上个世纪迄今的翻译研究尽管硕果累累，对译者的研究也取得了诸多成果，但这些研究更多地侧重于学术视角(如译者主体性、主体间性等)，而对译者在实际的翻译市场中怎么做，译界的关注程度似乎不足。但本书则针对这一状况，以翻译市场为宏观背景，给译者提供了极其珍贵的指导，填补了这方面的空白。本书自1993年**出版以来，到2004年5月已是第四版，是作者多年来实践经验的结晶。十多年来，本书受到了读者的普遍欢迎。本书在前三版的基础上，紧跟时代发展，站在一个全新的角度，旨在给那些没有或很少有商业经验的翻译从业者提供全面指导，例如译者所需具备的资格、如何创办翻译公司、译者的工作环境、怎样索要报酬等等。本书内容充实，注重实用，确实值得一读。
本书以翻译市场为宏观背景，紧跟时代发展，站在一个全新的角度，旨在给那些没有或很少有商业经验的翻译从业者提供全面指导，弥补了以往翻译研究对译者实际操作关注程度的不足。本书实践性强、注重实用，且全面而不失细致，所涉及的内容之广泛，几乎涵盖了译者从事翻译业务所碰到的所有问题，对翻译工作者具有很强的参考价值。

Foreword.
Preface
1 How to become a translator
"Oh, so you're a translator - that's interesting!" A day in the life of a
translator Finding a 'guardian angel' Literary or non-literary
translator? Translation and interpreting Starting life as a translator Work
experience placements as a student Becoming a translator by
circumstance Working as a staff translator Considering a job
application Working as a freelance What's the difference between a translation
company and a translation agency? Working directly with clients Test
translations Recruitment competitions
2 Bilingualism- the myths and the truth
Target language and source language Target language deprivation Retaining a
sharp tongue Localisation Culture shocks Stereotypes
3 The client's viewpoint
Who should you get to translate? The service provider and the uninformed
buyer How to find a translation services provider Is price any guide to
quality? Communication with the translation services provider
4 Running a translation business
Starting a business Is translation a financially-rewarding career? Support
offered to new businesses Counting words Quotations Working from
home Private or business telephone line? Holidays Safety nets Dealing with
salesmen Advertising Financial considerations Marketing and developing
your services OK, where do you go from here?
5 The translator at work and the tools of the trade
Your working environment Arranging your equipment Eye problems Buying
equipment What does it all cost? Purchasing your initial equipment Ways of
working
6 Sources of reference, data retrieval and file management
Dictionaries Standards Research Institutes and Professional/Trade Association
Libraries Past translations Compiling glossaries Product literature Data
retrieval and file management Database applications
7 Quality control and accountability
Source text difficulties Translation quality in relation to purpose, price and
urgency Localisation Translations for legal purposes Production
capacity Be honest with the client Problems faced by the individual
freelance Quality takes time and costs money Pre-emptive measures Quality
control operations Deadlines Splitting a translation between several
translators Translation reports
8 Presentation and delivery of translations
Thou shalt not use the spacebar! Setting up columns Text
expansion Macros Desk top publishing Compatibility between different PC
packages Electronic publishing Getting the translation to the client
9 What to do if things go wrong
Preventive measures Equipment insurance Maintenance Indemnity
insurance Clients who are slow payers or who become insolvent Excuses
offered for late payment Checklist for getting paid on time Procedure for
dealing with client disputes Arbitration
10 Professional organisations for translators
Federation Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT) Professional organisations for
translators in the United Kingdom The Institute of Translation and
Interpreting The Translators Association
11 Glossary of terms
12 Appendix
Translation organisations in the United Kingdom Recruitment
competitions Suggested further reading References Marking up texts when
proof-reading or editing
13 Index