What is the difference between an interpreter and a translator?
The difference between an interpreter and a translator is that : Interpreter An Interpreter is a person who renders orally into one language a message spoken in a different language. This is typically done on-site in a Doctors’ office, An Attorney’s office or a business meeting. Translator A translator is someone who renders written material from one language (the source language) into another (the target language). Professional translators, unlike people who are bilingual, have the ability to link the two languages, in effect to rewrite the source text as if it had been originally written in the target language.
The distinct definition is: An Interpreter is a person who translates the meaning of the spoken word from one language to another. A Translator is a person who translates the written word from one language to another. In some countries Interpreter is also taken to mean translator (i.e. Russia e.g. since presumably the same is true of other countries).
An interpreter works with the spoken word between two languages, meaning he/she must know both languages almost equally well. An interpreter must have good public speaking skills. Interpreters perform either consecutive or simultaneous interpreting. • A consecutive interpreter listens to a few sentences at a time, then speaks to the listeners as the speaker pauses. • A simultaneous or conference interpreter works with equipment that enables the speaker to continue without stoppping. The interpreter usually stands or sits inside an isolated room or cabinet. The interpreter’s voice can be sent to the public address system, or transmitted to radio receivers available to audience members. A translator works with the written word between two languages, and usually works into his/her dominant language only, rather than into the second non-dominant language. (There are exceptions. See the section titled, “Native Stylus vs. Native Style” here.) A translator must understand both the terminology
The main difference between translators and interpreters lies in the respective means employed for communication: interpreting is an oral activity, whereas translation is a written activity. Interpreters work “live”, which means that both their knowledge of the languages in question and their ability to communicate and speed of response in a speech situation are very important. A translator, on the other hand, can take more time – depending on the urgency of the project – to provide responses to the challenges that arise during translation work. Normally, both interpreters and translators work better in their mother tongue. Additionally, and although some people are able to work equally well as translators and as interpreters, the majority specialise in one of the two activities.
