| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] | Poll: Would you prefer to live in your source language or target language country? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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SYTham 
Singapore
Local time: 17:05
Chinese to English
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| Source for professional reasons | Jun 25, 2012 |
I'm blessed to be living in a country where both my source and target languages are spoken, but I have to admit that I don't use my source language as much as I would like to (when I'm not working). Living in my source language country (China) or at least spending some time there would be helpful workwise. But apart from that, I would much prefer to live in my target language country.
| | | | Phil Hand
China
Local time: 17:05
Chinese to English
| I was confused by the wording... | Jun 25, 2012 |
I answered based on the fact that I like living in China, not that it's good for me professionally. But on reflection, my answer is the same for professional reasons. The culture here is so different, it really helps having a range of people around me to explain jokes and show me internet memes and provide alternative views. And to be able to see what life looks like.
A weird phenomenon: though the Chinese internet is massive, it's quite badly indexed. Even Google doesn't always do that w... See more I answered based on the fact that I like living in China, not that it's good for me professionally. But on reflection, my answer is the same for professional reasons. The culture here is so different, it really helps having a range of people around me to explain jokes and show me internet memes and provide alternative views. And to be able to see what life looks like.
A weird phenomenon: though the Chinese internet is massive, it's quite badly indexed. Even Google doesn't always do that well at finding the stuff you want, because there's so much crap and so few authoritative sites. So it can be significantly harder finding information about a new phrase or term in Chinese than it is in English. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:05
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
I hope one day to be able to spend more or less 50% of each year in each country. That would be ideal both personally and professionally.
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:05
Hebrew to English
| Snap! Well, maybe more like 60/40 | Jun 25, 2012 |
Simon Bruni wrote:
I hope one day to be able to spend more or less 50% of each year in each country. That would be ideal both personally and professionally.
My situation is not quite so clear cut. Not being Jewish, it's unlikely I'll ever be able to settle in Israel permanently, even if I wanted to. The best I could hope for is a dual-existence, spending a few months every year there and the rest here in England. A slightly nomadic life doesn't bother me, but I'd prefer the balance to be shifted in favour of Israel over England (but that's unlikely to happen, unless I marry an Israeli, and that's unlikely to happen as I'm already taken ).
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564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 11:05
Danish to English
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| Target language country | Jun 25, 2012 |
I live in my source language country, Denmark, but would actually rather move back to England, which is my main target language country. It is not all that difficult to keep updated with English via TV, the Internet and books, but it is not ideal, I realise that. My oral English has definitely suffered from living away from England over the past 20 odd years.
And Christine is right, Christmas in England is miles better than in Denmark!
Mind you, if all things were possi... See more I live in my source language country, Denmark, but would actually rather move back to England, which is my main target language country. It is not all that difficult to keep updated with English via TV, the Internet and books, but it is not ideal, I realise that. My oral English has definitely suffered from living away from England over the past 20 odd years.
And Christine is right, Christmas in England is miles better than in Denmark!
Mind you, if all things were possible, I'd probably opt for Mexico or Costa Rica, for the vibrant culture, the historical sites, the stunning nature, the friendly people, the music, the food, and, not least, the weather! But I'm not sure it would benefit my translation skills. Maybe when I retire... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Renee Mazloum
Spain
Local time: 11:05
Member (2008)
French to English
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| target language country | Jun 25, 2012 |
I voted "target language country" and that might just be because I've been particularly nostalgic and missing home lately, but there are also many good reasons why I would prefer to move back to the States. It's not because I'm particularly crazy about the States; it's just home and there is no place quite like it.
The biggest draw for me is the community and sense of belonging, having family and close friends near. Every time I go back to visit, I feel like I have missed out on so... See more I voted "target language country" and that might just be because I've been particularly nostalgic and missing home lately, but there are also many good reasons why I would prefer to move back to the States. It's not because I'm particularly crazy about the States; it's just home and there is no place quite like it.
The biggest draw for me is the community and sense of belonging, having family and close friends near. Every time I go back to visit, I feel like I have missed out on so much: the birth of my nephews and nieces, graduations, weddings... Being that it's quite a journey to travel home, I can't just hop on a plane and arrive in two hours. I miss talks with my dad at the kitchen table, going to get coffee and hear the local bands play in Seattle, kayaking on Lake Washington in the summer... too many things to mention!
I've been living in Spain for over 8 years now, and while I do have some good friends here, no one takes the place of the friends I have back home. No matter how integrated I am in Spanish culture and fluent in the language, I'll never be a local. For me, it makes a difference, so there is no question that I will want to move home in the near future.
[Edited at 2012-06-25 17:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 03:05
English to Spanish
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In memoriam
I have no problem, because English and Spanish are both my source and target languages, and I live on the U.S./Mexico border. Most of my work also involves the border area, which I know well. Thus I have the best of both worlds.
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I said source, more for personal than professional reasons. And I meant Italy, although I'd live in Brazil as well. I stay in Brazil for about one month per year, to visit my husband's family and travel.
Like some others have said, it would be nice to live part of the year in one and part in another country. Right now, I have to stay in the US to finish my master's degree, but when I finish I'll be free to decide where to go.
[Edited at 2012-06-25 17:36 GMT]
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wonita (X)
China
Local time: 05:05
| Yes I would..., if I only could... | Jun 25, 2012 |
But do I have a choice?
No.
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 11:05
English to French
+ ...
| Home is where you make it | Jun 25, 2012 |
Renée Lizotte wrote:
I voted "target language country" and that might just be because I've been particularly nostalgic and missing home lately, but there are also many good reasons why I would prefer to move back to the States. It's not because I'm particularly crazy about the States; it's just home and there is no place quite like it.
The biggest draw for me is the community and sense of belonging, having family and close friends near. Every time I go back to visit, I feel like I have missed out on so much: the birth of my nephews and nieces, graduations, weddings... Being that it's quite a journey to travel home, I can't just hop on a plane and arrive in two hours. I miss talks with my dad at the kitchen table, going to get coffee and hear the local bands play in Seattle, kayaking on Lake Washington in the summer... too many things to mention!
I've been living in Spain for over 8 years now, and while I do have some good friends here, no one takes the place of the friends I have back home. No matter how integrated I am in Spanish culture and fluent in the language, I'll never be a local. For me, it makes a difference, so there is no question that I will want to move home in the near future.
[Edited at 2012-06-25 17:10 GMT]
I live in a target language country, which happens to be the country of my nationality too. By experience I know I need my target language (my mother tongue, though not my parents') to be the vernacular language around.
40 years ago, I could have changed "mother tongue" and had nearly forgotten all about my mother tongue and my home language after living just one year abroad.
My biological and foster children all live in different countries, no one in his/her native country, and each in one of my [former] source languages, so I get to practice my source languages (if/when I go and visit them).
However, if I were to chose a country to live in, it would be another one yet, close to my heart for different reasons (work being one of them).
Home is where you make it and for me (today), it's mostly on the Net, with friends and family sometimes thousands of miles away, but closer to my heart than any neighbour around the corner.
My parents were "immigrants" only a couple of hundreds km away from their original area, but with a different language and culture. I emigrated when I was a young adult, to a different area, with a different "culture", though with the same language.
Life just happened to have me settle there. I consider it an opportunity to have people to visit and cultures/languages to keep up around the world.
[Modifié le 2012-06-25 19:05 GMT]
| | | | | well I am in Spain | Jun 25, 2012 |
I love this country but srtictly speaking Spanish is just my 3rd source language, decided to live here for other reasons.
| | | | | Best of both worlds | Jun 26, 2012 |
I translate from Spanish and French to English and live in bilingual New Brunswick, where I can hear and read two of those languages every day. I like living around bilingual people who make an effort to communicate with people whose first language is different from their own.
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Fabienne G PERROT (X)
France
Local time: 11:05
English to French
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I wish I could live in the UK!!!
| | | | Patricia Charnet
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:05
Member (2009)
English to French
having lived more years in a country of my source language than in my target language, I've been very vigilant in keeping up to date with my target language to avoid grammatical and syntax transfers into my source language but I must admit that it's quite easy to keep in touch with French, and Monacan, Luxembourgian, Belgian and Swiss French speaking clients - ironically tuition and interpreting helped a lot making sure that my French remained French and not franglais. Also travelling from the ... See more having lived more years in a country of my source language than in my target language, I've been very vigilant in keeping up to date with my target language to avoid grammatical and syntax transfers into my source language but I must admit that it's quite easy to keep in touch with French, and Monacan, Luxembourgian, Belgian and Swiss French speaking clients - ironically tuition and interpreting helped a lot making sure that my French remained French and not franglais. Also travelling from the UK to France is very easy so in a way I'm very privileged in that matter. I also took a calling plan so that I can call my French speaking clients on a regular basis and always correspond with them in FRENCH! So far, I'm still trusted for my work. ▲ Collapse
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