When a person or business looks for translation services, not everyone knows there is a difference in language support. It means that you may order translation services but require an interpreter instead. Both these professionals break down language barriers and help clients to understand a foreigner, but there is a great difference between them. It means that you should understand what makes every job and professional working there special, what challenges each of them faces, and what you should know to hire a qualified professional you really need.
Primary Difference Between A Translator And An Interpreter
The most important distinction in the interpreter and translator jobs lies in the mode of communication they use.
Translators are people who deal with written content. They change the language of documents, texts, websites, and other written materials. This professional should be very accurate and responsible in his job, as well as have a deep understanding of both languages.
Interpreters work with oral speech. A professional can translate spoken language at live events, legal proceedings, and other situations. The main responsibility of this professional is to facilitate real-time communication between a speaker and listeners.
Let’s take a look at a real-life example. Suppose you turn to an online casino support service to ask about the rules and compare bonus options, in casinos that offer no deposit free spins to visitors of Casinos Analyzer. If you ask in a language they don’t support, you are suggested to use a translator. However, when you come to a land-based casino in a country where people use a different language, it is better to have an interpreter who will help you to get around. [1]
How Interpreter Responsibilities Vary From Translator’s Ones
Interpretation and translation are the disciplines that have a lot of similarities, but they vary from each other as well, since these professionals work in different areas. The main aspects to consider are the following.
Time limit
Interpreters have to translate oral speech in real time, so they don’t have time to look for additional materials or tools. Translators may be given hours, days, or even weeks to complete their tasks.
Use of extra materials
Translators demand great accuracy, so they should and use dictionaries, reference books, helpful tools, and services to achieve the highest standard of text. They should create coherent sentences with excellent syntax and grammar, while interpreters do that intuitively. They may face some cultural inaccuracies and use descriptive language to explain that.
The level of language knowledge
Though each of the professionals should be fluent in their native language and a foreign one, the levels can be different. Translators don’t need to know such an abundance of vocabulary as interpreters since they always have access to dictionaries. Interpreters work as a bridge of communication between people of different nationalities, so they should have a good command of both languages, know cultural peculiarities, and linguistic nuances to be clear for both speakers.
Professional expertise
Translators don’t work at live events; they usually sit in the offices surrounded by reference books and tools. Interpreters have to travel to different events and places; they rarely work in the same place. It means that interpreters should also be friendly, confident, and quick-minded to succeed in their profession.
Challenges Faced By Interpreters And Translators
Now that it is clear what makes these professions different, it is time to discover what makes each of these jobs challenging. Both translators and interpreters have common difficulties, as explained below.
Cultural context
Both specialists should bridge cultural gaps and find equivalents to the words and phrases that may be unknown to people of other nationalities.
Linguistic variations
It is crucial to understand dialects, slang words, and grammatical structures to preserve the tone of communication, meaning, and the core message of the text.
Technical terminology, idioms, and metaphors
It is difficult to imagine how many phrases, like idioms and slangs, exist in every language, and they can’t be translated literally, so it is important to have specialised knowledge in different spheres.
However, interpreters may face many more challenges in their work, including:
- Real-time pressure. The necessity to work simultaneously to a speaker makes these professionals be excellent listeners, analysts, and translators at the same time.
- Irreversibility. Interpreters don’t have the right to make a mistake, so they should be qualified, experienced, and proficient in specific themes.
- Non-verbal issues. It is important to interpret the tone, body language, and even gestures in addition to spoken language.
- Stress. An interpreter can’t stop the process in spite of fatigue, stress, or misunderstandings. Therefore, any misheard words make them feel stressed and spend a lot of time on preparation.
- Ethics and neutral tone. Even if an interpreter doesn’t like the person they are working for, they should maintain professional integrity, cope with emotional and sensitive topics with a cold mind.
Best Practices For Working With Interpreters And Translators
There are advices for people who plan to work with both interpreters and translators from trusted experts in this industry. If you need to have your oral speech translated, you should hire an interpreter and follow a range of practices to achieve more successful results:
- Book a professional in advance, especially if you need a rare language specialist.
- Explain the context and topic, setting and the primary purpose of the meeting/event.
- Speak clearly, make pauses, and use short sentences.
- Avoid idioms, jargon, rare terms, colloquialisms, etc.
- Find time to run a brief pre-session speech.
- Explain if everything should be interpreted or there are some facts that must be ignored.
When you need to hire a translator to deal with written content, it is important to follow the next rules. You should provide high-quality materials, encourage a person to ask questions if they need clarification, hire specialists with subject-matter expertise, provide time for adaptation and give feedback.
You can see that it is important to understand the differences between an interpreter and translator since it can help you choose the right service and achieve better results and CPI.