METM17 presentation

What makes you special? The how and why of specialization

 
Simon Berrill, Badalona, Spain
 
Language professionals are often told that they should specialize. But why is this necessary? And, if it is, how should they go about it? This talk, an abridged version of one given as part of the MET medley in Barcelona in September, will provide some of the answers, and I will use my own path towards specialization to provide ideas and inspiration. Areas covered will include why specialization is worthwhile; how to choose a specialist area; whether it is possible to specialize in more than one thing; and how to put specialization into practice.


Simon Berrill is a British freelance translator working from Spanish, Catalan and French into English. He specializes in history, culture, wine and other aspects related to tourism. He came to translation late, having been a journalist in England for many years, and he keeps his hand in as a writer by producing a regular blog called Only Human Translators. Simon lives near Barcelona with his wife and ten-year-old son.