Being a Text Editor in Japan?

[Kaitou]

There's a program called SWAP (Student Work Abroad Program) in Canada. I'm thinking of registering for this program eventually, and if I get accepted, I may try begin a text editor. However, I have a few questions about the job which those of you who are currently living in Japan may be able to answer. For example, what would the pay be like? As well, do text editors in general work at the company buildings, or would they work from home? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nice gaijin]

is this a job as a translator or would you be proofreading documents already in english? would this be a government job? I know nothing of the SWAP program but I understand the JET program's government translator job pays better than the teaching positions, probably because you have to be fluent in both languages.

 

[Kaitou]

I really can't say... Here's what the site says: "Although Most SWAPPERs have been employed as English language instructors or text editors, and employers tend to look for candidates with university degrees." Although in this sentence, "Although some knowledge of Japanese is helpful, it is not required as employment opportunities for English speakers are readily available." I guess that means it's just a job as an English editor?

 

[GaijinPunch]

I have a friend that is an editor. He gets paid very well. Then again, he has a degree in English, and is editing the evening English news casts at NHK.

 

[Silverpoint]

I used to do a bit of this for extra pocket money. It's deadly dull. I wouldn't want to do it full time. The quality of translation varied tremendously. Some translations needed practically no changes and were in native level English, while others caused me to struggle to understand what the heck it was about. The agency I worked for used to deliver the documents in an envelope to my home. I tried suggesting they email me it instead to save their own effort, but they kept delivering!

They only used people with a reasonable grasp of Japanese, because when you can't guess what the translator means, or you don't want to risk making an inaccurate correction, it helps if you can go back to the original Japanese source document and work out what it should say.

 

[Kaitou]

Alright, thanks for your help, guys. I actually plan on getting a degree in English, so maybe there's a chance I might end up being as successful as your friend, GaijinPunch! Although, when I first arrive to Japan, I'll probably end up getting a job similar to the one you used to have, Silverpoint. Ah well, I guess we all have to start out somewhere... Thanks again for the replies!

 

[GaijinPunch]

Silverpoint:
Were the translations usually done by Japanese people that needed some polishing? I couldn't imagine editing being very exciting. While translating can warp the brain, I think it'd be much better than just editing.

 

[khammo01]

I really can't say... Here's what the site says: "Although Most SWAPPERs have been employed as English language instructors or text editors, and employers tend to look for candidates with university degrees." Although in this sentence, "Although some knowledge of Japanese is helpful, it is not required as employment opportunities for English speakers are readily available." I guess that means it's just a job as an English editor?

sounds like a proofreading "native checker" job to me. Your job would be to correct Japanese to English translations made by native Japanese speakers. This violates traditional translation best practice (which is to never translate out of your native language into a foreign language), but there is a shortage of good native English speaking J-E translators, and also a lot of Japanese companies are more comfortable with native Japanese translators.
These are piece jobs pay around 0.02c per english word if you're a freelancer. It is highly recommended to understand Japanese -- or at least how they think -- or else you might not be able to make sense of the text you've been given.
There are also in-house jobs where you'd get a desk, but you'd make a flat salary regardless of volume. It's more stable but you can make a lot more as a freelancer if you can keep your plate full.
Of course as a freelancer you're respnosible for your own financial record keeping, taxes, and health/pension payments.

Or you can be like me with the best of both worlds. I perform part time freelance translating and have a real job as well.
The translation work is great and it works out to almost 20% of my annual income.

 

[khammo01]

Silverpoint:
Were the translations usually done by Japanese people that needed some polishing? I couldn't imagine editing being very exciting. While translating can warp the brain, I think it'd be much better than just editing.

I take both proofreading and translation work. I far prefer the translation work. I know I am fully responsible for the outcome and I am free to make any sentence I want as long as the meaning of the original has been correctly and completely conveyed.

There is a difficulty with proofreading:
You are stuck with sentences that were translated by someone else, and you don't always have the luxury of having the original source Japanese. This often ends up being an impossible task of not having enough information (or freedom) to totally rework sentences that are so awkward that they can never be corrected without a complete rewrite.

If you over-correct, sometimes you are held accountable and waste your time justifying every change you made. (Sometimes the original translation was done by the author of the Japanese text himself!)


I usually say no to the proofreading jobs unless I don't have anything better to do.

 

[Silverpoint]

Silverpoint:
Were the translations usually done by Japanese people that needed some polishing?

Exactly that.

You are stuck with sentences that were translated by someone else, and you don't always have the luxury of having the original source Japanese. This often ends up being an impossible task of not having enough information (or freedom) to totally rework sentences that are so awkward that they can never be corrected without a complete rewrite.

They agency I worked for were always pretty good at supplying the original Japanese. It was essential in some cases (e.g. legal contracts, financial reports etc). If they didn't send the original I used to just leave the sentences which were unintelligable. They seemed to understand.

Still dull as hell though. The self-translated documents by the original writer used to generally be the worst.

 

[GaijinPunch]

So can you guys comment on translating legal contracts and whatnot? I can't imagine it being fun, but seems like it would get repetitive (and therfore easier, yet boring) after a while.... compared to translating pop-culture articles and translations.

 

[khammo01]

I don't currently translate legal documents except rarely. It is very touchy area and you don't always know what you're getting into.
But once you've done a few the language is pretty straightforward. Just use a lot of "shall" and "hereafter" and other legalese. The good thing about legal is there is you can just reference language from other contracts and after a while you can make it sound right.


Legal tends to be boring and repetitive, yes. I usually translate research papers, company reports, internal investigations, an occasional patent (similar to legal), business letters, submissions to professional journals, etc.