Meet GTE Localize’s Translator Team – Wang Yuan

Meet Glen, our 8-year-experienced English to Chinese translator and interpreter, specializing in technical content. Besides being a dedicated and passionate linguist, Glen is a globetrotter and photophile. Let’s hear his sharing through our short’s interview.

• Occupation: Translator, Interpreter
• Language Pairs: English – Chinese
• Industries: Technical, Wireless Communication
• Location: Anhui Province, China
• Joined GTE Localize for 3 years

Hello Glen! Thank you very much for taking part in today’s translator interview. Could you kindly tell us a little about yourself before we begin?

I’m Wang Yuan from the People’s Republic of China, or you can also call me Glen. For now, I’m working as a technical writer in the wireless communication industry, a translator and an interpreter in Hefei, Anhui Province, China.

How long have you been in this industry? And how long have you been working with GTE Localize?

I’ve been involved in translation-related tasks for over 8 years. I have cooperated with GTE Localize‘s team for about 3 years now.

How did your journey in the translation industry start?

You mean the reason why I get into this field, right? Probably because of my major, and my interest in translation and interpretation.

How many languages can you speak?

Well, since I was born in China, so Chinese, or Mandarin to be more specific, is my native language. A funny thing is I cannot speak my hometown dialect well and I don’t even know why. Besides, I am fluent in English.

Is there any language that you want to learn?

I really want to master Italian and German. Italian sounds romantic to me while German sounds very imposing. They are just like two languages mixed with diametrically opposed feelings.

What do you love most about being a translator?

Being a translator allows me to become a bond between words and readers. I like the feeling of introducing a new foreign context to our native people. It gives me a sense of satisfaction.

Which translation task makes the deepest impression on you?

I have been working as a simultaneous interpreter for Blizzcon for several years. I have met a lot of cool friends there. Blizzcon is great, it was held by Blizzard Entertainment. World of Warcraft is their masterpiece. It’s cool. I love that game, and I love interpretation. So, it’s definitely a win-win situation.

If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be?

Be patient. And small steps get us to faraway places. Sometimes it’s quite easy to get out of the field on your own. You may get discouraged when you feel that your translation is not as good as others, or when you feel that you are not improving in a period of time. When these emotions come up, just hold on and cheer up.

What is your favourite word or phrase in your native language?

‘时间飞逝‘ which means ‘time flies’. I think ‘time’ is the guide of my destiny. I cannot fight it, and I will not yield to it. All troubles, anxieties, sadness, or other bad feelings can be washed away through time.

When time flies, nothing else will worry me and I will find they are just fragments of my life. All I have to do is to prepare myself properly, keep learning, keep relaxing, keep doing all things that make me happy, and then let the time take its course.

Besides your love for languages, what are your other interests and hobbies?

I am really into travelling and photographing. For me, travelling is not about going to those well-known places. I prefer those places that I truly like. I like reading books about Eastern and Western history. Sometimes after I read a book, I may eager to visit some specified places with magnificent history. Then I will make a schedule, go there, and take some nice pictures.

Recently, I went back to my hometown and visited some old places, factories, and sites that had not been demolished yet. They are memories of my childhood. They’ve been standing there for decades, drifting with the wind.

I’m glad that I used the camera to record them because, after all, they represent the appearance of the city’s past and present.

You have been working remotely as a translator for many years. Can you please share with us some tips and tricks to be able to work effectively from home?

Do remember to keep yourself reachable and ensure a smooth network. What’s more, don’t be lazy, don’t put off your task. The task is always there, but your time will run away. No one is watching your progress, so you are all on your own when you work from home.

Which CAT tools do you use? Which one do you prefer?

Trados and MemoQ are both great. Trados has more functions and more complex operations while MemoQ is relatively easier and simpler (but has fewer functions). Unfortunately, both of them have poor UI.

Which other supporting tools (that help you improve your work efficiency) you cannot live without?

You might not believe it but for me, it’s Notepad. Most of the time, I have to write down or paste some ideas, thoughts, structures, preferred translations, information from Google and other things on Notepad. It runs fast and the UI looks clean, with no unnecessary icons or operations.

How do you keep track of your translation projects, invoices, and payments? Do you use any tools?

Microsoft Excel. I will record every task’s information, like the task’s name, word counts, language pairs, estimated payment and also, and whether the invoice has been issued or not. A quite old-school method, right?

Which are your preferred payment methods?

I can say bank transfer without hesitation. I don’t know what the actual situation is in other regions, but in China, there is a high service charge for transferring money through PayPal, from both banks and PayPal itself.

How do you deal with late payments from your clients?

I will just feel free to ask the project manager, through Skype or emails. I think ‘ask’ and ‘trust’ are vital.

It is a great pleasure to have you join our interview! Thank you so much for your story and tips. We wish you all the best with your future work! 

If you are a translator who is looking to work with a global professional translation agency, join GTE Localize’s team. Simply send your CV to vm@gtelocalize.com to apply.