How the work of translator is classified all over the world

Let’s turn to dry facts. In such a document as Economic Activities in the European Community” (NACE) such a notion as “interpreting and translation” is in separate category (74.3) alongside with the “Specialized designer activity”, “Photography activity” and “Other professional activity”. Such a classification is strictly used in some national classifications of types of economic activity (e.g. in Croatia, in Poland, in Portugal and in United Kingdom). Actually, this classification should be used all over European Union.

In the International Labour Organisation the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-88) is used. Here interpreters and translators are in group 2 “professional activity”, sub-group of the main group “other types of professional activity”, mini-group 244 “social science and similar types of professional activity” and here there is a group 2444 “philologists, interpreters and translators”. It was found out that such a classification is used in Austria.

Besides of this international activity the other types of classification for “translation activity” can be used. In Portugal, for example, the State statistics department uses Código de Actividades Económicas (Classification of types of economic activity), that corresponds to NACE (category 74.3). At the same time there is Classificação Portuguesa das Profissões (2010), where translators are in the Group 2643: “Philologists, translators, interpreters and other linguists” (Ferreira-Alves 2011: 259). In Spain the state administration classifies interpreters and translators to the category “Técnico Superior de Gestión y Servicios Comunes” (Specialists with high level of technical preparation for management and general services).

From time to time the translators are put into separate category in other types of lists. For example, in Norway, the translators (together with authors) are mentioned in resolutions concerning the labour contracts. And in the United Kingdom of England and Northern Ireland you will see the translator in drop-down menu, when you are looking for the house insurance.

If we are talking about European Union, there are no other data about official categorization of translation services, apart from the ones that were mentioned above, with purpose of taxation and social security.

And how is work of translator classified in Ukraine? You know, we were very glad to find out, that in New classification of types of economic activity in the group Professional, scientific and technical activity, sub clause 74.3 Rendering of translation services, code 74.30 – rendering of translation services. And, by the way, next to such clauses as professional design activity and photography activity. The same as in European Union, moreover, finally this classification does not sound as “secretary and translation services”.