What is a translator

More than a dictionary owner.

Translators convert written texts from one language into another.

Translators are not interpreters. Interpreters work with the spoken language. There is, of course, a relationship between the two professions, but they require very different skills — not to mention different attitudes toward one’s work. Most good translators are not good interpreters, and many good interpreters are mediocre translators at best.

Translators are language professionals. They are applied linguists and competent writers, diplomats,

Like linguists, translators must be able to discern subtleties and nuances of their languages, research terminology and colloquialisms, and keep up with new developments in their languages.
Like writers, translators must be accustomed to working long hours alone on a subject that may interest only a few people, in a language that few people around them know.
Like diplomats, translators must be sensitive to the cultural and social differences that exist in their languages and be capable of addressing these issues when translating.
And translators ned to know the basics and some of the details about the subjects they cover.

Translators do not just need to know a foreign language. They also need:

• This means, first and foremost, the ability to write well in the target language, and the ability to read and understand the source language material very well. This sounds trivial, but it is much more than most people who “merely” speak another language can do. Translators must have a deep interest in and commitment to the languages they work with.
• This is something that a translator must cultivate. Even the most widely read and broadly educated translators cannot claim to be experts in more than a few fields. So translators specialize: legal, financial, medical, computer, engineering. Translators must develop — and maintain! — sufficient expertise for the fields for which they translate. This does not mean medical translators need to be physicians, or that computer translators need to be programmers. But background experience or education (or both) are essential.
• This is necessary for a smooth relationship between the translator and the client. Translators also need to understand the technical aspects of word processing and communications. And in these days of globalization, this means familiarity with business practices in different countries. Translators must regularly invest in the tools of the trade – and of course in personal contacts. Translators work hard to improve their knowledge of the fields in which they work by reading related materials. In other words, professional translators are always learning.

Translators may have had a wide variety of previous careers. A degree in translation is useful but not essential. What counts more than anything else is translation skills. Most translators are well-read in their working languages and know how to express themselves persuasively. Others are avid language enthusiasts. Still others are knowledgeable professionals who use their language skills to work in their field of expertise. And for some of the most fascinating and also successful translators, all of these factors come together.