In the past, I had thought of working on Cantonese into written Chinese transcription job. From subsequent research I found out that I could not write fast enough. This is why I still feel comfortable working on Cantonese into English transcription.

The hardest part of transcribing Cantonese into written Chinese is that Cantonese is a language of two thousand years of history. A Cantonese phrase of several words contains rich meaning, and it takes excellent writing skills for transcribers to produce written Chinese with character limit for each subtitle line.

The Chinese subtitles of Hong Kong Connection and other programmes of RTHK are very well written. Transcribers / transcriptionists who wish to work on Cantonese into written Chinese can always learn from the programmes.

As for me, it is better if I focus on Cantonese into English transcription, for I am usually reading English books and online articles most of the time. When I read more well-written Traditional Chinese books, I guess I can do better in Cantonese into written Chinese transcription.

以前曾經想承接粵語謄寫書面中文的案子,後來研究一下覺得自己寫得不夠快,所以至今還是最習慣粵語譯英文的謄寫工作。

粵語轉譯書面中文最大的難處,在於兩千年歷史的粵語表達方式非常豐富,短短幾個字可以蘊含很多意思,轉介為有字數限制的書面中文字幕,確實需要深厚功力。香港電台的《鏗鏘集》或者其他節目的字幕都寫得很好,有志從事粵語謄寫書面中文工作的譯者可以多多參考。

至於我自己,我可能還是專注粵譯英謄寫會比較好,因為我多數時候都在讀英文書和網路資料。當我多花時間閱讀寫得好的正體中文書,大概亦會比較有把握處理好粵語轉介書面中文的工作。