Translators: Why Just Being Bilingual Is Not Enough

Having perfect fluency in two or more languages does not automatically lead a person to be a good translator. Translation is a combination of art and science. Here eSense Translation Birmingham reviews why there is so much more to translation work than what may first appear.

A common misconception is that a bilingual speaker can be a reliable translator. However, translation is an advanced form of science, which requires a ‘bi-cultural’ specialist, who is an expert in their field and who understands the jargons with nuanced meanings within a language, whilst still maintaining the accuracy. eSense Translations Birmingham reviews the work of translators on a regular basis and it is clear who has the experience to work with words in a way that reflects an appreciation of the culture of the target market, as well as a succinct understanding of the topic in hand.

Particular skills that a bilingual-speaker may be lacking, but which professional translators demonstrate, are analytical skills, research and reading skills, linguistic creativity and cultural know-how, alongside maintaining the accuracy of the text and also providing an excellent customer service. To be an efficient translator, one must devote their resources and skills to honing one’s expertise and concentrating on the minute details that a specific subject requires.

An excellent translation is attained through a solid acquaintance with the nuances of language and being able to manipulate words in such a way that text can be successful delivered from one language to another, retaining the tone, context and purpose of the original, whilst also conveying it in an appropriate manner to a target audience. We cannot deny the fact that bilingualism is essential, but it is not adequate for translation expertise and competence.