ways to boost the language both offline and online. So if you want a more aesthetically pleasing and well-read French document, you should remember some of the facts above.
