I’ll avoid pointing out the obvious shortcomings of machine translation software such as Babelfish, etc. – because believe it or not, they can actually be incredibly useful… sometimes :) (And as a “real-life” human translator, I don’t say that lightly.) Basically, if you can afford to get your communication right some of the time, or if you just need a rough idea of what’s being said, then machine software can be great.

But if you need to get it right all of the time, then you probably need a professional. A translator works with written language, and an interpreter with spoken language – these distinctions aren’t the same in other languages so it’s worth being clear on what you’re looking for. If you’re wondering where to start, try googling the professional body for translators or interpreters in your country and start from there.

Hope that helps – keep sharing the great content!

“Rear Laura,”

The first time I thought it was a typo, the second time I wasn’t so sure and by the third time I was worried I was going to develop a body complex.

In most cases I’ve found that foreigners who can’t speak/write English at a proficient level usually pass that communication off to someone else in their company. I would also recommend getting everything in writing as that’s usually easier for foreigners than speaking.

I tend to avoid online translators because they are comically inaccurate.

Otherwise, I like your advice: confirm you understand their request, and if you don’t, ask for clarification.