Choosing a Qualified Translator: A Comprehensive Guide

This essay delves into the multifaceted role of a translator in the modern globalized world, emphasizing that the profession extends beyond mere language conversion. It explores the essential requirements for aspiring translators, including language proficiency, cultural understanding, and interpersonal skills. The essay highlights the diverse specializations within the field, such as business, legal, and medical translation, and underscores the importance of specialized knowledge and certifications. It also provides insights into the qualities of a qualified translator, the importance of continuous learning, and the need for objectivity and ethical practice. The essay concludes by emphasizing the vital role translators play in facilitating communication and collaboration across diverse communities, while acknowledging the inherent limitations in achieving perfect translations due to linguistic and cultural nuances. Furthermore, the essay also covers the importance of how to select a qualified translator for a specific job.

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Help Finding a Translator
HELP FINDING A TRANSLATOR

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Help Finding a Translator
The profession of a translator does not only involve translating one language to another but
also forming a deep bond with the culture and people. It allows them to gain a deeper
understanding of the language as it is intricately connected with it. A person may be born in a
community and may share a common language with them. However, knowing another
language enables them to become a part of a larger community, a citizen of the world. This
adds another characteristic to their identity and makes them more varied (Linguist point,
2019). Learning a language also presents forth professional opportunities for a person. In the
globalised world today, organisations and governments are combining their resources and
ideas to bring forth a more efficient work process. This requires the need of a translator who
will act as a mediator between the two parties. This essay will review the requirements and
certifications necessary for becoming a translator and the role they play.
The first asset for becoming a is language skills. However, it is not necessary that a person
with language skills would also be able to become a translator. They need to showcase a
certificate if merit that tests their capabilities (Day Translations, 2019). This includes more
than just basic speaking and writing skills. This requires them to be able to comprehend the
tone and temper of at least two languages. This would ensure that during translating they are
able to keep the to emotions, style and meaning intact. There are many differences between
the two languages and how a person is going to react to a given situation in a language. It is
possible that one reaction seems fitting in one language may not always be fitting for another
language. A translator should be able to take account of this minor thing which are important
in a professional environment (Yu Novikova & Khairova, 2019). The next skill required is
of interaction and social abilities. Translators need to be able to mix among the people they
are working with. This puts the clients at ease and they do not feel like they are being
watched or judged. They also required to have business and computer skills so that they can
present themselves as a business suitor. This profession is an exchange of service for money

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or remuneration. They are required to consider their skills as the product worth being sold
and having a demand. This posits them as any other service provider. Instead of marketing
and advertising, the translator needs to invest in social networking and build a clientele that
would make use of their skills and promote them in front of others (Rao, 2018).
A translator acts as a mediator between two or more parties that speak separate languages.
Globalisation can be considered as a phenomenon that has empowered the whole world and
has led to upliftment of many communities and nations who were downtrodden because of
lack of education. It is almost as if the world is becoming flat and the countries are merging
into a “global village”. The more one reads the more aware they become about the
happenings around. There is information about cultures and customs all over the world which
attract people over for business and for exploration. Communication becomes an important
aspect as it involves exchange of ideas and opinions. It gives rises to greater and wholesome
understanding of an entity which may not have been possible through individual thought
process. Today translators are not dependent only on the knowledge of a language. More
focused groups of translators have come up who have made a niche in particular economic
sectors. For instance, there are business interpreters, legal interpreters and medical
interpreters. Business interpreters are knowledgeable about the business scenario and scope
of a country and can help investors interested in making deal. However, the investors may
speak a separate language and the differences act as a barrier in their understanding the
situation or investing. This is a loss for the vendor and the investor. The business translators
can be hired by any of the involved parties in the business transaction. They will then help
them to understand the situation and make a profitable deal. Legal translators also perform a
similar task. They have the required law degree along with the knowledge of another
language. They can be proficient in the laws of one country or both. The laws of countries
have substantial differences and it may be difficult for a visitor to understand them. They may

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also be falsely acquitted because of confusion or fall prey to miscreants. A legal interpreter
can come to the aid of such a person and help them plead not guilty in the court. The court
will also be aided as they will now be able to communicate and interact with the person
making the task of providing justice and finding the guilty person easier. On the other hand,
knowing another language would increase the number of probable clients a lawyer has. A
lawyer speaking different language would be able to represent the cases people not speaking
the native language. This would mean more opportunity of work for them.
Medical translators are an upcoming area of profession for translators (Razmjou, 2003).
However, this require more than just the knowledge of a language but also relevant nursing or
medical certifications. They help in promoting communication and comforting the patient
who belongs to a minority or other linguistic community. They are acutely aware of health
beliefs and behaviours prevalent in a community and are able to put this knowledge to use.
They bridge the gap between a care seeker and a care provider enhancing the quality of care
provided. The care seeker belonging to different ethnic groups are unable to present their
health issues before a doctor are a hesitant because of different in treatment approaches in
their culture and the present one. Language is posing as one of the greatest barriers in
providing uniform healthcare to all the people of a nation.
In order to be the most qualified translator one needs to have comprehensive knowledge of
both the languages and can be able to translate them within a time restraint and maintaining
the context same. They are required a wide variety of literature from both the languages in
order to enhance their understanding of the target language culture and keep it up to date.
Language is a dynamic entity and has a habit of changing over few years. A translator needs
to keep their skills updated so that they are aware of new words in the language. The next
requirement in the ability of translator to write both languages and translate from written
stimulus to a verbal one. This requires an understanding of grammar, sentence structure,

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punctuation and syntax. They need to be comfortable in different styles of writing and
common phrases in the language.
Translators need to have a good ear and memory so that they are able to collect the gist of the
message and present it intact in another language. They should be alert and aware so that they
can pick up the opinions, emotions, make a note of vocabulary used and incorporate that in
their translation.
A translator as a person has to be as inconspicuous as possible. They should not impact the
exchange of messages that is taking place and also should keep an objective approach when
translating (One Hour Translation, 2013).
One could ask for samples for the translation work they have done. It is generally displayed
on the websites of the translators. In case of a need for a translator for a particular context of
work, they can ask for samples within the field. Also, clients can converse with translators to
gauge their understanding and comprehension about the topic of the discussion. There are
also various accreditations and scores provided to translators based on the service they
provide to their clients. This can be a important marker of their service. One should also
consider the translators experience and specialisation in a given field when choosing them. A
common mistake is when people consider translation as a mechanical matter. No two
versions of a translated documents can be alike as no two translators can think in the same
manner (Kwintessential, 2018). However, the gist, context and tone of the translations
provided need to be similar to the source language.
It can be concluded that translators are an important part of the commercial scenario. They
bridge the barriers between people from separate communities and enable them to work
together in harmony. A translator maintains an objective and bias-less manner of practice.
However, it cannot be expected that they do provide absolute translations and that no part of
message is lost in the process. There are various elements of a language that cannot be

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translated as they are idiosyncratic features of the language. As a result, there is always a gap
between the source and target languages which cannot be bridged. A translator is a sentient
being and hence is affected by the environment. They will not be able to strip themselves of
their opinions, prejudices and opinions completely.

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References
Day Translations, (2019), How to become a professional translator in 7 detailed steps
Retrieved from https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/2018/04/how-to-become-a-
professional-translator-in-7-detailed-steps-11190/
Kwintessential, (2018), How to choose a translator wisely, Retrieved from
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/how-to-choose-translator
Linguist point, (2019), The role of language interpreters and translators in the modern
society, Retrieved from https://linguistpoint.co.uk/the-role-of-language-interpreters-
and-translators-in-the-modern-society/
One Hour Translation, S. (2013). How is good translation distinguished from bad
translation?. Retrieved
from https://www.onehourtranslation.com/translation/blog/minimal-requirements-
qualify-translator
Razmjou, L. (2003). To Be a Good Translator. Retrieved
from https://translationjournal.net/journal/28edu.htm
S., D. B., & Rao, R. M. (2018). A High-Performance Gated Voltage Level Translator with
Integrated Multiplexer. 2018 31st International Conference on VLSI Design and
2018 17th International Conference on Embedded Systems (VLSID).
doi:10.1109/vlsid.2018.90
Yu Novikova, E., & Khairova, S. R. (2019). Specialised technical translation: Global
Village requirements and regional opportunities. IOP Conference Series: Materials
Science and Engineering, 483, 012084. doi:10.1088/1757-899x/483/1/012084