Frequently Asked Questions

Thousand Languages offers a variety of opportunities that may vary year to year. These types of involvement include: Internship, Independent Translator, Volunteer, and Community Submissions.

Internship

ASU Students can apply for internships. These positions may be offered each semester to graduate and undergraduate students. Graduate students develop a project focus for the semester. Undergraduate students assist with clerical tasks and complete a translation or non-translation project depending on language ability.

Independent Translator

This position is open to fluent and advanced speakers in or outside ASU. Work on a translation independently and submit it to Thousand Languages within the year for review. Approved translations will be published on the Thousand Languages site. Contact the manager ahead of time to ensure the piece has permission to be translated or to gain access to more selections.

Volunteer

Those outside ASU interested in contributing routine hours to Thousand Languages may serve as volunteers. Contact the project manager to see if there is a need for volunteers.

Community Submissions

Thousand Languages plans to host regular community submissions around a select poem or short story. We invite members in and outside ASU and the surrounding community to submit your translations for the chance to be featured on the site page: Simultaneous Translations.

Internships are not financially compensated. However, Thousand Languages partners with the English Department which routinely offers ASU credit to students. Thousand Languages also offers academic currency in the form of publication should your translation be approved.

Thousand Languages solely features Hayden’s Ferry Review (HFR) work, which means we only consider translations of pieces that have previously appeared in this literary journal run by MFA students at ASU. HFR has over 65 issues of 150-200 pages of poetry, stories, interviews, essays, and artwork on almost every topic. Individual pieces vary in length from 1-20 pages, so there is a wide variety of choices.

Thousand Languages translators will be translating English writing into other languages of their choosing. This is primarily interlingual translation but may include translation across text type (i.e. sign language).

Interns are expected to work a minimum of three hours a week for the duration of the semester (15 weeks). Most interns choose to work ten hours a week. You will be asked to select the number of hours per week you plan to contribute at the start of your internship. For those seeking ASU credit, please view: English Department Internships FAQs.

Translations are vetted by two reviewers prior to publication. Often these reviewers are faculty and staff from the School of International Letters and Cultures at ASU and other appropriate scholars. Reviewers evaluate translations for language accuracy and literary merit.

Interns will meet mid-semester with their first reviewer to receive feedback and guidance on their translation draft.

Thousand Languages features parallel translations. This means the original text with the author’s name will appear beside the translation with the translator’s name on the Thousand Languages site. The webpage will also display the issue it was published in and the genre. There will be an option for visitors to select translations in other languages which will appear in the same fashion. As the database develops, visitors will be able to search by keywords, issue, and genre.

Thousand Languages publishes one issue a year in the Fall. This issue usually goes live between August and October. Translations completed in the Fall and Spring semesters that have received approval from language experts will be published in the next issue.