What Is Escort Interpreting and When Is It Used?
Escort interpreting is used to bridge the gap between people who do not share a common language. Escort interpreters, or travel interpreters, are often used in business settings, especially for situations where someone would need a guide for traveling in a foreign country.
From helping with local tours to assisting with business deals, these individuals make travelers feel comfortable when they are in foreign territories. Learn more about escort interpreting and situations where it is used.
Your Role as a Travel Interpreter
Being an escort interpreter requires strong knowledge of the language, culture, and locations of the destination. As a travel interpreter, your job is to make sure your client is comfortable and understands what is being said around them. For this reason, it is crucial to be able to demonstrate the following:
- Cultural knowledge – Being a traveling interpreter requires extensive knowledge of local norms and customs. Having this knowledge will help you convey what the non-native speaker intends, as well as what is being conveyed by locals. Additionally, it can reduce any confusion or complications when trying to conduct business deals or perform other tasks.
- Understanding of the area – A travel interpreter should understand how to get their client around an area safely. It is your goal to make your client comfortable, and this goes beyond just using your GPS to get from the hotel to the airport. It is essential to be able to find good meeting destinations, recommend places to eat, and even suggest spots to visit.
- Language expertise – Escort interpreting requires deep knowledge of vocabulary and nuance in both the source and target languages. Knowledge of these aspects will promote the greatest understanding between the two parties. Travel interpreters should also be able to translate figures of speech, including idioms and metaphors.
Times When Escort Interpreting Is Used
It goes without saying that it is essential to maintain personality, professionalism, and trustworthiness as a traveling interpreter. You will have a lot of contact with your client and you want to make sure that you remain approachable and friendly, answering any questions they may have. Maintaining professionalism is just as important, as you could be dealing with a variety of respected people and you want your client to be treated with the same respect.
When you get involved in escort interpreting, you might find yourself in the following settings:
- Factory tours
- International conferences
- Meet-and-greets
- Multi-million-dollar business deals
- Trade missions / study tours
- Governmental meetings
Furthering Your Education to Enhance Your Skills in Escort Interpreting
If you are interested in pursuing a career in escort interpreting, it is important to have a solid foundation of knowledge that can help you excel. With the Kent State M.A. in Translation this is possible! Our program is built to fit into your schedule and can be completed anywhere, making it the perfect way to continue your education and gain exposure to your favorite language and culture. Our program features the following:
- Graduation rates exceeding 90%
- Personalized guidance by faculty
- 36 hours of coursework
- Ability to complete the program in just 4 semesters
- Base tuition of $559.90 per credit hour for non-Ohio students
Full-time students are able to complete this program within two years, while part-time students typically complete the required coursework in three to six years. No matter your specialization, our fully online language program is designed to set you up for success.
Additionally, we have different language specializations, including the following: Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.
If you're ready to learn more about our M.A. in Translation program, be sure to check out the admission requirements.
Also, to learn more about interpretation vs. translation, check out our blog!
Start the Application Process Today
Beginning a career in escort interpreting means you get to help others excel in their business endeavors while constantly strengthening your knowledge of culture and language.
Give yourself a competitive edge in this field by completing your M.A. in Translation at Â鶹´«Ã½. today!