The job of translators and interpreters is to convert the content or concept of original language to target language. In the cases of interpreters it also includes sign languages. Like most other countries the interpreter services and translation services in India too are booming and need qualified professionals in these fields.
Though interpreter services and translation services are two distinct fields they do share some similarities. For instance,
- They are both linguistics and need to have a professional degree.
- One of the two languages they work with is their mother tongue.
- They don’t translate every word literally rather take the message and convey it to the target language.
To be a good professional a certified degree is not always enough. One needs to work on their skills as well as focus on various aspects of the profession in order to keep growing as a professional. Understanding the basics of any profession is the first step towards enhancing the skills. For this the professionals need to have a closer look at their job and try to analyse its nuances. Here we will discuss what helps the translators and interpreters to grow-
Interpreter services require the professional to be more alert than translation services professionals. This is because they have to interpret the conversation first and then convert it to another language on the spot. Therefore having an in depth knowledge about both the languages and their nuances is a must. Also unlike foreign language translators they don’t get the chance to refer to any dictionaries or take help of any software. So a vast knowledge of the vocabulary of both the languages is a must for them.
Keeping these criteria in mind we can safely say that interpreters need to work on their vocabulary constantly to keep their knowledge elaborate. They also need to make themselves familiar with culture of the people who use those languages.
The next thing is they need to make their own shortcuts for various words and phrases. The point is they are always pressed for time as they need to act immediately. So it is a good idea for them if they start taking notes in abbreviations which they can understand later. Also instead of writing everything in detail the interpreter should focus on the core message and jot down only the important details.
Like the interpreter services, the translation services professionals too need to keep their knowledge of the language they work on constantly expanding through reading and interacting with people. They too need to be well-versed with the cultures of the people. This part is similar for both of them.
Apart from this step, a foreign language translator needs to be comfortable with technology. One of the advantages of their job is that they get time to complete their task and can take the help of software, like CAT or CAD, to make their work a little easy. For this they should have a thorough knowledge of these technologies and be able to make optimum use of them.