Communication is a key part of human interaction and in order for communication to happen you are going to need to make sure that you and the people or person that you are communicating with, understand one another.
This can be made even harder if the two people who are trying to communicate do not speak the same language. This could be in their personal lives, the business or the professional world. When this issue occurs, this is where interpreting and the work of interpreters can help.
Interpreting is there to ensure that global communication can happen. They are there to provide a service that allows those who do not speak the same language, to communicate, perhaps not in the normal way, but to be able to communicate nonetheless.
It is one thing to be able to speak a language or understand what is being said to you in a particular language, but for interpreters, there is a need for fluency and language mastery.
One of the most important things for interpreters is to ensure that they have impeccable language skills. This not only includes the language that they will be translating in and out of, but also, here in the UK at least, the English language.
If the interpreter has language skills that are not up to the required standard, then there is going to be a risk of misunderstandings and the information that needs to be relayed, is not going to be understood.
Not only can this cause a problem between the two (or more) parties that are trying to communicate with one another, but it can also harm the reputation of the interpreter. Which, if they want to take this seriously as a career option, is not going to be ideal.
When you become an interpreter there is a good chance that you can do this with just one language, in addition to English. However, to be considered as an expert interpreter, you are going to need to be able to demonstrate fluency and comprehension in multiple languages.
The more languages that you can understand, interpret and work with, then the more that you are going to be able to utilise your skills and help people who require interpreting.
Whilst speaking and understanding a language is something that you should always remember, to have real accuracy in what you are interpreting, you are going to need to make sure that you always work on your linguistic expertise.
You can keep your language skills alive by practising them, by thinking about the key elements of the language and making sure that you keep talking both, or all the languages that you can interpret.
Being an interpreter is about more than just being able to speak and understand more than one language fluently. It is also something that requires you to have a certain level of cultural acumen and sensitivity too.
Cultural sensitivity is important because the culture that someone is from will impact the valuefs that they then have. They may have an entirely different approach to situations than others, which will need to be kept in mind.
Being culturally sensitive can make all the difference because it allows the interpreter to be able to build up a level of rapport with the person whom they are providing the service for and to be an effective go-between when it comes to ensuring that the needs of both parties are met and that they are treated in a way that respects their culture and where they are from.
Interpreters need to ensure that they navigate diverse cultural nuances and contexts when they are providing an interpretating service. Interpreters are there to ensure that what is being said is understood, which means that they are going to need to be speak the languages fluently.
However, it is important, as an interpreter, to ensure that any nuances and things that are said in context are also understood. Else, this could lead to there being some level of misunderstanding, which can cause problems for both parties.
It is also important to consider that there can be nuances that are a part of one language, that are not considered to be a part of the other’s. Which can leave issues.
The main aim of interpreting is to ensure that there is a successful level of communication between the two parties. This means that the interpreter needs to do whatever they can to ensure that this happens.
As well as understanding the words that are being said, and being able to appreciate and understand when the context is a factor, they also need to be aware of the cultural differences that are going to play a part in the communication. If nothing else, this will allow for a relationship to be built between the interpreter and the person who requires the services.
One of the most valuable skills that an interpreter can have is to be able to listen and communicate effectively with the people who they are providing the interpretating service to. A key feature of this is to be able to actively listen to what is being said (and sometimes what is not being said too).
Someone who is interpreting is going to need to be able to accurately analyse what is being said between the two parties. They are going to not only be able to actively listen to what is being said but also remain focused on the conversation, which can be tricky if they are not sure what is being said (an example of this would be in medical situations and settings when the language that is used can be confusing and unknown).
As well as being able to listen to what is being said, the interpreter then needs to have a strong short-term memory. This will ensure that they can then translate the information in their mind, before being able to relay it to the other party that is part of the conversation.
They need to do this quickly so that the conversation is still able to flow (and so that they do not forget what has been said and what they are trying to interpret) but also so that they can ensure that the translation that they put forward is as accurate and coherent as it can be.
In order for interpreting to be accurate and delivered in the way that it should be, there needs to be clear communication at all times. This includes active listening and accurate relaying of information too.
If the clear communication is achieved during interpreting then there should be a positive outcome, both parties that are involved (or all parties if it is more of a group conversation) should feel that what they have said is understood and that they have been an active part of the conversation.
If this is not how is felt, then perhaps clear communication has not been achieved and the interpreter will need to be able to improve this in the future.
Being an interpreter is much more fast-paced than you may realise, it requires the person who is the interpreter to be quick-thinking and adaptable, able to stay calm in the situation and work through any issues that may arise during the process.
When someone is interpreting, they are doing so in real time. This means that as a service, it is much more fast-paced than you think it would be. They need to be able to listen to what is being said, take it on board, translate it and then relay it accurately and quickly.
All whilst the conversation may then be moving on and they may then need to be able to actively listen to the next piece of information that is being said.
You may not think that interpreters are going to come across many challenges in what they do, but they can. There are always things that can occur when they are in the process of interpreting information.
There may be some unexpected cultural aspects that they have not planned out, as well as this, they may find that the situation that they are in is highly emotional, something that can happen when it is in a medical or social care situation.
An interpreter needs to stay calm, they need to be able to ignore some of these factors and still be able to provide an accurate interpreting service to those who need it.
When you work as an interpreter and you want to be able to provide a seamless service to those who are in need of it, then you are going to need to ensure that you are as adaptable as possible.
Things can change and even though you may have made plans for what you want to do, when these changes occur, you are going to need to be able to move with them, change the approach and ensure that you are still able to meet what you have set out to do.
The role of an interpreter is one that requires a high level of neutrality and an ethical approach at all times. Interpreters need to ensure that they remain professional at all times and that they always approach their clients and those that they are working with are always treated with respect and care.
There are two main ethical responsibilities that interpreters need to ensure that they have and that always remain, no matter the situation.
These are:
Some of the information that an interpreter will be translating is going to be incredibly sensitive and confidential. This means that they should be aware not only of the importance of why this information should be treated with confidentiality but also how they can ensure that this happens too.
They should never discuss what has been said during their interpreting service with anyone else, and their clients and those that they work with should feel comfortable that they are always going to ensure that this happens every single time that they interpret things.
An interpreter should always remain impartial. They should never allow their thoughts, feelings or judgments to impact the service that they provide. They may work with people from all walks of life, some of whom may not necessarily share the same views or experiences as them, but they will always need to be able to remain professional and respectfully work with them.
The difference between an expert interpreter and one who is not providing the highest level of service is that they are not going to uphold high standards of professionalism. An expert interpreter knows what it takes to be a professional, they know the things that they need to focus on and the best ways to do this.
They will approach every interpreting client that they work with respectfully, which is sensitive and upholds their confidentiality too.
As people, we want to feel that we have been valued and respected. This is why ethical behaviour is such an important part of providing an interpreting service. You need to be able to approach every single person with respect and ensure that they feel that they are being treated in the right way.
They should feel comfortable in sharing the information that they need to have interpreted with you and know that you are going to keep that information safe and confidential.
Interpreting can be needed across a range of industries and sectors. One day an interpreter may be needed to help with a medical appointment, and the next day they may be needed to help with the information that relates to a bank appointment.
This can lead to some interpreters being what is known as “domain-specific”.
When an interpreter is domain-specific, they are going to find it much easier to understand what is being said, particularly in more complex, fast-paced situations. They will then be able to share the information that needs to be shared accurately and quickly. Allowing everyone in the conversation the best chance of understanding, and then responding to, what is being said.
Whilst some interpreters can work across a range of sectors, they may find it much harder to be seen as “an expert” in what they do. This is largely because they spend their time spread over a range of types of information.
To be able to be seen as an expert interpreter, it may be much more beneficial to be “domain specific”. Focus your interpreting skills on one particular sector, that way you can ensure that you can accurately translate all of the information that is presented to you, no matter what terms and jargon are used.
The main aim of interpreting is that it is as high quality as possible. One of the best ways for an interpreter to do this is to ensure that they have as much specialist knowledge as possible. They need to be able to understand a range of terms and then be able to accurately translate them so that they are understood, they may even need to be able to work out what words in the other language will be the best translation, should what is being said not be something that is usually a part of the other language that is spoken.
Any job role has the potential to be stressful, some things can crop up in the everyday work that you do which can make it much more stressful and high-pressure. Some of these you can plan for, others you need to just deal with when they come up.
For interpreters, the key stressors that they may see are:
These can all make the interpreter feel under pressure and mean that they may find the work that they need to complete a little harder to achieve. However, if they stay calm, they should be able to do what they need to do still.
An expert interpreter will be able to recognise that they are feeling stress and are under pressure and be able to make sure that they can manage it the best that they can. Of course, no one can avoid all forms of stress, but what an expert will do is not allow the stressful situations to impact how well they do their job.
They should always remain composed and be able to take on the challenges that come with being an interpreter, no matter how stressed out they are feeling.
One key skill that an interpreter should be able to work on is their own resilience. Resilience is something that can help them not only in their working life but also in their personal life. It will help them to be able to approach difficult situations calmly and move through them with minimal stress.
To be the very best interpreter that you can be, you need to be able to understand that you should be always improving, always working towards the next best thing.
Whilst language itself won’t change over time, there are always things changing when it comes to certain phrases or how words are used, no matter the part of the world that you are from. No one can keep on top of all of these things, but as an interpreter, you should always try to make sure that you are aware of some of the main changes and how you can use them in your everyday work.
Not only this, but cultures can also change over time, becoming more modern or adopting different approaches that they may not have previously had. This means that you as an interpreter should keep on top of cultural news and make sure that you are aware of what can impact the work that you do.
To be the best that you can be as an interpreter it is important that you engage in continuous learning. You should be completing regular practice in the languages that you speak so that you are always fresh and ready to interpret when you need to.
Not only this, but you should also think about what learning is going to improve your work and what skills you may need to improve. There is no shame in feeling that you have areas to improve if you are someone who doesn’t think that there are any ways that you can develop yourself, then you shouldn’t be surprised when you find that you, as an interpreter are stagnant and not moving forward in your profession.
You should always be actively seeking out ways that you can improve, ways that you can be better and ways that you can provide the very best service to those who need it.
If you do want to develop yourself professionally then you need to look for ways that you can do this. You are in charge of your development and therefore you need to be able to recognise the key resources and strategies that are going to help you to be the best that you can be.
There are a variety of courses that can help you to achieve the best that you can, you just need to know where to look and which ones are going to give you the push that you need to improve your career and your skills.
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