Professional translators always use specialized skills to translate information from one language to another. To become professional translator, you’ll need exceptional translation skills and real life experience in the role. In addition to excellent knowledge of languages, quality translation requires many other skills in various fields, such as writing, communication, industry knowledge, and so on.
Below we explain who translators are, what makes a great translator, what their professional skills are, and how to improve them for use in your career planning.
Who is a Translator?
A translator is a specialist who professionally translates live speech or texts from one language into another. Often, a professional translator must be proficient in both types of translation. But still, some representatives of this profession specialize in only one direction – they do only interpretation or written translation. Translators must be proficient in at least two languages. With the help of this knowledge, they can perform various types of translator jobs, such as literary translation, technical translation, localization translator, medical translator, etc.
What Personality Traits do Translators Have?
First of all, the profession of a translator requires self-organization and self-control. According to research, the market for translation services has grown by 40% during COVID-19. Since translators often work remotely, they need to properly distribute the workload, concentrate on tasks, and have the motivation to stay amped about the job all the time. Honesty and responsibility are also important. A professional translator must remember that inaccuracies and mistakes made during translation can cause great harm. Endurance and patience are important. These qualities are necessary for processing long and not always interesting texts.
It is important to note that translation specialists should be predominantly research personalities and be more inquisitive. Also, translators need to be original and creative in order to work well in an environment that requires self-expression.
Essential Skills for a Top-Performing Translator
Research has shown that the average person can speak two to four languages in their lifetime. But, the professional skills of a translator go far beyond the mere knowledge of a foreign language. A translator needs to be erudite, well-read, and have knowledge in the field in which he translates. This is only the beginning of a long list of skills and abilities of a translator.
Fluency in Two or More Languages
A highly qualified translator must be fluent in two or more languages. Good translators must understand the whole meaning, including all the subtle nuances implied in the text. Advanced knowledge of your source language is necessary for this level of understanding.
According to research, English, Hindi, and Chinese are among the top three most spoken languages in the world, and at the moment, the most common and popular foreign languages in the world are:
- English
- Chinese
- Arab
- French
- German
- Hindi
- Portuguese
- Spanish
Excellent Knowledge of Grammar
A professional translator must have an extensive vocabulary and an excellent understanding of grammar for specific languages to ensure the accuracy of the translation. With dedicated help screens and terminology databases, you can strengthen your language skills to improve your skills.
Exquisite Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension skills in multiple languages significantly strengthen translators’ verbal and written communication skills. But you need to understand that understanding the text and just reading it are entirely different skills. Professional translators must deeply understand the text to be translated to convey its meaning reliably.
Attention to Detail and Precision
Attention to detail helps translators with accuracy. It is critical to the translation of the text. You must pay attention to the smallest details all the time. Because even small errors in translation can lead to unpredictable and serious consequences.
Knowledge of the Culture of a Particular Country
Professional translators must have in-depth knowledge of both their own and other cultures. This is both general cultural knowledge, such as value systems, and worldview, that is, how people look at the world, and culture-specific aspects, such as pastimes, customs, and traditions. As a translator, you will often need to know the country’s culture to understand the meaning or central message of the text you are translating.
Computer Skills
For the translation profession, it is essential to have computer skills, as well as solid knowledge and a good command of translation programs and applications. They save repeating fragments of previously translated texts and help you create termbases that you can later use for other translations. You will also need to be proficient in commonly used computer programs – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.- making the life of translators easier and speeding up their work. According to research, using translation software can increase productivity by at least 30%.
Time-Management Skills
Most translation professionals work remotely from home or often take on commissions as freelancers. Working remotely without the ability to organize your working time is indispensable. If you want to work in this field, you will have to learn how to always stick to the work schedule. It is also worth limiting distractions during work and organizing a workspace inside your home. You can also install special programs that will help you better manage your working time.
Conclusion
Research has shown that there are currently over 25,229 translators working in the United States. To become sought-after and famous translator, you must have great professional knowledge and experience. The qualities of a good translator include excellent research skills, attention to detail, fluency in the language, and big motivation to develop and learn. You need a lot of time to practice and develop the necessary skills to become a professional. Improve the skills we have described above, and you will have a chance to become a great translator one day.