| Knowing a second or third language besides yours | | | | must know all the grammatical rules that apply |
| will give you not only a better awareness for | | | | when you're translating into French. |
| different ethnic groups, but will give you an edge | | | | Summary of the most grammatical rules used in |
| in today's competitive market. One of the | | | | the French language |
| languages you should learn is French. Why you | | | | French use a conventional and a familiar form |
| may ask? French is spoken by more than 300 | | | | when addressing people. If the French meet |
| million people and is the language the most spoken | | | | someone they know very well, they will utilize the |
| after the English language. Learning French will help | | | | familiar form "Tu" and for a seminar or a |
| you understand a culture rich in history, | | | | company meeting, they will change to the proper |
| architecture, literature and many more subjects | | | | form "Vous". This is to refer to that person in a |
| as French traces his roots to the Roman Empire. | | | | respectful manner. |
| In fact, French still shares with the Latin language | | | | French has 5 unique accentuations: acute accent, |
| countless of grammatical conventions. | | | | grave accent, circumflex accent, dieresis accent |
| If you choose to become a French translator, be | | | | and a cedilla, written under the letter 'c'). If one |
| aware that people in French speaking countries | | | | accent is used instead of another, then a noun |
| want to protect their native tongue and do not | | | | can become a verb, or a verb can become a |
| accept any foreign expressions on official | | | | noun etc |
| paperwork or government websites , especially if | | | | French has many mute (not heard) letters that |
| those words come from the English language. | | | | can affect the way words are pronounced and |
| Each discipline has its own jargon and you will | | | | written |
| have to know the dialect relevant to your field. | | | | French words have a masculine or feminine |
| Some of the following are expressions that have | | | | gender for each object which causes the |
| their own corresponding words in French: | | | | adjective to follow the gender of the noun. For |
| In the computer field, common English words such | | | | example in English "The cat is grey" can be |
| as "log on, search engine, and basket" are not | | | | translated in French by either the masculine "le |
| allowed in French and the "French Academy" | | | | chat est gris" or by the feminine "la chatte est |
| enforces the usage of French word only. | | | | grise". A good translator will know by |
| Consequently, any English word must have a | | | | understanding the context. |
| French translation. The words above become: | | | | If you have mastered another language such as |
| entrer, moteur de recherche et panier. In the | | | | Spanish or Italian, French will come easier to you |
| financial lingo, "public stock exchange" is "obligations | | | | as all those languages follow some of the same |
| publiquement échangés", "over the | | | | rules. If you do not know any other language and |
| counter" is "marché hors cote" in the legal | | | | want to become a French translator, many |
| field, be careful when you translate "Alimony" and | | | | universities and organizations can give you a |
| "Child support" as a mistranslation of those terms | | | | degree, certification or help you out in learning |
| can be the difference between receiving one | | | | French but remember to learn a language |
| payment or a monthly one. | | | | correctly and to become a good translator, you |
| Being a specialist in your field will bring you many | | | | must spend some times in that country... |
| clients, but vocabulary is not everything, you | | | | |