The Most Important Qualities Of A Good Translation

If you want to become a translator today, you’re not alone. Many people are switching to this career because of the excellent benefits it provides. Being a translator can provide you with long term stability, flexibility, and fulfillment.

However, like with anything, you need to become great at your craft in order to succeed. Therefore, let’s talk about some of the characteristics of a good translator today. That way, you can build your career from the ground up.

The Qualities Of A Good Translator

Without further ado, here are some good translator qualities you should strive for:

Accuracy

The first and most important aspect of what makes a good translation is to accurately translate the text from one language to another. For instance, if you’re translating from English to Russian, you need to ensure that all the phraseology and words are correct.

Otherwise, you can cause confusion. This won’t just anger your clients, this could also be potentially even dangerous. Imagine translating instructions for a safety product. If you don’t translate correctly, it could have large consequences for other people.

So accuracy is the most important part of any translation. That means learning the language inside and out.

Clarity

Great translators are also great communicators. They know how to communicate an idea in a clear and precise manner. Nothing should be confusing in a translation. Sometimes, you have to mix accuracy with clarity.

For instance, the precise words that you’re translating may not match up to the source language.

However, you may have to change some of the words in order to be more clear in your explanations in the new language. This is something that takes time and experience and training.

Briefness

Ultimately, translators need to be able to get to the point. Your job is to translate as precisely as possible from one language to another. That means you shouldn’t add any kind of additional language or unnecessary words.

Not only does this make it more time-consuming to read, It also means you may be inaccurate in your translation.

Training

All the best translators in the world go through training and education courses. When asking “what are the qualities of a good translator” this is often overlooked. Getting certified is one way to show the world that you have the proper training.

After all, if translating was as easy as simply writing in two different languages, then everyone would be doing it. So, don’t sell yourself short. Get the right certification that you need today.

People skills

While translation is a skill, there’s also a skill in growing your business. Whether you’re a freelancer or working for a company, you need to know how to communicate with others.

Be agreeable, kind, polite, and professional. These skills will take you a long way in growing your brand.

Ongoing learning

Translation is not a skill that you simply learn once and then you have it forever. You need to constantly sharpen your craft. Learn about cultural differences, translation tips, technology, and more. That way you’ll be on the cutting edge.

Creativity

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. You might be translating or interpreting for a company. However, there might be a new or unique way to speed up your services or make them higher quality. Never be afraid to innovate in this field.

Networking

The more people that you know, the more clients that you can potentially get. And that also means that the more people that you can possibly help will be inside your circle. So, always be networking.

Cultural knowledge

Having cultural knowledge is key when it comes to being a translator. There are certain cultural slang, words, phrases, and nuances that you should be aware about.

For instance, if you translate from English to Japanese, there may be certain ways that you phrase something. Otherwise, you could risk offending the target market. And of course, your clients wouldn’t be happy with that.

Become A Great Translator Today

Obviously, being a translator is in high demand, but that also means you have a lot of competition. One way to set yourself apart from this field of other translators is to have the proper online translator certification.

So, become official and learn all the skills that you need to at TranslatorCertification.com. That way, you can confidently gain new clients, more income, and more freedom in your life.