Continuing Professional Development

Posted on: July 29, 2019

I was recently logging some of my CPD, and I noticed that the IOL and the ITI have slightly different criteria for what counts as CPD. The differences and similarities are interesting. I have Chinese lessons still today even though my Chinese is pretty good. Even so I learn new words during the classes. Last lesson I learned the lovely expressions “文质彬彬” which refers to someone who has great artistic endevour and also looks like someone with an artistic eye. It made me think of a designer like Karl Lagerfeld rather than say a Raf Simons who just wears jeans a t-shirt. It’s nice to have an expression which says exactly that.

Aside from lessons, I also log things like conferences, although honestly, I’m not sure how much I’ve learned from conferences. Certainly I usually learn one useful thing at least, but I think it’s overpowered in terms of CPD. What would be great would be if we could set up an “external review” system where we submit the occasional translator to a peer who assesses it and gives any feedback. I know for sure, that would be helpful, even to the very best translators.

I try to visit China regularly and even without formal lessons I find I pick up lots of terminology and learn a lot while I’m there. I wonder what for example French translators would do? Perhaps a trip to Monaco?