4 key qualities to look for in a Korean translator

The latest figures from the Asia Society Organization of Education and Learning state that Korean is spoken by 72 million people around the world. This total breaks down as follows:
* 20 million North Koreans
* 42 million South Koreans
* 2 million speakers in China, primarily along the North Korean border
* 0.6 million Koreans and Korean-Americans in the US
* 0.5 million speakers in Russia and Japan
* Isolated Korean communities in Thailand, Guam, Singapore, and Paraguay

Between the overall number of people speaking the language and their wide geographic distribution, Korean is a vibrant tongue with several distinct dialects. Thus, a professional Korean translator needs to master a diverse skill set in order to help non-speakers communicate properly with native speakers, regardless of the overall aim of the process.

Qualities shared by good Korean translators

Research suggests that many words in Korean have been imported from Chinese and English originals. Korean has enough unique features to qualify as a distinct and even isolated language, though. Good translators who are fluent in Korean can capture more than literal meaning; they also translate concepts and convert idiomatic phrases and slang into the language. In order to this effectively, a great translator should possess the following attributes:

1. Native Familiarity: Native Korean speakers have an enormous advantage when it comes to mastering the subtleties of the language. Like other Asian languages, Korean features a number of styles and adjustments designed to convey emotional meaning and discriminate between levels of formality. It also has a complex system of verb changes and specialized nouns used to make the relationship between the speaker and the listener clear. It is difficult (if not impossible) for non-native speakers to fully master these distinctions.

2. Full Bi-Lingual Aptitude: While a thorough understanding of Korean is vital for clear communication, it is by no means the only prerequisite. A translator should ideally be almost as familiar with the translated language as he or she is with Korean.

3. Thorough Training: A rigorous training program is the only way to prepare a Korean translator to handle the needs of his or her clients. To master commercial translation, a translator needs to be educated on the specific requirements of legal, technical, medical, and marketing translation.

4. Familiarity with subject matter: As suggested in the last point, a translator cannot communicate well unless he or she knows the subject matter being translated. Most professional Korean translators specialize in a given industry (e.g. engineering or medicine) to become familiar with the quirks and intricacies of the profession.

Certified translation from Korean in NYC

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Apoling Solutions is a purveyor of certified, notarized translation services in the United States. Apoling serves businesses small and large, law firms, and individuals who need quick, accurate, comprehensive document translation. Our translation team has the skills, training, and experience necessary to handle all forms of translation in virtually any field. Learn more by visiting the company’s Korean translation webpage.