The Translator's Handbook [Paperback]

Morry Sofer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 188756375X | ISBN-13: 978-1887563758 | Publication Date: August 1, 2002 | Edition: 4th Revised Edition

This handbook has become the standard reference source for translators in the U.S. and around the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An impressively excellent informational resource for anyone seeking to pursue a career in the increasingly essential field of translation. -- Bookwatch, December 2002

Invaluable lists, while the advice given by the author is basically sound and rooted in common sense. -- Language Today, December 2000

About the Author

The author is the founder of a leading translation company in the U.S., author of many books on translation, and editor of several dictionaries.

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Schreiber,Shengold Publishing; 4th Revised Edition edition (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188756375X
• ISBN-13: 978-1887563758
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,161,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very, very practical view., October 12, 2005

By 

B. Edwards (NM, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Translator's Handbook, Fifth Revised Edition (Paperback)

I teach an internship in translation/interpreting ... well, "teach" is the wrong word. All the students have internships, and we meet once a week to discuss their experiences. This is the perfect textbook-they already know how to translate; what they need to know is how to do so as a career. They won't learn that from introductory translation books (which are very good at what they do); no introductory textbook is going to tell you to join the American Translators Association and buy a CAT program!

If you're looking for a book to teach you to translate, this isn't it. This book is geared towards people who have already started working in the field: it deals with where and how to get work, what fields need translators, where to find T&I classes, useful dictionaries, professional organizations, and so on. If you've been working as a translator for awhile, you'll probably know everything in the first half of the book (though it will still be useful for the appendices). The people who will benefit most from this book are those who have started translating professionally or are seriously considering doing so and want something to show what the experience of being a translator is actually about.

Unfortunately this book isn't as "updated" as it could be. The latest edition still lists essential computer equipment as "Windows 3.0+ with 500MB of memory and a 3½" disk drive." But putting that aside, it's a good book. Especially for $17.

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Buy something else if you want to learn how to translate, October 6, 2004

By 

Thomas Schwenke (Gross Mühlingen Deutschland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Translator's Handbook, Fifth Revised Edition (Paperback)

As a translator student in good old Germany I know something about translation and interpreting. This book contains a lot of useful things; but not the things I was looking for.

The author says something about history, dictonaries, glossaries, translation memory and gives many URLs, but he fails in his attempt to teach HOW TO TRANSLATE. This book deals with WHEN, WHERE and WHAT to translate. Therefore, this book is NOT useful for learning HOW to translate - even if the author tells you this. It needs more than this book to acquire the skills you need to start a freelance career.

You may buy this book if your goal is to find out how many transation agency this world has to offer, what area is best for you and with which URL you may chat to other translators. Furthermore, you will find scores of dictionaries nobody knows (or needs).

Three stars because of:
- sometimes useful information
- a lot of URLs
- scores of dictionaries
- many many addresses of translation agencies

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, July 22, 2000

By 

"antonio_m_g" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Translator's Handbook, Third Edition (Paperback)

It's a great book for those who want to succeed as freelance translators, it includes lots of tips and provides useful appendixes containing information such as: Dictionaries, sources of work and a glossary. A must have for those who want to enter the translation field and an excellent reference book for those who already work as translators.