Qualities of a Language Interpreter

When a company is looking to hire a language interpreter to provide services for them, they need to look beyond just the reputation of the language service provider.
The role of an interpreter is often underestimated. It is not merely the knowledge of more than one language; the interpreter acts as the intermediary who bridges the communication gap between two different cultures and languages in order to facilitate accurate communication. Because of this, it is important that in addition to fluency in multiple languages, an interpreter should also possess some other imperative qualities & skills such as:
1. Knowledge Level
This is probably the most crucial skill that your interpreter must demonstrate. Your business may be of a sensitive nature or highly specialized field. You cannot afford to risk your reputation or legal consequences if something gets “lost in translation”.
Therefore it is absolutely imperative that your interpreter understands the meaning and context of the particular event they are interpreting for, as well as have a strong knowledge of your industry. Skilled interpreters will always ask for background information and documentation so they are familiar with the words and themes for what they will be interpreting for.
2. Objectivity
Professional interpretation is completely objective; a skilled interpreter will never include his or her own opinion or favor one party over another in the conversation. Under no circumstances will a professional interpreter abandon his or her stance of complete neutrality. Additionally, professional interpreters will not offer an opinion or advice, share their notes with any parties present, or repeat portions of conversation over. Professional interpreters will not accept assignments that present a conflict of interest or that may trigger emotional responses.
3. Good judgment
There are many instances where languages or cultures contradict. A prime example is British English and American English; it is English either way, but many words, idioms, and cultural exchanges are extremely different between the two. Skilled interpreters will take these factors into account and prepare themselves to manage these nuances accordingly.
Providing accurate interpretation while managing cultural influences (while not inserting your own opinion) is a high level skill that professional interpreters spend years developing.
4. Simultaneous Interpretation
Many meetings in which interpreters are needed can last several hours. In these kinds of situations, where there is a lot of critical information being communicated, an interpreter should be working in the simultaneous mode as much as possible. Accuracy is absolutely essential, and any lapse in concentration could be detrimental.
This is indeed a stressful task, and because of this many interpreters will require partners for assignments that involve complex information and are expected to last more than 1 hour. It is common for two interpreters two work these sorts of events as a team, “tagging out” every 30 minutes so that the interpreters can stay focused and accurate. Professional interpreters will never accept doing critical on-site interpretation over several hours alone, as it can create serious problems with accuracy and speed.
5. Strong Memory & Recall Skills
During an interpretation session, interpreters are keeping track of the conversation threading two different languages. This is not a simple task, and professional interpreters must have strong memory and note-taking skills in order to render accurate services. Skilled interpreters will always carry a notepad and take their own shorthand notes of everything being said, so they can be sure they do not miss critical pieces of information.
Finding a Skilled Language Interpreter
The qualities of an interpreter that we just listed are not independent of each other; a skilled and professional interpreter encompasses all of these qualities and more!
If you’re in search of a professional company with highly skilled interpreters, Niki’s Int’l Ltd. is the right fit for you! With nearly 20 year’s providing translation and interpretation services to multiple industries, their global network of interpreters is available 24/7 for high quality on-site and telephonic interpretation.
To learn more about the company and their services, please visit the website of Niki’s Int’l Ltd.