What quality is essential for an interpreter to possess?

An essential quality for an interpreter is the ability to remain impartial and neutral. This quality is crucial because interpreters serve as a bridge between parties who speak different languages, ensuring that communication is accurate and unbiased. By maintaining neutrality, interpreters can facilitate genuine dialogue, allowing each party to express themselves fully without the interference of the interpreter's personal opinions or emotions. This objective stance helps preserve the integrity of the message being conveyed, fosters trust between the parties involved, and ensures that the interpreting process is ethical and professional.

While knowledge of multiple languages is important, being well-versed in the languages alone does not suffice if an interpreter cannot maintain neutrality. Similarly, strong persuasive skills or exceptional technical skills do not align with the role of an interpreter, which is to translate and convey messages without influencing the content or context. Therefore, impartiality and neutrality stand out as foundational qualities that are critical to the effectiveness and reliability of an interpreter's work.