''I think it is a wonderful job''

On the solidity of the translation profession

Helle V.Dam and Karen Korning Zethsen, Aarhus University
Summary Hasan Huseinović

This article offers the opportunity to read some of the translators’ experiences and
perspectives of how (under) valued this job is. It also highlights translators’ satisfaction, their
opinion about the vibrancy of this occupation and excitement that different fields bring to
make it more diverse. ''The research has occupied four different but closely related studies, a
total of 307 Danish business (non-literary) translators — 47 company translators, 66 agency
translators, 131 freelance translators, and 63 staff translators working at the European Union.''
(V. Dam & Zethsen, 2016, p. 2) The research is conducted in order to recognize if translation
has been defined as the means of providing official professional status and whether translators
are paid enough when it compares both to quality and quantity of their work. The survey has
also covered the comparison between translators and interpreters and their opinions, pros and
cons about their job and if they are pleased with effectiveness of their occupation.

In one of the paragraphs, there are examples of conduction whether the translators’ and
interpreters’ occupations are something considered to be the real-job time and career-
developing interests or just something people are not interested in for long period of time. The
article emphasizes and underlines advantages and disadvantages of pursuing career in
translation. '' We are therefore faced with what seems to be a paradox: a profession that is held
in low esteem and that offers sub-standard working conditions, on the one hand, and many
happy professionals, on the other.'' (V. Dam & Zethsen, 2016, p. 4) According to conduction,
it is concluded that translation may be undervalued and not paid enough. It also may be
considered as the low-ranked profession as translators and interpreters are not appreciated as
educated and skilled experts, but on the other hand, they find their job vibrant, exciting,
unpredictable and varied, which eventually leads to the assumptions that translation may be
the lucrative profession.

References

V.Dam, H. & Zethsen, K.K. (2016 ). I think it is a wonderful job; On the solidity of the
translation profession. The Journal of Specialised Translation.
Retrieved from http://www.jostrans.org/issue25/art_dam.php