While misconceptions about translators and interpreters are common, they can also prevent you from . In this article, we鈥檒l share seven of the most common misconceptions about translators. Stay tuned for next month鈥檚 post, which will cover common misconceptions about interpreters. No matter what your needs are, learning more about these two complementary professions will ensure you know what you鈥檙e looking for the next time you need document translation or simultaneous interpreting services.

Seven misconceptions about translators you should know before hiring one

1. Translators say something in another language so other people can understand it.

Not quite. In this case, you鈥檙e talking about interpreters. It鈥檚 interesting because while people frequently call interpreters 鈥渢ranslators鈥�, they rarely make the mistake the other way around. Translators do not interpret spoken language. Rather, they use their language skills to translate written text from one language to another 鈥� within a variety of formats.

2. Once you know a second language, you can become a translator!

Knowing a second language, and even being fluent in a second language, is not enough to advertise oneself as a professional translator. Professional translators aren鈥檛 just multilingual, they also have the education and training required to understand the translation process and use the techniques required to translate efficiently. This requires years of theoretical and practical training, in addition to ongoing experience in the field 鈥� and possibly, certification.

Most importantly, we recommend hiring translators who are native speakers of the target language so any differences in cultural nuance, tone, colloquialisms, etc., are taken into consideration in the final translation.

Professional translators may be able to translate anything from government documents and technical manuals, to speeches, marketing brochures, books, and political cartoons 鈥� but they may not want to, depending on how comfortable they are with the subject matter.

3. Language is the most important thing for a professional translator to master

In fact, we鈥檇 say knowledge of the working languages is obviously necessary, but that鈥檚 not all that is required. While it鈥檚 certainly imperative that your translator is fluent in both language and culture of their source and target languages, there are several other skillsets or prerequisites worth verifying with a prospective translator. This includes things like:

• University and/or graduate-level education level
• Advanced-level writing skills, particularly in their mother tongue
• Adaptable and creative writing ability, especially if you wish him/her to work fluidly between different types of written materials 鈥� professional, conversational, serious, technical, humorous, etc.
• Prior professional experience with exemplary references/referrals
• Certification and/or membership with various industry-related organizations
• A love for finding the right word
• Attention to detail 鈥� and deadlines!

4. Translators can work on the fly

It鈥檚 true that top-notch professional translators may be able to provide rush services, or work on the fly for familiar clients when necessary. However, most translators require time in order to apply the level of attention and thoughtfulness required for a smooth-reading, easily legible, final copy that resonates with its intended audience. Repeatedly expecting translators to work on a rush basis or with little notice, especially when handling serious or technical materials, puts you at risk for providing lesser-quality materials to your audience 鈥撀� and that鈥檚 not the fault of the translator鈥�

5. It takes about the same time to write something as it does to translate it

In fact, the average speed for a professional translator is about 250 to 350 words per hour, depending on the type of translated material. This is only about one or two pages per hour. The process of translating languages, particularly when using a formal, professional approach, uses a different thought and execution process than writing. That means more time allotted for assimilation, wording, editing and re-wording such that the translated message is as accurate in meaning, voice, tone and feeling as it was in the original language.

6. Google Translate means I can translate basic documents myself

Be extremely careful when using Google Translate or any other online- or machine-based translator to handle professional work. These translations may be accurate to some degree, or with individual words or phrases 鈥� but that鈥檚 not the way language works as a whole. We recommend reading, A Look at How Machine Translation Doesn鈥檛 Work, for real-life examples of why professional translation services are best.

Translators don鈥檛 communicate with others via words and phrases only. We communicate with audiences via the level of language we use (casual, conversational, former, technical, etc.), the analogies we make, the stories we tell, the emotion we include (or not) and the regional expressions or dialects most apt for the target audience. Those 鈥渆xtras鈥� aren鈥檛 a part of digital translation algorithms, which leads to stunted, awkward and even downright laughable translations at times. Is that really the impression you want to make on prospects or clients?

7. We don鈥檛 need a translator; our foreign clients know enough English

There is a grave misconception that prospects or clients who have a decent understanding and/or ability to speak English are proficient enough to read business or technical materials in English (or in any other language). While that might be the case technically, the reality is that it鈥檚 much easier for anyone to read and learn in their native tongue. Do you really want clients or prospective customers to work harder to learn about you or your business? Translation is not a courtesy or 鈥渟omething nice鈥� you give your clients: it makes for safer investment for both you and them.

We recommend translating all of your materials into target languages. Otherwise, prospects and clients who are innately drawn to your brand could migrate to competitors who鈥檝e invested in professional translation that yields easier and more straightforward information.

The professional translation team at 成人动漫 provides the platinum standard in professional translation. Contact us now to discuss the many ways we can assist your company as it strides forward in the global market.

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Who doesn鈥檛 love the movies? They transport us to another time and place鈥� until you watch a movie about something you really know about, that is.

Imagine being a soldier watching a war movie. Yes, certain aspects of battle scenes might be similar to what soldiers experience, but there are also many fallacies embedded in the script and the direction because the writers, cinematographers and directors aren鈥檛 soldiers themselves. The same is true for those us who work in the professional language services provider industry. In this blog article, we are examining 3 movies about linguists that we hope you will enjoy this summer 鈥� if you have not seen them before.

How accurately is professional interpreting portrayed in the movies?

With popular feature films like , and becoming parts of pop culture, we are often asked whether or not those films were accurate, or whether being an interpreter is like it appears in the movies.

The answer is both yes and no: yes, there are aspects of translation or interpretation that are similar to what we see on film, but linguists love nothing better than to talk about all the disparities between real life and the Hollywood version when it comes up in conversation.

Here鈥檚 our general take on Hollywood鈥檚 presentation of our trade:

How would you rate the representation of the interpreter in Lost in Translation?

Not too accurate. We love to refer people to a very particular and classic interpreter scene in Sofia Coppola鈥檚 acclaimed movie to learn what you don鈥檛 want in an interpreter. The scene was beautifully translated (which doesn鈥檛 happen in the movie if you don鈥檛 have the subtitles on) by native Japanese speaker, Motoko Rich, in the .

The following is a brief excerpt of what is said in that scene, and how the interpreter conveys messages back to Bill Murray鈥檚 Character (Bob) as he seeks clarification from the director of the film he鈥檚 working on:

DIRECTOR (in Japanese to the interpreter): The translation is very important, O.K.? The translation.

INTERPRETER: Yes, of course. I understand.

DIRECTOR: Mr. Bob-san. You are sitting quietly in your study. And then there is a bottle of Suntory whiskey on top of the table. You understand, right? With wholehearted feeling, slowly, look at the camera, tenderly, and as if you are meeting old friends, say the words. As if you are Bogie in ”Casablanca,” saying, ”Cheers to you guys,” Suntory time!

INTERPRETER: He wants you to turn, look in camera. O.K.?

BOB: That’s all he said?

INTERPRETER: Yes, turn to camera.

As you can read, that is partially what the director said 鈥� but not the essence of what he was trying to communicate. Interchanges like this continue throughout the scene and lead to a very frustrated director and an innocently diminished Bob. And, this shows exactly why it鈥檚 so important that you perform due diligence before hiring a professional conference-level interpreter. You want to hire an interpretation team that will convey not just the basic message, but all of its nuances.

We see this lackadaisical type of interpreting all the time in our profession; poorly trained or simply uninspired interpreters who translate the basic bones of the message without any of the important meat. You need to ensure the professional interpreters (or translators, for that matter) are as diligent about interpreting feelings, nuance and culture as they are about conveying the basic message.

I want to be an interpreter after watching The Interpreter. It looks so cool!

Yes, it is cool. If you鈥檙e good at what you do 鈥� you have the opportunity to travel, see the world and work with very inspiring, powerful and influential people 鈥� like those in the United Nations. All in all, we鈥檙e impressed with the level of homework filmmakers did to realistically capture what it鈥檚 like to be a U.N. interpreter 鈥� as Nicole Kidman鈥檚 character is.

Here鈥檚 a piece of trivia: did you know that the movie was called The Translator before Sydney Pollack鈥檚 team went to UN headquarters in New York City? Kudos to our conference interpreter colleagues who recommended they changed the title!

For the most part, we鈥檇 say that this film presents a fairly accurate depiction of what it鈥檚 like to be a UN interpreter. However, no real interpreter鈥檚 booth would ever be as immaculate as the ones you see there 鈥� we need to have resources, documents and glossaries within hand鈥檚 reach. We also do a tremendous amount of preparation before we go to work (Nicole Kidman appears to get to work without a hint of prep). She also doesn鈥檛 seem to have a chief Interpreter giving her directions, and doesn鈥檛 even take any notes when she鈥檚 with delegations.

That being said, you will rarely ever see a conference level interpreter helping an FBI agent question a foreign usher. That work would usually be left to community interpreters, which is a whole different segment of the professional interpreter niche.

In other words, the movie鈥檚 depiction of professional interpreting was good 鈥� but not entirely accurate. If it inspired you to become an interpreter, great 鈥� but we recommend you research professional conference interpretation a bit further before choosing it as a career.

Would you be able to figure out an alien language if they hired you to do the job?

Finally, and most poignantly, was last year鈥檚 release of . Starring Amy Adams as linguist Louise, this film explores the idea of how to come up with meaning or context when faced with a completely alien language. In this film, the language she finally decodes is the aliens鈥� version of their written language, expressed via the 丑别辫迟补辫辞诲蝉鈥� ink-like, circular splotches.

First things first, this movie has more to do with translation that it does about interpretation. However, most linguists love this movie because it鈥檚 interesting, fun, impactful and there is some realism in how her process played out.

A little background: the movie is based on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, the theory of linguistic relativity. In a nutshell, this hypothesis states that, 鈥渁n individual’s thoughts and actions are determined by the language or languages that individual speaks.鈥� In other words, if you learn a new language, your thoughts, experiences and how you categorize or judge things will shift accordingly. This experience is why most of us are passionate about languages in the first place.

Arrival takes this theory to fantastical heights and most of us agree that even with an understanding of the 丑别辫迟补辫辞诲蝉鈥� language it wouldn鈥檛 shift the linguist鈥檚 entire world and life perspective. However, an alien encounter might 鈥� so this is a film where language + alien experience just might equal a hyper-speed adoption of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. We also appreciated the long hours she worked, the incessant pressure from those who need her services to produce nearly impossible results in a rushed manner, and the fact that a quiet introvert (common personality trait of professional translators) is able to hold her own when her work is thrust into the public limelight.

As we expect it is for all movies, movies depicting professional interpreters and translators (and linguists) have big grains of truth embedded in layers of fiction.

Are you looking for real life, professional translators and interpreters who provide top-notch work, anywhere on the globe? Contact us, 成人动漫, and we鈥檒l be happy to listen to your needs and put together a competitively priced package.

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