Proficiency in foreign languages can open up opportunities
for well paid assignments in teaching, interpreting, and translation,
in the tourism industry, in public relations, mass communication,
and entertainment or in private entrepreneurship. Liberalisation
and globalisation have enhanced such prospects. As foreign collaborations
are worked out, multinationals increase their spread in the country,
and more tourists venture to discover the sights and sounds of our
country, experts in foreign languages are discovering varied opportunities
to utilise their knowledge in increasingly remunerative ways.
Learning a foreign language or foreign languages may start out as
a hobby, an interest or a passion, but whatever it is, it definitely
enriches one and broadens one's horizons. It gives you insights
into the history, culture, society and the general background of
the people who are natives of the country of its origin. Knowledge
of a foreign language opens up our eyes to the lifestyle, food habits,
customs and literature which may be similar or divergent from our
own. It definitely makes globe trotting more meaningful and interesting
if we are able to communicate to the local population in their own
tongue.
Typical work opportunities related to skill in foreign languages
are teaching, interpreting and translating. Teaching can be in school,
college or university or for industry/ business or just conversation
classes. Interpreters are able to fluently translate written and
spoken words from one language to another. They communicate between
people who do not share a common language. Interpreting can be for
social, technical or business communication. Interpreting --social
and technical (industrial) is akin to a mission in diplomacy. You
establish easy communication between people speaking different languages
by interpreting to the other party the words spoken by one party.
Technical or industrial interpretation can smoothen the passage
for transfer of technology or for technical consultations. Translators
are people who can translate communication from one language to
another. A specialist interpreter /translator would be one who is
not just multilingual but also possesses expertise in engineering,
finance, medicine, legal, etc. matters.
The skill set
The first step towards acquiring proficiency in a foreign language
or foreign languages is to have the interest and desire to do so.
You should be fluent in the language commonly spoken in the country
or the language in which you have studied. The ability and willingness
to work hard is important and since opportunities to try out your
new skills in foreign languages within the country would be necessarily
limited you have to make use of every opportunity to practise and
perfect.
Interpreters should have a good ear, a natural feeling for words
and phrases, possess the ability to think quickly and remain alert
for long periods and be socially confident. Subject knowledge is
important especially when interpreting has to be simultaneous as
in a conference, and you must be able to anticipate the subject
matter and context.
Translators must be meticulous, conscientious, creative, and be
able to carry out research as and when required. Translating requires
good academic training in the language/s along with a broad-based
general education which would enable one to appreciate and understand
writings on a wide variety of subject matter. One has to be able
to understand the subject matter and be able to translate clearly
and lucidly keeping in mind the idiomatic use of the original writing.
The theme, mood, intention, etc. of the original text should be
faithfully reproduced without any bias or opinion from the translator.
For teaching you need great patience and the ability to communicate
knowledge, appreciate problems of the new learner so that you can
mitigate them. A thorough academic background in foreign language/s
is absolutely vital for a teaching career.
Training Programmes
All the major universities in the country offer certificate, diploma,
undergraduate degree and postgraduate degree programmes in foreign
languages. Entry point requirements depend on the nature and duration
of the course offered.
Jawaharlal Nehru University at New Delhi and Delhi University, Delhi
offer undergraduate degree programmes in various foreign languages
to students after plus two. Admission is on the basis of an entrance
test which covers general awareness, language proficiency, reasoning
and basic insights into typical foreign languages.
German language classes are conducted by the Max Mueller Bhavans
and French language classes are offered by the Alliance Francaise
centres in different cities across India. You can learn Portuguese,
Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Persian, Arabic, Russian, etc.
languages too in specific locations.
Prominent Institutions
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067
- University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
- Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad-500007
- Istituto Hispania at: D-59, Haus Khas Main Market, New Delhi-110016
16,GF House of Lords, St arks Road, Bangalore-560001
31, Veena Beena Complex, Opp Rly Station Bandra (W), Mumbai-400050
- Italian Embassy Cultural Centre,50-E Chandra Gupta Marg, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi-110021
- Max Mueller Bhavan, 14/3 Boat Club Road,Pune-411001
- Max Mueller Bhavan, 13, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Off Nungambakkam
High Road, Chennai-600006
- Max Mueller Bhavan, 3 Kasturba Gandhi Marg,New Delhi-110001
- Max Mueller Bhavan, Prince of Wales Museum Annexe,Off Mahatma
Gandhi Road, Mumbai-400001
- Max Mueller Bhavan,8 Pramathesh Barua Sarani, Kolkata-700019
- Max Mueller Bhavan, 3 Lavelle Road, P O B 5058,Bangalore-560001
- Instituto Camões - Centro Cultural Português De Nova Delhi,
8, Gate - B, Olof Palme Marg, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi - 110057
- Alliance Francaise (www.afindia.org)
centres at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Mysore,Bhopal, Indore, Kolkata,Chandigarh,
Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai,New Delhi, Goa, Jaipur, Hyderabad,
Karikal, Mahe, Mumbai, Pondicherry,Pune, Trivandrum, Cochin
(Listing is indicative, not exhaustive)
Prospects
Teaching may be taken up in one of the institutes which offer foreign
language courses or in a school which offers a foreign language
course as an extra or in the curriculum, in a college or university.
The most lucrative opening in teaching foreign languages is in personalised
tutoring where an hour's tuition may fetch anything from Rs 200
to Rs 500 per hour depending on location, urgency and level of intensity.
Translators may work freelance, or with government departments on
an ad-hoc or permanent basis, or with agencies which handle different
types of translating work. Industrial firms, research organisations,
international organisations, government departments, translating
agencies also offer openings for translators. Remunerations may
work out Rs 500 per page or upwards depending upon the nature, importance,
urgency and intricacy of the matter to be translated.
Payment for interpreting assignments depend upon various factors
such as delicacy, intricacy, urgency, nature and extent of specialisation
involved and may be paid upward of Rs.500 per hour.
Foreign language skills can also be applied in a specific professional
context such as tourism, journalism, business, or in facilitating
foreigners/ expatriates in settling down, finance, banking, international
trade and so on. Interpreters trained as tourist guides could command
approximately Rs 850 an hour.
An agency offering quality translating and interpreting work could
be challenging, interesting and lucrative at a location with good
business prospects (major commercial/diplomatic centres).
