What kind of person makes a good court interpreter?
In addition to total fluency in English and a second language, a court interpreter should have excellent public speaking skills. Sometimes the testimony to be interpreted is shocking or traumatic, and the interpreter must be able to deal with such matters without becoming emotionally involved. The interpreter must also be able to refrain from expressing personal opinions or acting as an advocate for one side or the other in a court case, and must be able to work unobtrusively. The interpreter must be able to work well under pressure and react quickly to solve complex linguistic and ethical problems as they arise. On the other hand, when a problem cannot be solved by the interpreter alone, the interpreter must demonstrate the good judgment required to inform the court of that fact and take whatever steps are necessary to resolve the situation. And finally, a good court interpreter constantly strives to improve his or her skills by reading widely, attending conferences, researching new t
