Duolingo Language "Certification"

[Guest voicetex]

Hi,

I just saw a seller, who markets themselves with a certificate from duolingo.

As I hadn’t heard of duolingo before, I googled it. I also took a look at their certification process. To be honest, I only took the test certification questions and duolingo told me that these questions are just like the ones used in the real certification process.

Questions/tasks were similar to: Fill in the gaps with forms of “to be” and past tense verbs. Translate "Where did he eat yesterday?"

All you have to do is pay $20, upload a document for identification and take the test.

Please, dear buyers, watch out for people who have nothing but a duolingo certificate to prove their language skills.

If you really want a trained and certified translator (not necessarily a sworn translator!), ask the seller for their certificate and/or title.

I, for example, underwent a 3-year, full-time translation training in a certified German language school and am now allowed to carry the official German title “staatlich geprüfte Übersetzerin und Dolmetscherin” = state-certified translator and interpreter.

Someone who uses “Dipl. Übersetzer” studied translation at a German university.

Ask for credentials and check them. Be vigilant.

Regards,

Christina

[Guest voicetex]

I have just finished the English exercises on duolingo to see what they are about.
I am now asked to officially help translate texts (for experience points, not money). I don’t know how they (duoling) are going to use the texts or if they are using the texts at all for anything except practice.

However, it is quite a stretch to call someone “translator” after having mastered basic English.

[Guest voicetex]

duolingo seems to be a great way to get basic knowledge of a foreign language. A translator, however, should speak all their working languages, i.e. the languages they translate to and from, at minimum expert level.