Interpreter

What does an interpreter do? Interpreting is the conversion of one spoken language into another. An interpreter must listen to, understand and interpret the two different languages, like a bridge connecting two islands. As an interpreter, you will work with a great variety of people in many different areas, including international events, court cases and medical consultancies.

There are five key types of interpretation: simultaneous interpretation (working at large conferences within a sound booth); interpreting immediately as the speaker forms their words; consecutive interpretation at smaller meetings, where the interpreter waits until the speaker has finished before they interpret; liaison interpretation, performed over the telephone; and whispering interpretation, operated when a minority of individuals require an interpreter, who sits behind them and whispers the interpretation.

What qualifications are needed? Interpreting is studied alongside English and two foreign languages, at least one of which you will have studied at A-level. All courses take a third year abroad, with placements varying, based on languages chosen and contacts forged by individual universities. While choosing two key languages, (usually, but not always, French, Spanish or German) subsidiary languages are offered. The University of Salford offers a huge range, including Arabic, Chinese and Italian, while the University of East Anglia offers Finnish, Russian and Japanese, to name a few. Ultimately, all the courses are language courses, designed to give students a deep understanding of the skills needed for their chosen language: listening, reading, writing and oral. Another branch of interpreting is the study and application of sign language. The course tracks the evolution and consequences of deafness, the shape and structure of the ear, and ultimately is intended to teach fluency in British sign language.

What about personal qualities? To become an interpreter you need to have a real love for languages. This means an urge not just to grasp the languages you choose but to really know the shapes and patterns within them, including jargon, idiom and sector-specific vocabulary. This is achieved by regularly reading foreign newspapers, watching foreign films, living abroad and always working to expand vocabulary. For simultaneous interpretation you need to think quickly, while interpreting between patient and doctor in a medical consultancy requires calmness and the ability to gain the trust of a client.

What specific careers can you go into? There are many different fields of interpreting: technical, literary and business. Withtherise of China, Russia and India as economic superpowers, there is a rapidly rising demand for interpreters of those languages in the business sector. Conflict in the Middle East generates an increased demand for interpreters of Arabic for both the Ministry of Defence and the United Nations (UN). If you are interested in ethical work, the UN is a large employer, reliant on interpreters to maintain successful, peaceful communication between its members. Businesses also need interpreters to maintain efficient economic relation, while freelance work includes bureaus, international banks and publishing houses, although additional skills are often required, such as economics, literature or industry experience.