What skills are required to be a good translator?


These days, people all over the world generally believe that translation is just the involuntary substitution of languages, and therefore anyone can be a translator if they know a foreign language. This perception is completely wrong, the simple fact of having a good knowledge of foreign languages ​​does not guarantee 100% that a translation will be done reasonably well. In simple words, the translation requires skill to do a good and correct analysis of the meaning in the target language. Also, a translator must be aware of the essence of the subject in addition to having a good knowledge of the language, including the rules of the language and the rules of spelling.

However, as the world becomes more globalized, in recent years we have faced the biggest challenge of text conversion and that is how to find the right balance between conveying the meaning and beauty of the initial text and achieving destination conversion. . more efficient and effective. Only talented translators are competent to find this sense of balance. Therefore, having a superior knowledge of the subject of translation is only one part of the translation process.

A skilled text converter has something else and it is his talent. He or she must have the ability to create a virtual world where the source language author and the target language reader can connect with each other. A talented text converter makes the best use of the nuances present in the source text to develop a fresh and effective target text.

The service provided by translators to promote cultures and nurture languages ​​has been remarkable throughout history. Translators are transferring messages from one language to another, while preserving the underlying cultural ideas and values. Focusing on these facts, some questions are raised today: what experience is needed to build translation capacity? How can someone become a good translator? If you really want to become a successful translator, you must be able to meet or follow the following criteria:

1: The first and most important step is reading different translations of different types of texts. Effective translation requires first-class knowledge, so accessible skills must be developed before undertaking any text conversion. An excellent translator has a thorough knowledge of both source and target speech, so they must understand the various genres in both source and target verbal communication. It helps improve general reading aptitude and provides information that may be unconsciously useful.

2: The second most important talent required is the potential to write correctly in both the source and target languages. Writing is the main job of a text converter. You should be well acquainted with different writing styles and editing morals in both the source and target languages. Factors such as editing and the proper use of punctuation increase the value and readability of the translation.

3. Must have the ability to listen to understand and be alert to understand various expressions, idioms and specific vocabulary and their uses. This talent is like an intuition and cannot be developed easily, so it requires regular practice to some extent. Language intuition is like a must for all those who want to be competent translators.

4. The act of translating is like accepting the meaning of the source text within the framework of the discourse of the source language. Now, to further this understanding, you need to become aware of the cultural divergence and various strategies present in source and target verbal communication.

5. You must also be aware of the various registers, speech styles, and social stratification of source and target languages. This socio-cultural awareness helps improve the quality of large-scale translations. It is very important to understand that the work of translating occurs within the sociocultural framework; as a result, it is very important to evaluate translation activity only from a social perspective.

6. To develop an excellent command of translation, you must be aware of different sources of knowledge, such as bilingual dictionaries and encyclopedias, and learn to use them. Now, the use of dictionaries requires a very technical domain. Words have various meanings in different circumstances and therefore you need to go through a repetitive exercise to learn the projected meaning of words in a specific situation.

7. In addition to this, you should be aware of the sentence structure of reported speech and the different figures of speech in the source language, such as hyperbole, irony, and meiosis. Having detailed knowledge of these figures of speech will further help to turn your flaccid knowledge into active talent.

Finally, you should know that it takes a lot more to be a good and skilled translator. Talented translators are not made overnight, it definitely requires significant investment in both source and target speech. For every talented text converter, simultaneously switching between two universes is one of the most demanding tasks. Consequently, refined and systematic practice can lead to the development of skills that can further help you to be a good translator.