Requirement numero uno of a consecutive translator is to know the language. But beyond just the language, what else makes a good translator? Customs, body language, and a general cultural understanding have a lot to do with making sure your conversation goes swimmingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCustoms will often outlive the remembrance of their origin.\u201d \u2013 Thomas Paine<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Have you ever watched someone experience a two-kiss greeting for the first time? Yes, I felt you cringe from here. It\u2019s palpably uncomfortable. These are the customs that translators must know\u2014no kiss; one kiss; two kiss; red kiss; blue kiss? The rules feel never-ending with just one tiny moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ok, you might have heard of the two-kiss rule. But you might not know that your Japanese language translator needs to have a business card printed in both English and Japanese with enough to hand out to everyone, plus some. You might even want to hire them ahead of time to help you translate yours! Don\u2019t worry about remembering that, though\u2014that\u2019s what a good translator is going to tell you<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBody language is more powerful than words.\u201d \u2013 Ricky Gervais<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone, including translators, expresses body language in some way. Can you imagine if your translator walked into your high-profile business meeting, sat down, and started spinning around in the chair? I mean sure, that looks like a lot of fun, but that probably wasn\u2019t the entrance we were all hoping for. Body language can make or break the entire situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We express our body language in one of four movement styles: light and bouncy; soft and fluid; dynamic and determined; or precise and bold. Think about your translator\u2019s entrance one more time, but let\u2019s change it. They walk in, make very direct eye contact with everyone while they shake hands, and then sit down with a pained smile in an almost-uncomfortable perfect posture. This paints a picture of who this person is in one sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBody Language<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cultural Understanding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n