Emoji Translating Becomes A Job

A translation company is advertising for an emoji translator. The ad, which gives the impression of being legitimate, is seeking somebody to provide “the human touch where translation software is inadequate.”

Today Translations says it has a network of 3,000 linguists covering more than 200 languages, but doesn’t yet have a dedicated expert for what it calls the world’s fastest-growing language. It says that at the moment most attempts to translate emoji are automated and aren’t up to the task of dealing with “the many cultural differences in usage and interpretation.”

The ad notes that normally it looks for native speakers but as that’s thankfully impossible with emoji (for now at least), it is looking for “cutting-edge knowledge and awareness of areas of confusion and cultural/international differences.” The successful candidate will not only carry out translations, but carry out research and produce reports into emoji use and potential confusion.

While it might seem like this is an ideal gig for young teens, the ad says either a bachelor degree in translation or three years’ professional translation experience are desirable.

As part of the application screening process, users will need to carry out a two stage test. The first stage (pictured) is reasonably simple and involves translating emoji phrases into English. The second is perhaps more challenging, asking candidates to select suitable emoji combinations to express phrases such as “Brexit means Brexit” and the opening lines of Hamlet’s famed “To be, nor not to be” soliloquy.

[HT: Newsweek]