International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide as a social, economic, cultural, and political event, a day for reflection, change, and progress. This day was first celebrated on 19th March 1911 to honor women’s achievements in several fields and to raise a voice on issues that challenge women’s advancements.
Women have significantly contributed to several industries, like science, healthcare, law, automotive, and banking. In the past 100 years, the women’s workforce has increased from 15% to 48%. Although women’s employment varies in every industry, this figure still underscores their importance as a valuable contributor to the progress of technology, engineering, and leadership.
Like other industries, the translation industry also stands at the brim of progress for women. The language industry always commits to promoting women’s equality, raising concerns about gender discrimination, and advocating against unequal pay.
In this blog, we will explore the role and importance of women in the translation industry, some historical figures, and how the future looks for female translators.
Female Linguists: The Backbone of the Industry
Over the years, women have made stellar careers—despite the challenges—in several sectors. The translation industry is no different.
Did you know that globally, women make up 67.5% of freelance translators?
Linguistic prowess does not see gender, as countless women thrive as freelance translators, interpreters, and in-house language consultants.
The flexibility of the language industry provides a vital balance for women to blitz through their personal and professional ambitions. The dedication and expertise provided by women are imperative for the betterment of the industry. Without them, the industry won’t work as efficiently as it should.
Historical Women in Translation
- Catherine Parr: She was King Henry VIII’s sixth wife and was widely considered the first woman to publish a book under her name. She got global acclaim for translating biblical religious texts into several languages, such as French, Latin, Italian, and Spanish. Some of her notable literary works include “Psalms or Prayers” and “The Lamentation of a Sinner.”
- Elizabeth Carter: A noted linguistic genius of the 18th century, she could fluently speak Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, German, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. Her affinity towards literature was encouraged by her father, and she pursued translation as a career in her 20s. Her most famous work, “All the Works of Epictetus”, published in 1758, cemented her position as one of the most learned women of her era.
- Constance Garnett: An expert speaker of Greek, Latin, and Russian, Garnett was widely popular for translating novels by Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekov, and Fyodor Dostoevsky. Although she started learning Russian in her 30s, that didn’t prevent her from immaculately translating 71 books of Russian literature throughout her professional career. Her first translation works, “A Common Story” and “The Kingdom of God is Within You”, were published after three years of learning Russian.
Do you wish to enter the language industry but don’t know where to start? Worry not; check out this blog: How to Become a Good & Recognized Linguist?
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Careers in the Translation Industry for Women
The translation industry is filled with career opportunities for women. Several avenues with limitless growth potential, like projects, sales, marketing, accounts, and human resources, can be vital career options for female employees. Professional translation service providers are always in need of skilled employees for their services, and for women, what could be better than accelerating their careers in the language industry?
Apart from these, a language service provider also requires female professionals for specific roles, such as project managers, DTP handlers, and QA specialists. These roles offer a path for women to hone their technical and leadership skills and empower them to make giant strides in the language industry.
However, despite the several advancements made in the language industry, there are a few challenges, such as pay disparity, stereotypical mentality, and limited opportunities, that need to be addressed.
Tackling these issues will not just make the language but every professional industry an enriching environment filled with equal opportunities for all.
However, industries are evolving. The theme for International Women’s Day 2025 is ‘#Accelerate Action’, which conveys a fast-track and progressive approach for women working professionally.
The aim of this theme in terms of the language industry is to:
- Promote equal pay and opportunities.
- Support freelance female translators and interpreters in the language industry.
- Nurture a positive, safe, and inclusive work environment.
- Reward the contributions of female translators.
- Train women in new translation tools and technologies.
Somya Translators: Beyond the Workplace, an Inclusive Family!
As a leading translation company, we stand with all women in the language industry. For the past 16 years, Somya Translators have overcome several complicated challenges and communication gaps, and women have played a vital role in this. In our company, women undertake several essential roles and responsibilities, enhancing our everyday workflow and assisting us greatly in providing impeccable language solutions.
Some linguistic services we provide are:
- Translation
- Website Localization
- Interpretation
- Audio & Video Translation
- Transcription
- Multilingual DTP
And much more.
Whether it be any of the above or some other services, Somya Translators is the right fit for you. Our efficient methodologies, extensive experience, skilled linguists, flawless deliverables, and satisfying customer experience help us create lasting bonds and enhance global communication in every field.
So, if you have any linguistic requirements, contact us and get them fulfilled!