Being a translator requires continuous learning. Pronunciations evolve, new words are borrowed or invented, the meaning of old words shifts, and morphology develops or decays. As languages are always evolving and varying across time, translators must keep up-to-date with all the changes.
Here are a few suggestions that will help you improve your skills as a competent translator:
Read
One of the most important ways to ensure that your translations are contextual and meaningful is to read as much as possible. Read as many newspapers, journals, books, and publications as you can; this way you will absorb trends, events, cultural variations, and slang used within the languages you work with. Read books about translation, tips, and tricks of the field to be prepared to deal with translation issues.
Increase Cultural Awareness
One of the hardest difficulties is the cultural barriers of languages. Languages are complex and translators require a deep understanding of cultural awareness when translating. The best way of crossing this barrier is by observing and practicing with native speakers.
Converse
Try to have as many conversations as you can with native speakers of the target language. There is no better way to learn a language than by constantly speaking it. It is also an excellent way to learn colloquialisms and jargon in your target language.
Practice Daily
No one is a perfect translator. Keep track of your mistakes and learn from them so that you do not make them again. If you are used to translating English to another language, practice back translation. This is a good challenge!
Acquire Specialist Knowledge
Dedicate yourself to a particular field of study wherein to build your career. Pursue a degree or certification within one domain. It is important to familiarize yourself with industry trends on social networks and translation platforms in order to know what specializations are needed the most and mix them with your hobbies to turn them into your specialty.
Talk with Other Translators
Communicate with other translators, follow translation blogs, keep in touch with your colleagues. Ask them for tips on how you can improve your translation skills and let them review your work for mistakes so that you can learn how to improve your translation skills.
Use CAT Tools
As a translator, you must familiarize yourself with Computer Assisted Translation Tools. They help ensure consistency prevails across the text. As they are specifically created to assist translators in the translation process, you learn the advantages of using them!
What other tips do you suggest for improving your translation skills?
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