What a real translator should be is a question that worries not only representatives of this profession or people who want to become translators, but also those who want to use their services.
Instructions
Step 1
Interpreters are engaged in different activities, even within the same profession: they can be literary, technical, interpreter guides or simultaneous interpreters. Some translators need to be very active and talkative, to literally radiate energy when communicating with people. Others need to have a business mindset, a good understanding of business processes. And still others are associated with written translations, so they can be calm and thoughtful. And yet there are common features that unite such different people of the same profession.
Step 2
Qualification. Without high skill, excellent knowledge of a foreign language and translation techniques, a person will not be able to translate from one language to another. To develop high qualifications, you need constant experience and colossal knowledge not only in the field of a foreign language, but also in the field in which the translator works. Suppose a technical translator, no matter how excellent he is in a foreign language, will not be able to perform his work at a high level if he does not understand the principles of the mechanisms or drawings with which he has to work. To maintain a high qualification, a translator constantly has to learn new things: to get a new specialty in the field where he works, to study additional materials, dictionaries.
Step 3
The concept of a translator's specialization is also related to this. It is impossible to be a specialist in a foreign language, and in a whole set of other specialties. For example, you should not go to a lawyer for a consultation about an aching tooth, and to a doctor with questions about real estate. Then why are many customers surprised that the translator does not take responsibility for working on a complex specialized text. Translation of words is only a small part of the activity, because their meaning is important, otherwise machines and electronic dictionaries would have been able to cope with translations long ago. Therefore, if you have a document of legal, medical, construction and other topics, you need to look for a translation specialist in these areas. Universal translators can translate any text, but they cannot vouch for its quality.
Step 4
Excellent knowledge of the native language. Some clients and employers do not take into account that the translator needs not only to understand the foreign language and the subject of translation, but also to be fluent in his native language. Expression of thoughts on paper or orally by the translator should be as clear, concise and accurate as the author of the original. A translator needs to be able not only to accurately translate a phrase, document or text, but also to choose the correct style of presenting thoughts, to choose such constructions for translation so that it can be read in the native language no worse, but even better than the original. The main mistake of translators is that they do not take this rule into account in their work, so their translations are literal, sound strange and inarticulate.
Step 5
A good translator is a professional in his field. He knows exactly what the client needs, asks his questions about the purpose of the translation and the customer's audience, competently answers the client's questions, works with him individually, and does not just translate the text. He is polite, accurate in terms of time, always in touch, open to dialogue. A good translator is a person who can be entrusted with work of any complexity and be sure that the business will not suffer from his attitude to work or a possible mistake.
