They are like shadows. They are behind almost every negotiations, conferences and marketing activities. Interpreters and translators are always there to build a bridge between two different languages. Without them it would be extremely difficult for people to communicate and work with those speaking different languages. Therefore, becoming a competent interpreter or translator requires highly disciplined skills and ability.
The most important skill is an excellent command of at least two languages including one’s mother tongue. In the field of translating and interpreting, language skill is not the main subject to study. Studying a language is for the linguistics and literature majors. For those who aiming to become a translator or interpreter, language is like a tool. It is the absolute necessity one cannot do anything without. It is like a tool for a carpenter. One must have it in order to perform interpreting and translating.
The second skill one need to become an interpreter or a translator is experience. Interpreting and translating skill is learned inductively, not deductively. In other words, it is not learned logically but through many trials and errors. Of course, some common wisdom are passed down and learned from books but the rest is up to the person studying in the field. For example, some words have different meanings depending on the context. Those with sufficient experience will be able to identify this and correctly reproduce it to target language. However, without experience it would be impossible to do it.
The last skill a competent interpreters and translators should have is a professional knowledge in a specific field. It is widely known that translators and interpreters must be knowledgeable little bit in a wide variety of areas. However, this is no longer true now. Now there are many who have language proficiency being professional in their fields, even though they are not interpreters or translators. Therefore, without any professional knowledge in certain fields, it is hard to survive as an interpreter or a translator.
Interpreters and translators may seem like people who are only good at multi languages. However, it is a profession which requires far more difficult disciplines than just language. It requires not only the mastery of two different languages but also experience and professional knowledge. Therefore, to become a competent interpreter or translator one must become a superman who is able to do virtually everything.
1. What I like most about your writing is the way you start your essay. The sentence, “They are like shadows” makes me wonder who they are and why they are like shadows. It really makes me want to read your essay.
ReplyDelete2. Your main point seems that becoming a competent interpreter or translator needs highly disciplined skills and ability.
3. In the first paragraph, the word, “bridge” struck me as powerful because I think the word is really effective to show how important interpreter or translators’ roles are.
4. I think there isn't any parts that aren't clear to me.
5. In the last paragraph, it says that to become a competent interpreter or translator one must become a superman who is able to do virtually everything. I understand what you mean by that and totally agree with the idea, but I think it would be as good as your original essay if you put more details about what it’s like to become an interpreter or translator, not just a superman.
I love your introduction and your conclusion, about shadows and superman. Essay is very well organized as well and good transitions. Very well written and nothing to comment. (lol) Its a pleasure reading it.
ReplyDeleteThey are like shadows. They are behind almost every negotiations, conferences and marketing activities. Interpreters and translators are always there to lay a bridge between two different languages. Imagine a Chinese business owner trying to open a new factory in Russia and both stakeholders are only able to speak their own languages. Therefore, a competent interpreter or translator is required to resolve the issue with their highly disciplined skills and ability.
ReplyDeleteThe most important skill is an excellent command of at least two languages including one’s mother tongue. In the field of translating and interpreting, language skill is not the main subject to study. I who major in English interpretation and translation often feel too late to study English because I have already many things going through my heads like what does the context and what is the nuance. I have so little time to think about the literal meaning of the text or a dialogue. The listening and reading part must be done like a machine. So those who aiming to become a translator or interpreter language skill is like a carpenter’s tool. It is the absolute necessity one cannot do anything without, like a carpenter cannot make furniture without his or her tools. One must have it in order to perform interpreting and translating.
The second skill one need to become an interpreter or a translator is experience. Interpreting and translating skill is learned inductively, not deductively. In other words, it is not learned logically but through many trials and errors. Of course, some common wisdom are passed down and learned from books but the rest is up to the person studying in the field. For example, I have seen an inexperienced translator translating a word ‘rain check’. It meant to postpone a schedule but the inexperienced translator mistranslated by literally translating it into checking the weather forecast. Those with sufficient experience would have been able to identify this and correctly reproduce it to target language. However, without experience it would be impossible to do it.
The last skill a competent interpreters and translators should have is a professional knowledge in a specific field. Translating and Interpreting education institution around the world involves a wide variety of topics when it comes to educating students. It is based on the assumption that students must be prepared for everything. It is partially true that future is hard to predict and it seems likely that preparing everything is the only answer. However, this is no longer true now. Now there are many who are bilinguals and having professional knowledge in a specific field. For examples, nowadays many financial experts are bilingual and they do not require interpreter or translator to do their talking. In this situation, having a little bit of that and little bit of this is no longer helpful. A competent interpreter or translator must have a mastering knowledge in at least one specific field to survive.
Interpreters and translators may seem like people who are only good at multi languages. However, it is a profession which requires far more difficult disciplines than just language. It requires not only the mastery of two different languages but also experience and professional knowledge. Therefore, to become a competent interpreter or translator one must become a superman who is able to do virtually everything.