T&I AS SUBJECTS & VENUES

Most of the work of the Translator falls into five major categories: economic and financial, legal, literary, medical, and scientific and technical. Economic and financial documents usually come from business and government sources and require direct experience or training in these fields. Legal Translators convert legal documents such as laws, foreign court orders, treaties, and foreign language documents used for evidence in Federal, state, and local courts. They must accurately translate even ambiguous or unclear statements. Literary translation is usually done on a commission basis for publishing houses and requires a flair for re-creating an author’s creative devices. Literary Translators work closely with authors for accuracy. In addition to providing translation for documents in hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices, medical translators might translate medical testimony in courts. Translators specializing in scientific and technical documents, require an excellent knowledge of fields such as aerospace, auto manufacturing, biotech, computers, engineering, marine sciences, mathematics, and patents.
Interpreters usually work either as conference, court, escort, meeting or seminar interpreters. They may interpret consecutively, waiting for the speaker to pause to convert what has been said, or simultaneously, in which case they convert continuously while the speaker is talking. The latter is a more difficult type of interpreting, but it is required of conference interpreters. It requires such an intuitive knowledge of the source language and the subject matter that the interpreter must be able to anticipate what the speaker will say as well as have the ability to listen, convert and talk at the same time. Court Interpreters mostly interpret consecutively except when required by the judge to interpret simultaneously.
The job of sign language Interpreters is very similar to the job of foreign language Interpreters. In sign language interpreting, however, the hands rather than a foreign language are used to communicate. Sign language interpreters convert a speaker’s words into American Sign Language (ASL), using their hands, fingers, and facial expressions. They also repeat the deaf person’s signed response to the speaker.

T&I TASKS

• Convert approximate or exact message of speaker into specified language, orally or by using hand signs for hearing impaired.
• Convert responses from second language to first.
• Read written material, such as legal documents, scientific works, or news reports and rewrite material into specified language, according to established rules of grammar.
• Listen to statements of speaker to ascertain meaning and to remember what is said, using electronic or shorthand system.
• Receive information on subject to be discussed prior to interpreting session.

IMPORTANT T&I SKILLS

Important skills, knowledge, and abilities for translators and interpreters include:

• Active Listening-Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking-Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing-Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Service Orientation-Actively looking for ways to help people comprehend language conversions.
• Foreign Language-Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• English Language-Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Communications and Media-Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Oral Comprehension-The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words, ASL signing, and sentences.
• Oral Expression-The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension-The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Speech Recognition-The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Written Expression-The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity-The ability to speak clearly so others can understand.
• Memorization-The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures through mind retention and shorthand note taking.
• Selective Attention-The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• Near Vision-The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Auditory Attention-The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.