Translator Self-Training French: A Practical Course in Technical Translation

French, once the language of international diplomacy and the favourite of cultivated people everywhere, is still today one of the world’s major languages in nearly every field of human endeavor. It is one of the elading languages in both Europe and Africa, the second language of Canada, the language of Caribbean nations like Haiti, and it is widely studied in many countries around the world. Many American college students choose French for their foreign language requirement, or even major in this language. From all indications, given the popularity of the French language and the continued economic and cultural importance of France, French should continue to play a significant role on the international scene. This means that developing one’s skills as a English-into-French or French-into-English translator is time well spent. The United States and France continue to interact in all areas of commerce, science and technology. Documentation and literature flow between the two countries and between the U.S. and other French-speaking parts of the world in a steady stream and in both directions. As the global village becomes more of a reality with every passing day, the interaction between French and English intensifies, and requires an ever-growing volume of translation in real time.