Oral interpretation is needed whenever a difference in language creates a barrier between people of different cultures. Interpreters can be found escorting foreign visitors and businesspeople, interpreting highly technical speeches and discussions at international medical or scientific meetings, or appearing in a courtroom when the proceedings involve persons who do not speak or understand English.
There are two basic types of interpretation: simultaneous and consecutive. In simultaneous interpretation, the interpreter translates what is being said in one language as the speaker continues to speak in another. This requires both fluency and speed on the part of the interpreter and is made possible by the use of electronic equipment that allows the transmission of simultaneous speeches. Simultaneous interpretation is preferred for conferences and meetings. Conference interpreters often work in a glass-enclosed booth using earphones and a microphone. Those attending the conference can tune into their preferred language by turning a dial or pushing a button.
In consecutive interpretation, the speaker and the interpreter take turns speaking. In addition to having fluency in the language, a consecutive interpreter must also have a good memory and usually takes notes to give a full and accurate translation. This method is very time-consuming but is the usual method with person-to-person interpretation.
The United Nations (UN) employs full-time interpreters. Full-time staff interpreters are also employed by the Organization of American States, the International Monetary Fund, the Pan American Health Organization, and the World Bank. The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Justice are the major employers of full-time interpreters in the federal government.
Freelance interpreters usually work on short-term contracts, although some assignments can be of longer duration. The greatest number of freelance interpreters works under contract for the U.S. Department of State and the Agency of International Development, serving as escort interpreters for foreign visitors to the United States. The next largest group of freelance interpreters works in the conference field.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
This is a relatively small job field with the largest concentration of interpreters in New York City and Washington, D.C.
The conditions under which interpreters work varies widely. Freelance interpreters have little job security because of the fluctuations in demand for their service. Free-lance assignments can last from a few days for a typical conference to several weeks on some escort assignments. Although interpreters do not necessarily work long hours, they often work irregular hours, with escort interpreters often required to do a great deal of traveling.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Anyone interested in becoming an interpreter should be an articulate speaker in multiple languages and have good hearing. This work requires quickness, accuracy, tact, and emotional stamina to deal with the tensions of the job. Interpreters must be dependable as to the honesty of their interpretations and have a sense of responsibility as to the confidentiality of their work.
A complete command of two languages or more is the usual requirement for an interpreter. Interpreters at the UN must know at least three of the six official UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
An extensive and up-to-date working vocabulary and ease in making the transition from one language structure to another are necessary as well as the ability to instantly call to mind appropriate words or idioms of the language.
Many individuals may qualify on the basis of their own foreign backgrounds, and the experience of living abroad is also very important. Interpreters should be generally well informed and, in the case of conference interpretation, be well grounded in technical subjects such as medicine or scientific and industrial technology.
Interpreters who speak Portuguese, Japanese, and German are also widely in demand in the United States.
Although there is no standard requirement for entry into this profession, a university education generally is essential. In the United Sates, two schools offer special programs for interpreters. Foreign language proficiency is an entry requirement in both.
Applicants to Georgetown University School of Languages and Linguistics in Washington, D.C., must qualify on the basis of an entrance examination and previous studies at the university level; they usually hold a bachelor's degree and often a master's degree. The school awards a certificate of proficiency as a conference interpreter upon successful completion of a one- or two-year course of study. The certificate is recognized by the International Association of Conference Interpreters.
The Department of Translation and Interpretation at the Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies in Monterey, California, offers a two-year graduate program leading to a master's degree in intercultural communication and a graduate certificate in either translation, translation/interpretation, or conference interpretation. School entrance requirements include a bachelor's degree, an aptitude test, fluency in English plus one other language if studying translation, or two other languages for the interpretation field. Following two semesters of basic courses in translating and interpreting, applicants must pass a qualifying examination for entrance into the translation or interpretation programs.
Potential and Advancement
Interpreters and translators held about 61,000 jobs as of 2014. About 23 percent were self-employed. Many others do some interpretation work in the course of their jobs. Secretaries with foreign-language abilities are in demand by companies with foreign subsidiaries or customers.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate that the demand for interpreters will soar by 29% between 2014 and 2024, providing strong opportunities for those hoping to enter or advance in the field.
Income
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for interpreters was $44,190 in 2015.
Wages hinge on the languages known, subject matter, ability, know-how, training, certification, and the type of employer. Wages of interpreters and translators differ greatly. Interpreters and translators who know languages for which there is a larger request or that comparatively fewer people can translate often earn greater wages, as do those who perform duties needing a high level of proficiency, such as conference interpreters.
For those who are not salaried, earnings characteristically fluctuate, depending on the availability of work. Self-employed interpreters usually charge an hourly rate. Many self-employed translators often charge a rate per word or per hour. Since many interpreters and translators are self-employed, their timetables may fluctuate, with interchanging periods of small work and periods of long, unbalanced hours. Still, most work full time during regular business hours.
Related Jobs
Related jobs include translators, adult literacy and general education development (GED) teachers, career and technical education teachers, court reporters, high school teachers, kindergarten and elementary school teachers, medical transcriptionists, middle school teachers, postsecondary teachers, special education teachers, and self-enrichment teachers.
