Interpretation vs. Translation: What’s the Difference?

Not just anyone can be an interpreter…
“People think that because they’re bilingual, they can translate or interpret,” says René Albors, President of Albors & Associates^™. “That’s like saying because you have two hands, you can play piano. You need to build experience.”

Interpreters and translators enable the cross-cultural communication necessary in today’s society, by converting one language into another. However, these language specialists do more than simply translate words – they relay concepts and ideas between languages. They must thoroughly understand the subject matter in which they work so that they are able to convert information from the source language into the target language. In addition, they must remain sensitive to the cultures associated with their languages of expertise.

Interpreters and translators are often discussed together because they share some common traits. Both need to have language combination, which entails being fluent in at least two languages – a native (active) language and a secondary (passive) language. Their active language is the one that they know best and into which they interpret or translate, and their passive language is one of which they have nearly perfect knowledge. Only a small number of interpreters and translators are fluent in two or more passive languages.

Interpretation:

Interpreters convert one spoken language into another. Sign language interpreters convert spoken communication and sign language. This requires interpreters to pay careful attention, understand what is communicated in both languages and clearly express thoughts and ideas. This profession requires strong research and analytical skills, mental dexterity and memory.

There are two types of interpretation. Simultaneous interpretation requires interpreters to listen and speak (or sign) at the same time. Because they need a high degree of concentration, simultaneous interpreters work in pairs with each interpreting for 20- to 30-minute segments. This type of interpretation is required at international conferences and is sometimes used in the courts. In contrast, consecutive interpretation begins only after the speaker has verbalized a group of words or sentences. This form of interpretation is used most often in person-to-person communication.

Translation:

Translators convert written materials from a source language (the original text that is to be translated into another language), into a target language (the language into which a source text is being translated). This involves more than replacing a word with its equivalent in another language. Sentences and ideas must be translated in such a way so that it reads as though it originated in the target language. Translators also must explain expressions that do not translate literally, such as cultural references, colloquialisms and idioms. In addition to excellent writing and analytical abilities, translators must also have good editing skills since the documents they produce must be nearly flawless. Their work often involves multiple readings and revisions of the document, additional research and consultation with the text’s originator.

Some language experts do both interpretation and translation, yet since they are different professions requiring distinct skill sets, most linguists are better suited for one or the other. As an example, interpreters often work into and from both languages, while translators generally work into their active language.

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