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Translating for the European Union:
Multilingualism in Practice
Dr Angeliki PETRITSLanguage Officer
European Commission, UK
angelique.petrits@ec.europa.eu
University of Sheffield 406/11/2013
European Institutions
• European Parliament
• European Commission
• Council of Ministers of the European Union
• European Court of Justice
• European Court of Auditors
• European Central Bank
Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Frankfurt
University of Sheffield 506/11/2013
Linguists in the EU
Council
Parliament
Court of Justice
Court of Auditors
Economic &Social Committee
Committee of the Regions
Translators: ± 4300
European Central Bank
Translation Centre
Interpreters: ± 1000
University of Sheffield 606/11/2013
Different jobs for linguists
• Conference Interpreters
• Translators
• Lawyer linguists
University of Sheffield 706/11/2013
Interpreting for Europe ... into English
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA2fWvtMPDU
Translating for Europe ... into English
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCq02VafLhU
University of Sheffield 806/11/2013
We translate and interpret from and into all the EU’s 24 official languages
University of Sheffield 1006/11/2013
Languages in EU and UN
•UN: 6 working and official languages
• EU: 24 working and official languages
University of Sheffield 1106/11/2013
The legal basisTreaty on the Functioning of the European Union
• Citizens have a right to address the official EU bodies in any of the EU’s official languages and to receive a reply in that language.
Council Regulation No 1/58
• Regulations and other documentsof general application shall bedrafted in the official languages.
University of Sheffield 1206/11/2013
Translation and democracy
Thanks to translation, people can help build the European Union and contribute to its openness and legitimacy.
University of Sheffield 1306/11/2013
Types of languages
• Official/working/Treaty languages: 24 • Procedural languages: English, French, German
• Semi-official languages: Basque, Catalan, Galician, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh
University of Sheffield 1406/11/2013
Semi-official languages
UK or Spain Commission
Citizens
Com
mis
sio
n S
erv
ices
Desig
nate
d b
od
yTra
nslatio
n
Reply in the„regional” language
Written communicationin the
„regional” language
Original mail+ translation
into official language
Reply in theofficial language
University of Sheffield 1506/11/2013
European Commission
• Initiates new legislation
• Implements EU policies and supervises compliance with EU law
University of Sheffield 1606/11/2013
DG Translation
Some 2500 translators and support staff
50% in Brussels
50% in Luxembourg
Field Offices in Member States
University of Sheffield 1806/11/2013
Language of original documents (%)•
English
FrenchOthers
German
University of Sheffield 2106/11/2013
Main document types 2012
36%
18%15%
6%
1%
11%1%2% 6%
2% 3%
1 EU law, including the legislative process
2 Guardian of the Treaties/Implementation of EU law
3 Correspondence
4 Political documents
5 Relations with other EU institutions
6 Communication, web, media, publications
7 Budget, budgetary procedure
8 Documents linked to international organisations and non-EU countries
9 Notices for publication in OJ
10 Commission working or internal documents
11 Other
University of Sheffield 2206/11/2013
What else do we do?
Links with schools and universities
Machine translation
LIND-Web
StudiesTerminology and tools
European Day of Languages
VisitingTranslatorScheme
University of Sheffield 2306/11/2013
Translation contest for Europe’s budding linguistsWebsite: ec.europa.eu/translatores Facebook.com/translatoresTwitter: @translatores
University of Sheffield 2406/11/2013
Clear Writing campaign
• Be concrete not abstract
• KISS! Keep It Short and Simple
• Cut out excess nouns
• Ask before you start: what, who, when, where, how, why, how much?
University of Sheffield 2606/11/2013
Challenges ahead
• Future EU enlargements
• Doing more with less
• Modernity: efficiency gains by developing tools
• Recruitment: replacing retiring staff and attractingnew blood
University of Sheffield 2706/11/2013
Job opportunities
• Permanent job(EU official)
• Contract staff
• External contractor(freelance)
• Trainee
University of Sheffield 2806/11/2013
Recruitment competitionsfor EU officials
Publication:
• Official Journal of the European Union (C edition)
• EPSO (European Personnel Selection Office) website www.eu-careers.eu
Selection procedure: 5 to 9 months
University of Sheffield 2906/11/2013
Recruitment criteria
You must be an EU citizen
You must hold a full university degree (BA) in languages or another field (translator)
Master’s in Conference Interpreting (interpreter)
No professional experience is required
University of Sheffield 3006/11/2013
Language knowledge
• Perfect command of your main language or mother tongue
• Very sound knowledge of English or German or French (first source language)
• Very sound knowledge of a second source language among the EU’s official languages
University of Sheffield 3106/11/2013
Other skills
• People with non-language degrees please apply!
• Translator profile and skills needed: see
ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/workwithus/staff/profile
University of Sheffield 3206/11/2013
The competition process
• Apply online (July for translators)
• Pre-selection test (numerical, verbal & abstract reasoning, linguistic knowledge)
• Translation or interpreting tests, group exercise, structured interview, oral presentation
University of Sheffield 3306/11/2013
2013 Competitions for linguists• Translators into Danish, Dutch, English, French,
Italian, Maltese, and SloveneDeadline: 13th August midday – CET
• Lawyer linguists into Dutch, German, Latvian and Portuguese (Court of Justice)
19th September – 22nd October
• Lawyer linguists into Danish, Dutch, English, German and Irish (Council and Parliament)
17th October – 19th November
• Interpreters into English, French, Romanian and Slovenian
4th July – 6th August
University of Sheffield 3406/11/2013
What can the Commission offer you?
• €4500/month starting salary• Good leave entitlement• Varied and challenging work with scope to shape
your own career in the Commission• Excellent language learning opportunities• Job security• Multicultural environment• Flexible working-time arrangements (translators)
University of Sheffield 3506/11/2013
• Duration: 5 months
• Two rounds per year, starting in March and October
• Applications in January (October) and July (March)
• For university graduates only
• For EU citizens – but a quota for other countries’ nationals
• Competence: able to translate from two EU languages into your main language
• Monthly grant
Traineeships
University of Sheffield 3606/11/2013
More information?
• Web: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation
• Facebook.com/translatingforeurope
University of Sheffield 3706/11/2013
Cost of multilingualism
• Translation and interpreting in all EU institutions put together cost each EU citizen just over 2 euros per year.
• The cost of multilingualism adds up to less than 1% of the annual EU budget.