Translating can often be hard work. Unfortunately, this industry is full of people who actually do translate in accordance with the widespread belief – they find the synonyms, arrange them in a not necessarily coherent whole and call it a day. But if you want to do the job well, you have to meet certain requirements that are not inherent in everyone. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way; any job can be mastered with the basic prerequisites, translating included. If you aspire to be a good translator, these are some criteria that you need to be able to fulfill first:
Language competence:
To translate documents well, you need a good translator. Someone who has a good knowledge of foreign languages does not necessary means that he or she is a good translator. To put it simply, to be a good translator, you need to possess the skills to make the right analysis of the meaning in the target language. Besides, good translators regularly develop sensitivity to changes in language and development in languages.
Translation skill:
The good translator has, as a rule, a special linguistic education. He/she masters not only foreign language, but also the skills of translation. The good translator is a translator providing an exact transfer of information, including preservation of the style and knowing how to identify the rules for interaction relating to a specific community, including non-verbal elements. The good translator, also, know how to utilize tools and search engines effectively (e.g. bilingual dictionaries, encyclopedias, terminology software, electronic corpora, electronic dictionaries). From these materials, you can develop knowledge that is essential to become a proficient translator.
Background knowledge:
Good translators have background knowledge on a theme because while translating it is often necessary to understand the content of a subject – whether it be technical translation, legal translation or translation of documents. It also helps translators understand and analyze the macrostructure of a document and its overall coherence. Learning to develop knowledge in specialist fields and application also builds up the translator’s strength.
Technological competence:
Translators should have willingness to learn about new technologies, knowing how to use effectively and rapidly and to integrate a range of software to assist in correction, translation, terminology, layout, documentary research (for example text processing, spell and grammar check, the internet, translation memory, terminology database) and knowing how to create and manage a database and files.
Good time and stress management:
There is a limit to how much translating anyone can do in an hour. Of course, to some extent it depends on the translator’s skill and experience, and on the nature of the material. Translators should be good at time management to keep up with the deadline and avoid job stress.
Be sensitive with each client:
Consider the author’s view, especially it is new to you. Put on the reade they reader’s shoes and know their demand as well as your ability. A good translator can combine these factors: Demonstrate exactly the author’s ideas, understandable and suitable with the market.
Moral:
It is a crucial factor. Like any other jobs, translating requires an unique moral standard. Translator must be loyal to the document and ideas of the source document and can not adding any of personal opinion.
Here the important factor of a good translator. Some of them you already have, some need to be trained daily.