A Survey Of The Translation Market In Hubei Province

Along with the rapid advancement of economic globalization and China’s further opening up to the outside world, China’s comprehensive national power is constantly being enhanced, and the exchange and integration of domestic and international markets are speeding up. Therefore, translation’s function and position are increasingly improved in the society, and the translation industry develops at an unprecedented speed, thus becoming one of the popular industries. The data provided by TAC (Translators Association of China) shows that, there are more than15,000registered translation agencies throughout the country. It is estimated that there are60thousand full-time translators, the number of translation employees is up to about500thousand. However, this is just a conservative estimation, and probably this figure will increase up to1million (in the future). According to the statistics of Translators Association of China, only in2010, the value of China’s multi-language information market reached50billion RMB, an increase at a speed of30～40%per year. The association also predicts that with the quickening globalization process, the value produced by Chinese translation market will probably exceed100billion RMB by2015for multi-language information processing is an accelerator of modern economy. Multi-language translation industry is regarded as one of the highest output compared to other relevant industries in terms of stimulating industrial development. It can be seen from the analysis of the international institutions that the translations value which worth1RMB can bring5RMB to the directly related industries. Among the cultural industries, the translation service has become an essential one which is only second to education. China’s cooperation with other members of the WTO in every aspect, together with the successful Beijing Olympic Games and Shanghai World Expo, ushered in a golden period for the development of China’s translation industry.Hubei, as a large province in central China, is also a world famous talents training base, which owns many colleges and universities with various subjects, and many national scientific research institutions. At the same time, its capital Wuhan is also one of the Three Bases of Foreign Language Talents in China, which was assigned by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. Along with the process of reform and opening up, the translation industry in Hubei also has a further and sound development. At present, there are96colleges in Hubei province, among which, three have professional doctoral supervisors who can direct the study of translation, and independent translation departments; nearly10universities can offer the bachelor translation degree program and nine of them provide MTI program. Besides, there are all together more than10translation training schools, over300registered translation companies, among which, more than100are still in business. Two national largest translation companies-Transn and Yuanpei both have established branches in Wuhan city. And the Wuhan Transn, a global multi-language information processing center, is the main body of Transn Company. Thus, we can find the language diversity and specialization which are required by translation industry in Wuhan city. However, there are still many problems existing behind these achievements. So we need to do some serious investigations and survey to better shape the translation service in Hubei province. It is obvious that, this research is very necessary and it has far-reaching significance to the development of Hubei translation industry.On the basis of this analysis, this paper researches into the current situation of Hubei translation industry, especially that of Wuhan. In addition, based on the analysis to the exsisting data, this paper also probes into the statistical research about Hubei translation service market through questionaire, telephone survey and statistical analysis, and summing up experience, finding out problems, identifying the causes and offering strategies. By doing so, this paper is aimed at giving reseanable suggestions for Hubei translation industry and gives constructive views for government in terms of mico-controlling translation market and translation industry, so as to promote sound development for Hubei translation industry, providing momentum forces for revitalization and rise of Hubei Province.