If you plan to take up transcription as your career, firsthand knowledge of the language you will be transcribing in is of course, of high importance. But here’s the catch. Although, you may be comfortable transcribing audio files that have been recorded in the English language, you may face a situation where you may be unable to comprehend exactly what is being said although the English words do sound familiar. In other words, it’s not just important to know the finer nuances of a language; it’s also a must to have an innate ability to decipher accents.
Why do people from different parts of the same country speak the same language differently? Or why are some colloquial terms often used as a substitute for other better known or more frequently used terms? The manner in which we speak has everything to do with the way we have ‘learnt’ the language, the geographical location we are in, the manner of pronunciation and sometimes even which section of society we come from. Just be listening to the accent of a person, you get a good idea about his/her social background as well.
Transcribing English audio files particularly in a country like the UK which is home to a number of accents, can often be a tricky task. One of the best ways to familiarize yourself with a new accent (for example, the Scottish accent) is to watch videos and listen to audio files recorded in the ethnic Scottish accent. Why not practice transcribing such a video first by yourself before taking up any actual professional transcribing work for a client? By doing a bit of homework initially, you’ll be in a better position to understand what’s being said and of course, feel more comfortable transcribing even if the file has been recorded in an accent you are not accustomed to.
Concerned about whether our team can handle your audio files or not? Don’t worry about getting the accent right because our team has plenty of experience in transcribing audio files from all across the country. Drop us a mail and we’ll help you transcribe all your files today.
