Translators are People, Too

When I was a translation student in college, oneWell, most of the experiences I've had with
of my professors shared a story with our classpeople unfamiliar with the industry seem to think
about a lady with three grown-up children. Oneit isn't.
day, a friend of hers asked her about her kids,This blatant disregard and near contempt for
specifically what they had decided to study andtranslators can even be seen in the media. I can't
what they were doing for a living.even count how many times I've read a story in
The first lady replied with pride, "Well, my oldestthe newspaper about a translator, but the
became a doctor, and my second is a teacher."reporter kept using the words translator and
Her friend then asked about the third. The lady,interpreter interchangeably, like they meant the
somewhat embarrassed, replied, "He's like asame thing. Sometimes when I've tried to correct
translator or something."this error, the person will look at me like I don't
What an atrocity! Why is it that the majority ofknow what I'm talking about and with an air of
people view translators as people who decided tosuperiority exclaim, "It's the same thing."
become translators because they couldn't doIt's not the same thing.
anything else? When I was in school, people wouldTranslation is not an easy profession and
always ask what my major was. When I wouldtranslators are under similar pressures and
reply, "Spanish translation," they woulddeadlines that other professionals have to deal
undoubtedly follow up with, "So, what are youwith.
going to do with that? Teach?"So while doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. are
Does nobody believe that a translator or anvalued professionals, please remember that
interpreter is a valid and honorable profession?translators are people (and professionals), too.