Foreign language translator

Translation services

Professional translators

Multilingual translations

Who is this person? Is he just another employee working 9 to 5, dressed in a suit and sitting at a desk in an office, always doing the same thing? Sometimes he is. But I consider there are many very specific traits that will distinguish a translator from any other job.

A foreign language translator is not just a person who learned another language at school when he was a kid. He is not a person with a huge dictionary containing all the possible words in that language. And hopefully, he is not a person who will be watching the clock, waiting for quitting time.

A professional translator is a person who has received specific training and education in the art of translation. Simply being able to speak another language fairly well doesn’t make you a translator. Of course, you may be able to translate a couple of songs or some documents. But those are not the types of translation that a client will want or need.

To be able to really translate correctly, a translator must have expertise in his mother tongue, as well as in the target language. And by “expertise,” I mean knowing everything about the language. Obviously, he must excel in spelling and grammar. Your translator should be a very good writer. This includes essays, reports, summaries, etc. If the translator is writes poorly in his own language, how can he be expected to write well in another one? If he can’t, you can probably expect to receive a “dictionary translation”, or a translation featuring the exact wording of your original document. And please note, I said “exact” – not “correct” or “appropriate”.

Sound grammar and a large vocabulary are not enough. A translator must truly understand the real language of the target country. The language used by its inhabitants. The language of the streets. And, of course, he or she will have to master the terminology of the field of specialization. This is an important consideration. Few foreign language translators, if any, can master all languages. I know many people who translate Portuguese, Spanish, English, and many languages that I know nothing about. Next, you need to find someone competent in the specific language, and also in the specialized field of the document or event. I personally know a few really excellent Medical Translators. However, I have also watched people struggle to find medical terminology in a gigantic dictionary during a simultaneous translation event.

And what happens if a courtroom translator misses some important point during a trial, allowing an innocent client to go to jail? Or vice-versa? Make sure that the person who translates your medical or legal certificates is knowledgeable in the area. You don’t want any surprises later. Again, I think this all falls back on what I have been insisting upon all along. Before hiring a translation company or a freelance foreign language translator for your project, first decide upon the degree of formality and legal exactness you require.

Search the Internet for freelance translators, as well as for translation companies. You might even try looking specifically for courtroom translators, medical translators, or those working in any other specific area. ASK QUESTIONS! Don’t leave any doubts in your mind. It’s better to ask now, than to have regrets later. After – and only after – you have narrowed your list to a couple of candidates, you may start shopping and agreeing on costs and conditions.

I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but my best advice is: do your homework before making your final choice.