New updated website

I've FINALLY updated my translation company website.

Comments and keen proofreading welcome!

www.intoenglish.eu

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5 Tips for Passing the Diploma in Translation

Here's a few pointers that I found immensely helpful when I was studying and preparing for the Chartered Institute of Linguists' Postgraduate Diploma in Translation.

1. Stick it to 'em! Save yourself valuable time in the exam by pre-printing labels with your candidate number and language combination. Stick one to each sheet of paper you use.
   
2. The pen may be mightier than the sword... but the pencil has its own sneaky tricks too. Use pencil to circle words in your translation you want to go back to and check carefully. In my experience it's better to come back to problems with a fresh head than waste time racking your brains over one word and end up not finishing the paper. You can erase the pencil markings once you're done.
   
3. Layer up. The exams take place in January. It can be very cold, but equally some exam halls over-compensate with loads of heating. Be prepared by wearing different layers so you can make yourself comfortable and concentrate on the translation.
4. Space: the final frontier. The diploma in translation exam regulations state that candidates must write with double line spacing, i.e. write only on every other line, and only on one side of each sheet of paper. Not only does this help the examiners to mark your work, but it also does yourself a favour. It's much easier to correct a mistake or re-order an unidomatic sentence if you have given yourself a bit of space!
5. Timing. In the weeks prior to the exam you'll no doubt be doing plenty of practice exams at home or in your local library. Why not make a skeleton exam schedule so you can quickly tell if your on track to finish the paper within the allotted time? Here's a sample schedule:

Paper 1 - General, 600 words in 3 hours
9:30 Read and analyse source text
9:45 Translate first 1/3
10:35 Translate second 1/3
11:25 Translate final 1/3
12:15 Proofread and polish target text
12:30 Pens down

Split your source text into rough thirds. Check you're on schedule now again during the exam, otherwise you risk running out of time.

Good luck!

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Diploma in Translation

Great news!

I've passed the last of the exams for the Chartered Institute of
Linguists' Diploma in Translation.

So now I'm Rebecca Parker BAHons ACIL DipTransIoLET. Phew! How many
more letters can I collect?

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