TOP SKILLS OF A PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATOR

Being able to produce beautiful and authentic does not actually depend on how good your vocabulary is or how good you are with words in a number of languages. If you are a professional translator, you would probably know that mere literal translations or replacement of words do not produce good translations. A professional translator has go beyond the obvious, read between the lines and understand the implied sense of language in order to able to produce a quality translations. Translation is a tricky job and as the old adage goes, “Translations are like wives; when they are beautiful, they are not reliable, and when they are reliable, they are not beautiful.” In order to strike this difficult balance, a translator must possess the following five skills;

1. CULTURAL AWARENESS

Translations always involve dealing with a diversity of cultures where at times a clash of cultural values becomes unavoidable. Language is the baseline indicator of a culture but knowing a language does not automatically mean knowing a culture for there are other differentiating factors as well. These may include religion, traditions, laws, norms, ethnic diversity, etc. Translation usually involves trans-creation and localization. A professional translator must be able to do justice to the target readership while trying not to offend the source readership. Cultural awareness helps the translator to strike this balance while being loyal and sympathetic to both the languages. Awareness of cultural diversity also helps a translator to establish a good working relationship with other people and clients in a culturally diverse workplace.

2. SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE

The job of a professional translator involves translation of documents that are highly specialized in nature. He may have to translate documents related to Accountancy, Audit, Medical Profession, Law, Machines, Industrial Appliances, etc. Nobody can translate such documents without having a firsthand knowledge of the technical terminology or jargon related to the specific field. Having an expertise in at least one specialized field thus becomes essential for a translator looking for professional progression.

3. STUDY

Study entails continuous uplift of aptitude through observation, reading and listening. A good professional should have a kick for learning languages. He has to be observant enough to study the native speakers and catch a word or a phrase if possible. Idiomatic language is full of implied sense and cannot be acquired through dictionaries and books. It can only be learned by observing and trying to imitate the native speakers. You can learn new words, sentence structures and phraseology through observation. Furthermore, the literature of a language captures and instills the cultural norms and day to day lives of a community. Reading helps in understanding the human element of a community and their predicaments. New ideas, concepts and thinking patterns can be acquired through reading. Listening also improves linguistic aptitude and understanding of thematic patterns of language. Listening to native speakers improves the efficiency of a translator.

 

4. TIME MANAGEMENT

Whether you work on individual projects as freelancers or being a part of a translation agency, a professional translator must be able use his time in an organized and disciplined manner. A regular working schedule away from frequent distractions is the right way to approach the job. Time, after all, is money. Timely completion of projects would earn you the trust of your clients and a disciplined work schedule would ensure that you do not feel stressed or pushed to the edge.

5. COMPUTER SKILLS

It is advisable to jump on the apple cart when the whole world is going online. Most professional translators nowadays are working on the net or through their websites. A good translator must be able to handle computer applications such as Microsoft Office, Computerized Word Banks and Glossaries to be able to work in an efficient and timely fashion. Having a good computer and a reliable communication system and being able to make the best use of them makes sure that you do not quarrel with your tools.

Satisfying the valued customers and serving them with quality professionalism have always been the foundation stones behind all functional objectives of Communication Legal Translation Est. (CLT). In more than two decades of highly accredited professional existence, Communication Legal Translation Est. (CLT) has continuously endeavored to engage and groom highly trained, proficient and efficient translators who are committed to provide you extraordinary professional services by providing highly authentic, accurate and trustworthy translation services vide a highly specialized panel of more than 55 services in more than 70 languages. The top five skills of professional translators mentioned above are a constant norm at Communication Legal Translation Est. (CLT).