The Olympic Games may be a leading international sporting event with representatives from over 200 nations, but contrary to popular belief, they do not usually offer many opportunities for professional translators.
I once attended a very informative talk by the president of the Hellenic Association of Translation Companies who offered invaluable advice for translation companies following the Athens Games, but she also painted a cautionary tale. Equally, a talk I attended prior to the London Olympic Games supposedly outlined opportunities for linguists, but was long on inspirational facts about international relations and the like, but very short on talk of cold, hard business.
Given the large team of volunteers that are generally roped in to help run these events, much language service provision tends to be ad hoc and carried out by non-professionals. (Only 150 people were actually employed in language services for the Sydney Games, for example.) This is great for language students or those with a general interest in language who are motivated by being part of such a historic event, but it’s hardly going to pay the bills for your average jobbing translator.
If I were looking for paid projects in this area in the run-up to a Games, I would target translation agencies who may be supplying services to two kinds of businesses: those in the host country who are bidding to work as contractors or suppliers during the Games, and those based in countries where my source languages are spoken, who might be supplying products or services to their country’s contingencies.
But I suspect I’d eventually decide to just chalk it up as a bit of fun, make the most of the unique multilingual atmosphere and volunteer. Play it right, and it could be a great source of professional development.
Three years on from writing this post and people are starting to write to me by email and in comments to ask me how they can get language work for the Olympic Games… but I’m sorry to say I just don’t know.
It’s the paid, professional work that I’m interested in, and as I explained in my post, I don’t expect much of this will result from the Games. I’m afraid I haven’t seen anything over the past three years that would change my opinion.
As for more ad-hoc, volunteer or unprofessional opportunities, especially in the area of interpreting – well, this isn’t my area at all, so I’m really not the person to be asking about this (I don’t even live in London anymore. I’m in Australia). I don’t even know who you *would* ask, off the top of my head… so sorry, but you’ll have to keep researching.
However if you *do* know of any such opportunities, and would like to let me know about them, do feel free to drop me a line. Good luck!
Hello Sarah
My family have been living in Spain for 5 years , and my children have been going to school out there. My son Oliver is now 16 and fluent Spanish, he will be 18 when the London olympics arrive and he would love to do translation. He is also very sport minded and this would also help . Where would i find out where any oppotunity may arise for him to translate at the olympics.
Regards Paul Gutridge
ha sarah, i read you article, which i found very interesting because i am an italian language student in english, german, russian and spanish. at the moment i am writing my final thesis in vienna.
i would really love to work as a translator at the london olympic games in 2012. do you have any advice for me? where could i send my cv? thanks a lot in advance!
best regards, karin