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No deal Brexit and effect for translators of European languages in the UK
Thread poster: Laura McCarthy
Michael Wetzel
Michael Wetzel  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 10:55
German to English
Did I miss something? Feb 23, 2018

Laura McCarthy wrote:

Hi there,

My apologies if this is the wrong forum to post this in - I couldn't spot any that looked suitable, this was probably the closest as it relates to business and the ability to earn a living from translation.

I am planning a career as a French to English translator working in the UK. I have spoken with language teachers and they assure me that they don't think that Brexit will affect our industry that much.

However as a no deal Brexit is looking increasingly likely I don't see how it won't affect our level of work (in the UK at least).

If the UK effectively stops trading with France, will there be enough work online that I could effectively make a career of it in the UK, or as I am still quite young, do you think I may need to strongly consider moving to France at some point (as French to English translation will almost certainly still be required over there)?

Your advice is much appreciated,
Laura


There's a mammoth thread somewhere else where everyone (including myself) got all worked up about Brexit and the EU. Maybe someone should resurrect that thread, but the "discussion" doesn't really seem pertinent here.


 
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:55
Danish to English
+ ...
Well the question was related to Brexit Feb 23, 2018

Michael Wetzel wrote:

There's a mammoth thread somewhere else where everyone (including myself) got all worked up about Brexit and the EU. Maybe someone should resurrect that thread, but the "discussion" doesn't really seem pertinent here.


The question was about business prospects, depending on Brexit outcome.

But if you think about it, business is not something that happens automatically, based on some logical algorithm. It happens when people decide to do business with other people. If someone doesn't like what a country is doing, it could affect their willingness to do business with people in that country.

So to some extent it can be relevant how people are feeling about Brexit, although it would serve no purpose just to rehash all the sentiments regularly on display in the press.

The fact is that many people can get very emotional about staying in the EU or not, whereas others are more pragmatic, and that such feelings can affect the business climate.

The funny thing is that translation has to be one of the most globalised industries in the world, as there are virtually no barriers. Imagine if a translation provided from Africa had to pass through digital customs and be subjected to tariffs to be allowed into Italy, for example. We are told by some that this is necessary for tangible goods if the EU is to work.

I think it has some relevance to take into account how many people actively want to harm an EU-leaving country (the UK may not be the last), and how much power or not they have to do it.

According to the EU itself, "together, the European Union's 28 members account for 16% of world imports and exports." (http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/eu-position-in-world-trade/index_en.htm )

So we can conclude that the rest of the world accounts for 84% of world imports and exports. This figure will rise slightly when the UK is no longer in the EU. English plays a significant role in international trade, with or without the EU.

Hence it may not be a bad idea for someone wondering about the future to pay more attention to the world market, where the majority of trade takes place, not least when there are so many negative feelings in the EU about countries leaving it, and bearing in mind that trading with the 84% will become much easier once a country has left the EU, as it can make its own trade agreements.

One may also want to keep in mind that the EU’s part of world trade has been steadily declining since 1980 (https://fullfact.org/europe/eu-has-shrunk-percentage-world-economy/ ) from roughly 30% (if we include the present EU Members) to the 16% now, so by focusing more on world trade outside the EU, one will also be focusing on the growing part of trade.

It serves no purpose to get emotional about this. These are simply some observations I have tried to keep as objective as possible. When making business decisions, one needs to analyse how things are.


 
Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:55
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
You can't talk about it Feb 24, 2018

Thomas T. Frost wrote:
It serves no purpose to get emotional about this. These are simply some observations I have tried to keep as objective as possible. When making business decisions, one needs to analyse how things are.

That is a commendable attitude, but it won't wash. I too have found that people react very emotionally to Brexit. I find that my peers in this industry are typically well-educated and middle class, and I have learned to just keep quiet about my views. The default, a priori narrative is that there can be no positive argument made for Brexit, and that those who can see merit in certain aspects of it, or who refuse to see it as a sky-falling-down event, must be stupid. And racist. And reactionary.

I have tried a few times to get into a rational discussion of what Brexit might mean - the nitty-gritty of the cost of regulation, the implications of WTO tariffs, EU tariffs on incoming products, currency movements, tax regimes - and the conversation in each case has devolved into a kind of "I don't care, I don't want it!". That is of course fine, but it's not a considered position, any more than the position of some Little Englander who voted for Brexit because they think there are too many black people. Neither are offering a rational argument.

Both parties, in a sense, are opposed to change. The difference is that the Remainer is opposed to change from a starting point circa 2016, and the Little Englander is opposed to change from a starting point circa 1956. Unfortunately for both, clichéd as it no doubt is, change is the only constant. Indeed, there would have been significant change in our future even if we had voted Remain.

Personally I think there will be winners and losers, and absolutely there will be some short-term economic disruption - how could it be otherwise? - it should be neutral or even positive for many, maybe most translators involved in EU languages.

Again, Brexit aside, I question the outlook for somebody going straight into translation from education, unless they have an existing specialisation or can acquire one quickly. Fortunately, the OP seems well aware of this and, in a separate thread, has already mentioned the options she is considering in this regard.

Dan


 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 09:55
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Will there be goodwill or ill will? Feb 24, 2018

Business may be about getting the best deal, but who you go to for business depends a lot on how you feel about them. If it ends up with a hard Brexit or a no-deal Brexit then (despite what's "promised" now) we could still see EU citizens being expelled from the UK, and EU kids denied access to uni and jobs there, etc., etc. That might mean that many EU clients will feel a personal grievance towards the UK, and that would colour their business dealings too. Those clients may well prefer to turn ... See more
Business may be about getting the best deal, but who you go to for business depends a lot on how you feel about them. If it ends up with a hard Brexit or a no-deal Brexit then (despite what's "promised" now) we could still see EU citizens being expelled from the UK, and EU kids denied access to uni and jobs there, etc., etc. That might mean that many EU clients will feel a personal grievance towards the UK, and that would colour their business dealings too. Those clients may well prefer to turn to a British English native speaker who works from within the EU. But of course that won't affect big companies; just the more personal business deals.Collapse


 
Josephine Cassar
Josephine Cassar  Identity Verified
Malta
Local time: 10:55
Member (2012)
English to Maltese
+ ...
I suppose Feb 24, 2018

I have no intention of getting into a Brexit/no Brexit outcome or whatever as what concerns us is the effects on translation. If, as Thomas Frost says, EU trade accounts for just 16%, then, a hard Brexit or a no deal Brexit will surely mean that some language pairs might not be needed so much while new language pairs like Chinese>English or South-East Asian languages> English will start being needed all the more. I don't suppose Macron's efforts will result in more languages needing to be transl... See more
I have no intention of getting into a Brexit/no Brexit outcome or whatever as what concerns us is the effects on translation. If, as Thomas Frost says, EU trade accounts for just 16%, then, a hard Brexit or a no deal Brexit will surely mean that some language pairs might not be needed so much while new language pairs like Chinese>English or South-East Asian languages> English will start being needed all the more. I don't suppose Macron's efforts will result in more languages needing to be translated into French though.Collapse


 
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No deal Brexit and effect for translators of European languages in the UK







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