{"id":2154,"date":"2021-07-16T14:52:37","date_gmt":"2021-07-16T13:52:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/?p=2154"},"modified":"2021-07-16T14:54:12","modified_gmt":"2021-07-16T13:54:12","slug":"student-spotlight-dot-roberts-ma-translation-and-interpreting-studies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/2021\/07\/16\/student-spotlight-dot-roberts-ma-translation-and-interpreting-studies\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni Spotlight: Dot Roberts \u2013 MA Translation and Interpreting Studies"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dot Roberts, a graduate of MA Translation and Interpreting Studies<\/a> shares with us some insights into her time at Manchester and how it has helped her career. Now running her own freelance translation and subtitling business – Dot Roberts Translation, she translates German and Dutch into English, specialising in environment\/sustainability, entertainment\/arts, and marketing translation. On top of this, her career involves subtitling movies, TV shows, documentaries, whilst also hosting her own podcast: Meet the Translator.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why did you originally choose to study your course at Manchester?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

The university had a good reputation, and I liked the idea of living in Manchester. I also wanted to do my MA part-time, and I liked that I had the option to do that at Manchester.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Did you always know you wanted to do the career you\u2019re in? Did your course or time at the University help influence this?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

I just followed the path of what I enjoyed the most. My favourite subject at school was German, so I did a BA in German with Dutch at the University of Nottingham. My favourite module was translation, so I decided to do an MA in Translation Studies.\u00a0<\/span>I\u00a0<\/span>actually started<\/span>\u00a0freelance translating in the second year of my part-time MA, and it was going well so I just continued down that path after I finished my studies. One of my favourite modules of my MA was\u00a0<\/span>audiovisual<\/span>\u00a0translation, so I made subtitling a large part of my job. The\u00a0<\/span>audiovisual<\/span>\u00a0translation module\u00a0<\/span>definitely influenced<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>this decision<\/span>, and my\u00a0<\/span>audiovisual<\/span>\u00a0translation dissertation further helped me to go down this path.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did your course set you up for your career path?\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

My course had a lot of relevant modules which were\u00a0<\/span>really helpful<\/span>\u00a0when it came to starting my career as a\u00a0<\/span>translator. I learnt how to use translation and subtitling software, how the industry works \u2013 with a guest from a translation agency who\u00a0<\/span>was\u00a0<\/span>able to\u00a0<\/span>answer our<\/span>\u00a0question<\/span>s<\/span>, I learnt about different areas of translation such as literary translation, and the theory modules were somewhat helpful too.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What was the most surprising takeaway from your course that\u2019s helped you in later life?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

I think the most surprising takeaway for me was\u00a0<\/span>actually the<\/span>\u00a0difference it makes in the translation industry when you have an MA in Translation. I do understand it because I learnt so much and really improved my skills, but having the MA\u00a0<\/span>made it a lot easier for me to gain new clients, because it was a way of proving that I had the necessary skills.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What advice would you give to a student looking to start your course and\/or join the University?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I would say, take the modules that interest you the most because you\u2019ll do better if you\u2019re enjoying what you\u2019re doing. Also, and this is advice that I give to anyone who wants to get into the translation industry<\/span>: N<\/span>etwork! Start by getting to know your fellow students and make an impression with your lecturers and tutors. Outside of university, I\u2019d recommend attending translation events (the\u00a0<\/span>North West<\/span>\u00a0Translators Network is a great association in the\u00a0<\/span>North West<\/span>\u00a0of England<\/span>\u00a0that hosts events and webinars), and network on LinkedIn. Many of my current clients found me either through LinkedIn or because one of my LinkedIn connections recommended me to them<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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