Legal Translator and Court Interpreter
Are you right for the job?
Tu penses à une carrière de traducteur juridique ou d’interprète judiciaire? Check out this list of skills and learn how to develop them.
Attention to Detail
Legal translators and court interpreters must be able to find THE right word when translating between languages. If they mix up words or ideas, it can cause a lot of confusion.You have what you need to succeed if:
- You pay attention to details and are good at tasks that require precision, like playing Jenga or Tetris.
- People don’t hesitate to ask you to do work for them because they know that you will do a good job.
- When you watch a movie, you notice things others do not.
To develop these skills, you can:
- Play memory games and do jigsaw puzzles.
- Always proofread and revise your assignments and exams before handing them in.
- Be the person who does the final read of group project presentations to make sure there are no mistakes.
Neutrality
Is it very important that legal translators and court interpreters always translate exactly what they hear or read. They must remain neutral and unbiased at all times, and cannot let their personal feelings about an issue get in the way of their translation.You have what you need to succeed if:
- You are fair-minded during an argument between two people, even if your best friend is involved.
- You help people resolve conflicts without being controlled by your emotions.
- You can find solutions to issues involving your parents and your teachers.
To develop these skills, you can:
- Put yourself in the shoes of someone who does not share your opinions.
- Play the role of a mediator during a heated discussion between your friends and reconcile their points of view.
- Before giving your opinion on a topic that you don’t know much about, learn more about it so you can weigh the pros and cons.
Listening skills
In order to correctly translate a sentence you must have heard and understood it. This is why court interpreters must be excellent listeners. Court interpreters have to grasp the meaning of what is being said and translate it right away which requires the ability to listen, think and speak all at the same time!You have what you need to succeed if:
- You attentively listen to your friend’s private stories (and don’t share them with others).
- You listen to, but never interrupt, conversations between friends.
- You can easily remember the details of a story someone has told you.
To develop these skills, you can:
- Learn how to become an active listener (use techniques that help you remember what people tell you).
- Become a member of a support group to show that you can handle confidential information.
- Make a habit of mentally repeating key words when studying for exams.
Written Communication
Legal translators spend a lot of their time writing. Their work must accurately reflect the text they are translating in terms of meaning, style, and context. In fact, the translation of a document is written very carefully to make sure everything is right.You have what you need to succeed if:
- You enjoy preparing letters.
- You are able to spot typos and enjoy proofreading others people's work.
- You receive good marks in your French, English or literature classes.
To develop these skills, you can:
- Write articles for your school newspaper.
- Proofread and revise group work or your friend’s homework.
- Read books in English and French.
