Career Quest

Many languages are spoken in South Africa. This includes the eleven official languages, and many other foreign languages. The South African Police Service is committed to communicating effectively internally and with their clients. To accomplish this professional language practitioners provide a language service in all the official languages and in many foreign languages.

Language practitioners edit documents electronically or on hard copy for language and style by scrutinizing them for readability, logic, sentence structure, grammar and spelling. They consult dictionaries and other sources of reference and relevant web sites and discussion groups on the Internet to find solutions to language- related difficulties that may arise. They may also be expected to proofread documents before they are published.

They also translate documents from the source language, for example, isiZulu, into the target language, for example, English. For translation work, computer literacy and typing skills are essential because all translations are done on computer.

Language practitioners must be prepared to work under daily and weekly deadlines.

Language practitioners may also specialize in interpreting, in which case they interpret the words spoken by somebody into another language.

Well-developed writing skills are essential in this career, as language practitioners may be required, from time to time, to write copy for brochures, publications etc. The must have excellent social skills, as they have to deal with enquiries about language related matters and work done in the office.

What are the minimum requirements to become an Editor?

A language practitioner is a multiskilled person who has obtained at least a BA degree in languages, and additional qualifications in linguistics. The may include diplomas or post graduate degrees in editing, translation, interpreting, terminology, development or copywriting.

Before being appointed as a language practitioner in the South African Police Service a candidate must pass a stringent editing and translating test. In order to be promoted, one of the requirements is to pass a translation and editing test set by the National Language Service, Department of Arts and Culture.

Membership and accreditation with the South African Translators Institute is a recommendation when appointments are made.

Training:

Language practitioners in service of the South African Police Service receive in-service training and attend workshops and training courses presented by universities and professional bodies.

Where can you be stationed?

Most of the language practitioners are stationed at Language Management, South African Police Service, Head Office in Pretoria although more opportunities are expected to arise in the provinces in future.

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