Six Qualities That Every Legal Interpreter Must Possess By Elizabeth Gallo Court Reporting, LLC
Legal interpreters are the ones who work closely with sensitive and important cases in the courtroom or as lawyer’s associates and are tasked with providing accurate and precise results in line tight schedules.
For interpreters speaking a number of languages is impressive. But an interpreter will be valued more if he or she can professionally interpret for someone in an organization. The role of the interpreter in the legal work zone is even bigger as they are expected to ensure that the meaning of a piece of information shared by clients or the opposition party remains original. Additionally, every detail of the spoken words or written document must not lose its integrity or meaning. It is a demanding and serious job. Legal interpreters share the idea for foreign language speakers who are either from the defendant's party or clients; some of the interpretation could be possibly life-changing for clients. Interpreters are voices of non-native speakers to put out their perspective. So, let's look at the essential qualities that an Interpreter should possess:
1. Command Over Languages One of the essential qualities of an interpreter is that they need to have a good hold over the language they can interpret for. This is a basic quality that every interpreter must possess, but not everyone takes it seriously, especially in the case when they work and probably don't have time to groom their skills. However, an excellent level of oral and written communication is a must. An interpreter should not only understand the language well but should also be able to speak well and preferably better than the native speaker. Moreover, an interpreter must have superior grammatical knowledge and the ability to interpret, idioms, metaphors and other details in the conversation for effective communication. 2. Legal Knowledge To be a successful legal interpreter, a candidate should have the knowledge of law and other rules and regulations for effective communication. Even if someone knows multiple languages, but they don't know the sector where they want to work, nobody would employ them. For, e.g. If someone has applied for the job in medical interpreting services at a hospital without the knowledge of medical terms and jargon, they won't get too far in the job.
3. Certification Certification from a reputable interpretations institution shows that an interpreter has put in required efforts and has the credentials for the job. This instils trust in the employer. Those who have undergone training from institutions will not only have better command over the language but will also understand the ethics and rules of translation. Moreover, people with professional training are less likely to make mistakes at the job as errors could lead to bigger problems for interpreters, firms or clients. 4. Soft Skills A professional interpreter should also possess other qualities apart from languages- he or she should be a compassionate listener and soft-spoken. Interpretation can be intimidating for non-native speakers, especially in legal matters. An interpreter must try to make the experience of interpretation comfortable. Secondly, an interpreter can connect with a wide range of people from different backgrounds. These connections are necessary for a strong career. 5. Knowledge of Culture Interpreters don't need to know ten different languages, but what is essential is that they have a cultural understanding of the language they interpret. The ability to understand from cues, expressions and
other non-verbal signs that are specific to a particular region or cultural norms makes a big difference. It makes them a good interpreter. Having a grasp of cultural background will help interpreters convey better what non-native speaker is trying to express.
6. Great Listener The ability to listen and understand the non-native speaker is the most crucial quality of an interpreter. No matter what industry interpreters are associated with, they should possess good hold over linguistic and interpersonal skills. Both experience and education play an essential role in helping the person be a good interpreter, but the ability to listen to the speaker emphatically tops all. In Summary All the above qualities must have to become a successful interpreter. For Interpretation, Transcription, Deposition and Translation services, you can contact us. We are a well-established COURT REPORTING COMPANY in Atlanta. Our team includes certified Court reporters, interpreters and translators; they are incredibly professional and responsible for their work. Using modern technology, they aid law firms and lawyers with accurate and quality work.