5 Key qualities every polished interpreter should have! 

As globalization continues to blossom, the need for qualified interpreters also continues to rise steadily. Every day, health care systems, entertainment industries, banks, and many other prominent industries in the world require interpreters.

Despite the dire need for interpreters, there is a notable shortage of qualified interpreters to service the undying demands of the corporate world. Take California for instance, 8 million cases were reported to be handled annually as of 2017. Yet the country had only 1,900 court interpreters as of 2017! This lack of qualified interpreters would often result in postponing critical cases.  That is one case to clearly showcase how indeed, the demand for interpreters is enormous! Coupled with the fact that top industries are quite selective in their choice of interpreters, it becomes even more complex for all parties involved. In the US for instance, it is against the law to have relatives or friends interpret for a patient in a hospital. Consequently, when one is hospitalized and cannot understand the language in use, they are required by law to outsource for an interpreter!

 It is therefore evident that there is room for more qualified interpreters due to the growing demand for the skillset. So one can ask themselves how they can break their way into the industry and increase the demand for their services as an interpreter? In this article. We present to you the Newbridge team's top 5 qualities, every polished interpreter should have. 

Prior to diving into the list, we encourage you to check out our listing of the different types of interpretation. In this profession, you will notice that consecutive and simultaneous interpretation are the most preferred types for most client meetings and conferences.

Top 5 qualities every distinguished interpreter should possess

1. Extensive vocabulary

An excellent interpreter needs to keep honing his vocabularies in both the target language and the original language he is interpreting from. The easiest way to do this is by listening to the news and reading books in the language of interest. Listening to the news can help you learn new phrases and even polish your pronunciation. Reading on the other hand improves grammar and writing skills. The two combined give an interpreter the confidence he needs to interpret. He will not feel insufficient while interpreting or at a loss of words in the middle of the interpretation.

2. Accuracy

For one to be a successful interpreter, attention to detail is a must. This is especially vital for conveying the information to the audience in a proper manner. The interpreter is required to interpret the message completely and accurately. For this to happen, the interpreter needs to listen like a conference interpreter.

3. Professionalism and courtesy 

A good interpreter is aware that interpretation is a job, and like any other job, professionalism is a must. He will respect his audience by using appropriate language. While it is natural for one to miss a word or two during interpretation, professionalism requires one to be calm even when frustrated. This means that an Interpreter should avoid using curse words at all costs. Albeit, friendly and polite words can still be used to express frustration. A simple ‘sorry’ would suffice. He will also refrain from interjecting personal opinions that have not been highlighted by the speaker. No matter how much he or she knows about the topic of discussion, he will stick to what the speaker is speaking about because this is not his speech, he is only a vessel to pass the speaker's information to the audience. 

 4. Clarity    

 Be sure to enunciate each word clearly. Open your mouth wide while talking, to avoid the temptation of swallowing some words especially when you are in a hurry. Ensure your audience can hear every word you are saying. Sometimes interpreters may feel the temptation to rush into speaking in order to level up the pace of the speaker. This is usually contributed by a lack of attention and the temptation to speak many words at the same time. Try as much as you can to use the simplest forms of words. This will help you to avoid the rush of speaking in order to level up the speaker’s pace. 

 5. Attentive   

This is the most important skill for interpreters. Especially in the event of simultaneous interpretation. The interpreters should try as much as possible to avoid being absent-minded or engaging inside the conversation in the middle of the interpretation, as this will affect the quality of the output. He/she is expected to be keen on every single word so as to convey the right meaning to the audience. 

Get in touch

Connect with our team to learn more about our interpretation services. 

Facebook

Twitter  

Linked in

Instagram 

Source:https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/blog/5-qualities-every-interpreter-should-have