Specialist translator

Imagine being at a party and chatting to one of the guests who is a doctor. You eruditely discuss latest development in cancer treatment. Next you chat to another guest who is an accountant and converse about tax changes resulting from the latest budget announcement. You move on to another guest who is a rocket scientist and you engage him into an exciting and relevant discussion on the topic.

The above scenario is rather unlikely. You can chat to any specialist about the weather, but it is doubtful that you would possess specialist knowledge in so many fields. And yet there are translators and interpreters who happily list 20 specialist subjects they claim to work in.

Translation and interpreting require in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. As our job is to convey meaning of what is being said, the understanding of how things work is crucial to producing a good translation.

Even if a translator specialises in one field, there are still many areas within the field they can narrow down further. For many years I have worked mostly with criminal law. In recent years my involvement in family law cases has increased. Even though I specialised in law while studying for my Diploma in Public Service Interpreting, I was still initially preparing to family assignments by researching the law in both languages and creating a glossary. With the knowledge and experience gained I can now say that I am confident in covering this area.

A translator can have more than one specialist subject – two or three are the norm. The specialism of the translator is usually associated with their relevant education, work experience or a hobby resulting in comprehensive subject knowledge. I love music and travel, but art and tourism are not my specialist subjects, as I don’t know enough about them. I can competently take on foreign trade and accounting projects, as I have studied International Business and have been doing my own business accounts for 15 years.

Using a specialist translator for your project ensures that you will receive quality translation. The chances are you will also receive it quicker, because translator familiar with your field will be more efficient at their work.

If you happen to meet a translator at a party and they tell you they can translate anything and everything – just stick to the weather.