Interpreter

Job overview
Interpreters convey by mouth in one language something that has just been said by someone else in another language.

A clear distinction is made between the duties of translators and those of interpreters.

Translators deal with the written language while interpreters relay the spoken word.

What do people do in this job?
The ultimate goal is to facilitate communication within a multi-language environment.

Whereas translation is a more introspective and reflective occupation, with the translator having sufficient time to choose the most appropriate word or phrase, interpreters have very little time at their disposal and try to convey not only the words but also the attitude and demeanour of the original speaker.

There are job opportunities for two kinds of interpreters, viz. ?consecutive and simultaneous interpreters.

Consecutive interpreters usually work in courts and at small meetings and seminars.

Consecutive interpreters usually wait for the speaker, often a witness in the case of court hearings, to pause and then they use this opportunity to convey what has just been said.

Simultaneous interpreting entails the almost immediate translation of a message into another language while the speaking continues.

At large conferences interpreters listen to the message with the aid of a headpiece and translate via a microphone.

Thus the delegates are able to listen to the discussion in the language of their choice without any interruptions.

This method is extremely demanding, since the interpreters have to remember what the speaker has said, understand and relay the core of the message, and at the same time listen to the speaker's next sentence.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Interpreters should have an aptitude for languages as well as a sound general knowledge.

This includes knowledge of national affairs, technical and scientific subjects and in court cases knowledge of the law and legal procedures is a necessity.

In addition they should have a knowledge of the cultural and political background of the speakers and of the target group.

A good memory and the ability to appear in public are essential.

What qualifications are needed?
Ideally interpreters should be completely bilingual or multilingual in the languages they are interpreting.

It is difficult, but not impossible, for this to come about simply through studying and practising another language.

The best way is for a person to have been brought up from early childhood speaking more than one language fluently and to have, at the same time, the background of general knowledge referred to above.