The professional translators can work both in freelance as part of the staff of a business. One of the most important characteristics is the language fluency that a professional translator needs to have.
Main functions of a professional translator
The main function of a professional translator is to translate different types of texts from one language to another. Such texts can range from books, legal documents, and manuals to research, as long as the original message is respected. Not only it’s essential to convey the original message, but there are several functions that a professional translator must perform:Analyzing the target audience for the translation. It isn’t the same translating a text depending on the audience, whether it’s general, knowledgeable about the subject or an expert in it. The use of language and vocabulary won’t be the same. We cannot use technical terms if the audience is general because they will not understand what the subject matter is about.
- Adapting translations. In many cases it is necessary to adapt translations based on the target language and culture.
- Doing a previous research. This is the process of paperwork and review of the information necessary to translate a text.
- Creating specialized glossaries. It’s very important to create a glossary of technical terms to make the work faster and more efficient. It also gives you the advantage of being familiar with the terminology.
- Examining and correcting translated documents so it doesn’t have any mistake.
- The professional translator is in charge of numerous functions in order for their work to be profitable. Besides the above-mentioned functions, the translator needs to manage the time in order to meet the deadlines.
Professional translation vs. machine translation
Machine translation tools are different from online dictionaries, since they translate complete sentences. In this case, we have to ask ourselves: why haven’t machine translators supplanted us today? The difference is that all these machine translation tools use technology and software to translate a text. However, all these machine translation tools do not rely on the human factor.The professional translation, made by a person, has factors that machine translation don’t. These factors go from the record, style and adaptation to the quality of the translations. A clear example is the existing difference between the Spanish language from Spain and Latin America.The specialized professional translator cannot cover all fields because, humanly, it’s impossible. It’s common that professional translators specialize on a branch in two languages. In Translinguo Global, we believe in the professionalism of our specialized translators, making high-quality translations. Furthermore, we have native translators specialized in different fields.
