If you are in an industry that deals with a heavy volume of translation or consistent interpretation, you may be curious as to what it’s like for those tireless men and women who are constantly shifting words in their brains from one language to another. These polyglots are invaluable to multiple industries. So if you’ve ever wondered what their path was, or what their job is like, then read on!
As with many other jobs in a myriad of fields, there is no set path to landing a position as a translator or interpreter. Besides which, translation and interpretation are vastly different. Greg Melchior is a 31-year-old interpreter and translator working in Japan, and he was quoted saying the following:
“Translation and interpretation are two completely separate jobs. Translation involves the written word and strict attention must be paid to the finer linguistic details. Interpretation deals with the spoken word and as such is a much more fluid and dynamic art. You don’t have time to reach for a dictionary when communication breaks down.”
But either way, solid language skills are a must.
You must also be aware that translation and interpretation are highly technical and not terribly creative. Because you are trying to stay true to someone else’s meaning, it can be exceedingly stressful. Translators are often most needed in high-stakes situations: to represent political interests in high-ranking arenas, doctor/patient interpretation in hospitals and clinics where it’s a literal life or death situation, or working for the military where translation could mean the difference between diplomacy and conflict.
Aspiring translators and interpreters also forget that, alongside their solid foreign language skills, they need to perfect their use of the English language. Their grammar must be impeccable in every language they’re working in, whether they are native speakers or not. So the life of a translator means constant diligence, working to improve grammar and vocabulary. It is a life of high stakes and low ownership. But the satisfaction of a job well done is always rewarding.
