CHOOSING A SPANISH INTERPRETER
OR OTHER LINGUIST MADE SIMPLE
The export business and languages go hand in hand.
Many of our clients say "How can I find and select the right Spanish Interpreter. Spanish-speaking business visitors coming over..." We also get asked about marketing our clients' products and services abroad. They are keen to find the best Translator for the job so that their international marketing investment, message and strategy is optimized and makes the biggest impact on their target audience. If you're in the same position, and you are in the poultry, meat, wine or another industry, then you may find the following article helpful:
Is the following correct?
‘The ability to speak two or more languages qualifies someone to help you develop your marketing material in a foreign language or help you communicate with foreign business visitors or, in other words, be your Interpreter, Translator or Language Instructor'.Read on and decide for yourself...
Principal differences between someone who speaks another language and a professional linguist:
A Linguist Practitioner, e.g. a Spanish Interpreter, who is accredited by a recognized body follows a strict code of professional conduct. An Associate, Member or Fellow of an organization such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists will undertake each job following a code of professional conduct. Membership is only available to highly skilled Linguists with an intricate knowledge of two or more languages. Professional Linguists will have an in-depth understanding of particular fields and will undertake their assignments with an appropriate degree of precision. They are able to bridge cultural differences by going beyond the literal meaning. This is achieved by using their knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of regional language and cultural variants. A professional Linguist will have a sound mastery of their target language, e.g Spanish for a Spanish Interpreter, and will normally work into their mother tongue or language of habitual use.
Budgeting considerations:
Translation, interpretation, culture consultancy or language training undertaken poorly can be disastrous for an individual or business. When budgeting for a Spanish Interpreter or other Linguist it is worth taking into consideration the difference an appropriately qualified Linguist can make. In response to a pupil who commented on the maestro’s fee, Scnabel said “I could give cheaper lessons but I couldn’t recommend them.” Translation errors, such as ‘Nothing sucks like an Electrolux’, highlight the need for professional translation services.
Identify what you need:
What you require undertaken will determine which Practitioner you commission: INTERPRETER, TRANSLATOR, LEXICOGRAPHER, COPYWRITER, EDITOR, PROOFREADER, CULTURAL CONSULTANT or LANGUAGE TRAINER. Translation and Interpretation are often confused. For example, a Spanish Translator works with the written word and the Spanish Interpreter with the spoken word. There are different forms of interpreting such as simultaneous, consecutive and Liaison. Before choosing a Practitioner, as a basic guideline, you must identify your source and target languages (e.g. English into Spanish), the type of Linguist (e.g. Translator, Interpreter etc), accreditations the Linguist should hold (this is especially important if you require certification or a document to be sworn) and the subject area (e.g. a Legal Translator may not be appropriate to translate a medical document or translate a marketing letter about golf or horse riding)...
An example of a professional linguist:
Josephine Riquelme PhD, Spanish Interpreter,
is based in Alicante, Spain, and is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (UK). She is accredited by the
Spanish Foreign Office
as a Sworn Translator and Official Interpreter: Traductora-Intérprete Jurado (TIJ).
She also holds the British and Spanish Teaching Qualifications
(PGCE,
QTS).
Josephine has a lot of experience as a Linguist and applies three principles to each job: Accuracy, Attention to Detail and
Timeliness. She has worked as an Interpreter for the Vice President of Catalonia, a Lecturer at
Kingston University (London)
has undertaken many Translation Jobs and has published material which includes a
Spanish Dictionary for Penguin Books (ISBN: 0141020458).
By clicking on the España Britannia book image to the left you will be able to read Josephine's interesting article about the historical relationship between England and Spain.
If you would like further information about choosing a linguist then please do not hesitate to contact the team for free advice.
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