How a Good Interpreter Manages to Learn How to Multi-task

Interpreters and translators are often faced with similar challenges, but interpreters must be better multi-taskers in their job. They have to listen and speak to more than one other person at the same time. But how do they do it?

The reality is that we all do that very same thing a lot of the time, but not necessarily in multiple languages. How often have you found yourself dutifully listening to someone talking to you but find yourself perking up your ears to another conversation going on at the same time? Or finding yourself in a lively group of people all talking at once. It’s not that managing multiple conversations at the same time is particularly easy, but it can be done. Like anything in life, if you have the incentive, then you can learn to get better. It’s the same with the multi-tasking interpreter.

In a way, even the German English translator must multi-task to some extent. It all depends on how fluent they are in both languages or whether they have to consciously think in the language they are translating into. The interpreter must listen and talk at the same time, in more than one language, so this is definitely a more difficult task, but not necessarily any more difficult than the example given at the beginning of this article. Think of the multiple conversation scenario. The brain has to cope with what could be very different messages being converted at the same time, while the interpreter only has to convert a single message, albeit in two or more different languages.

Professionals who choose a career in English German translation or interpreting generally go through a period of training. That doesn’t make a perfect interpreter, but it certainly sets them up on the path to being a good multi-tasker. One of the ways interpreters are trained is to first listen to a variety of recordings, audio as well as video. These should be varied and not just regular news style recordings, but the sort of more disjointed speech that many people use when they are talking. The next step is to ‘shadow’ what is being spoken by repeating the words out loud. Then, the same speech should be repeated, but using paraphrasing, making it more natural and understandable to whoever might be listening. The last step is to repeat the latter, but in another language.

German English translators have the luxury of time on their side and aim for accuracy in their translations. Interpreters do not have the time to be meticulous in their delivery, but have to get the gist across as well as they can!

Why is Legal Translation so Specialised?

Legal translation from German to English or vice versa may involve any sort of text that is used within the legal system or systems in the two countries that are corresponding. Given the fact that there are several countries where German is spoken, each with their own legal system and specific terminology and correspondingly there are several ore countries where English is the principal language, you can see straight away that German English translation of legal documents is a highly specialised task.

The variety of legal documents that may need translating is impressive:

• patents;
• transcripts;
• witness statements;
• depositions;
• official reports;
• financial documents;
• identity documents;
• wills and testaments

The documents in the list above are just some of the sorts of documents that may need to be translated for one reason or another. The fact that most western countries are becoming more multicultural through increased migration means inevitably there are more documents that have to be made available for things like student and employment visas, residence, marriage, birth, divorce and citizenship.

Many businesses and government agencies are finding that they need to deal with a variety of organisations in another country where the language is different and legal documents must be made available.

Legal document translation must be in the hands of not just translators who have an excellent command of German and English but must be specialists in the legal field as well as having an excellent understanding of legal terminology in both languages.

In many instances, even small mistakes in English German translation can lead to costly misunderstandings, lost or delayed contracts and other significant legal consequences.

In some countries, translators must be accredited to a nationally recognised body which means that their training and qualifications are suitable for most translation tasks. In some European countries, translators must swear before a court that their legal translations are accurate and in other countries (e.g. Italy), a legal translation must be accompanied by a certification that it is an accurate legal document. This level of accreditation is not uniform and in Britain and the U.S., for instance, accreditation and sworn statements are not mandatory by government authorities but they may have their own trade recognition which should satisfy the client who wants some confidence that they have chosen the right translator to work on their legal documents. 

Trustworthy Australian Based German Document Translation Services

Finding a trustworthy German document translation service provider just about anywhere in Australia is quite easy as there are a number of very good translation services available. If you do not need to meet the translator personally, then finding a German translation service online is easy and it doesn’t really matter where you live as there are suitable translators in every city.

Unless the documents you have are not particularly important you should stick to a German NAATI translator to do the document translation for you. If your documents are intended to be submitted to any government agency or to an employer, then you may find that only documents that have been translated by an accredited NAATI translator are acceptable, anyway.

Not all German translation service providers specialise so it is worth reading the translation company’s own website quite carefully before you approach them to ask for a quote. If, for instance, you have medical or legal documents you want translating, then make sure that the translation service specialises in that sort of document translation.

If you want certificates or personal documents like birth and marriage certificates, educational and professional qualifications and employment records translated these are usually the sorts of documents that just about any sort of translator will be able to do for you. The only difference might be in the price per document (they usually charge by the word) or the turn-around time and if they provide an express service or are able to translate at awkward times such as weekends or public holidays. Usually, there is a surcharge for these services.

If you do have a lot of translation work needed and it is likely to be ongoing, then it makes sense to build up a working relationship with the translation company and especially with the translator who is likely to do most of the German translation for you. You will want to keep a translation service that is open to communication and listens to the specific details of what you want.

Remember that it is unlikely that you will understand any of your documents once they are translated, so it is important that you can trust the translator to do the job well. You will get feedback from the people you send your documents to, so that will help you to feel confident that the translator you have chosen is indeed doing a good job. Also remember that you can help the translator do their work better by making sure that you provide clear, easy to understand instructions about the nature of the document and who it is intended for.

German English Translation can be Trickier Than You Think!

German and English are quite closely related languages and many of the source words in English are similar to the equivalent in German, but somehow this doesn’t make English to German or German to English translation any easier. German English translation can be trickier than you think!

It doesn’t take too much examination of poorly translated text to confirm that translation quality is just as important for these two languages as it is for any other. If the documents or material that needs to be translated have any importance at all, then a German NAATI translator with a solid grounding in both languages is to be preferred.

Here are some sample translation examples that demonstrate how what seems to be easy to translate phrases or paragraphs can end up in what becomes a clumsy expression or even worse, misunderstandings that could have been avoided with a more careful choice of German translator.

Take this example from a series of signs posted in a German camp site. The notices had been translated into English for the benefit of any English speaking campers. The German used was excellent and the translated text could easily be understood, but appeared quite clumsy and this is probably because the German translator used was simply not proficient enough in English.

The notice used the German word “geschirrwaschstelle” and the translator translated this in English as “an installation for dish washing”. The English speaking camper would have worked out that this meant what they would normally refer to as a “place to wash your dishes”.

The same notice also used a German expression, that wouldn’t have raised a single German speaker’s eyebrow, intended to politely point campers in the right direction when they wanted to have a shower, but the German translator translated this into English as “making their toilet in a personal grooming location”. The English speaking camper would probably have had a laugh at this clumsy translation but still understood that it meant “use the bathroom for your personal hygiene needs”.

A second example is from an advert posted by a language school in Frankfurt which was hoping to attract English speakers to sign up for German language lessons. The advert had several technical errors, mainly in the use of articles which a German NAATI translator should have got right if used. One phrase said “We assist you to fully merge in the German language”. This would have caused some confusion probably because the German translator mistook the words “merge” and “immerse”, which certainly seem to be spelled similarly, yet have different meanings. The phrase rewritten as “We help you to fully immerse yourself in the German language” would have been a much better choice of words.

There are plenty of examples like this which demonstrate the difference between a professional and amateur translation quality. Poorly translated texts can lose contracts, cause confusion, hilarity or embarrassment, so if your translation needs are important, don’t hesitate to choose a professional and reliable German NAATI translator.

Are Communication Standards Falling in Translation?

There are a number of English speaking countries that are failing to use standard English when conveying messages or product information in the language. This is not only misleading, but can also damage product promotion.

Global education is a sector that can lose out if any incorrect language is used when marketing the education product to students and other agencies wishing to gain advantages from education in overseas countries by marketing an education product in their own country.

Australia, for example, relies on education agents overseas in order to recruit students to educational institutions of all kinds in Australia. It is crucial that the educational information provided to overseas countries is translated accurately and is persuasive without being misleading. There have been cases where students have been recommended for courses that have been unsuitable and have damaged Australia’s reputation as a good education provider.

There have also been instances where students have been misled by offshore agents when it comes to visa requirements when entering Australia for study purposes.  Some of this misunderstanding is due to mistranslation as well as omission of facts because their importance has been underrated.  A good German translator would ensure no misunderstanding would take place.

Poor communication has also taken place between students and persuasive education agents who have tried to persuade students to change agents so that they get a better deal when it comes to selecting an educational institution in Australia. Prospective students can easily be misled if important information is lost in translations.

Due to misunderstandings and confusion regarding study in Australia, the Australian Education Department at federal level is trying to find ways of ensuring that students get the highest quality of information on courses whether it’s through an education agent in their own country or through communication with a provider in Australia. If the student is coming to Australia from Germany he or she should ensure that the course content, visa requirements and information such as working while a student in Australia should be clearly translated by a German English translator who is experienced as an English German translator too.