When pondering this question, it is best to answer whether the translation profession is right for you.
It is not enough just to know, say, your mother tongue and a foreign language, be it English, German, French or Russian. A good translator needs to have a perfect understanding of the content of the text being translated, be up to date with the terminology in the language in question, and be constantly educated in every field. Many people who have a degree in philology or applied linguistics can become good translators, but, as I wrote earlier, you constantly need to educate yourself in the terminology of a given language. It is no longer enough to have a huge number of subject-specific dictionaries, bought in bookshops or online auctions.
Nowadays, many translators use special software to help them translate faster. The Internet is also a very helpful tool in the translator’s work, where it is possible to find literally all the answers to the questions we have, or to familiarise ourselves with various aspects and terminology discussed in various translator forums. Some interpreters, for example, specialise only in translation, but there are also those who prefer only simultaneous (simultaneous) and consecutive (consecutive) interpreting.
In simultaneous interpreting, however, it should be taken into account that the interpreter performing such interpreting must be characterised by resistance to stress, reflexes, divided attention and good diction. At the same time, even bad diction of the speaker, a sudden change of topic or unforeseen technical problems of the booth equipment may be a problem for the simultaneous interpreter. Another issue in the subject under discussion is the profession of a sworn interpreter, and to become one, in this case, one must meet the requirements, strictly defined in the Act of 25 November 2004 on the profession of a sworn interpreter.
