What is the role of a translator/interpreter?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

The role of a translator/interpreter is someone who aids in communication by converting messages or text from one language into another language. Although some people do both, interpreting and translating are different professions: interpreters work with spoken communication, and translators work with written communication.

The role of an interpreter is to convert information from one spoken language into another--or, in the case of sign language interpreters, between spoken language and sign language.

The goal of an interpreter is to have people hear the interpretation as if it were the original language. Interpreters are typically fluent speakers or signers of both languages because they communicate back and forth among people who do not share a common language.

There are three common roles when it comes to interpreting:

Simultaneous interpreters convey a spoken or signed message into another language while someone is speaking or signing. Due to the mental fatigue involved, simultaneous interpreters may work in pairs or small teams if they interpret for long periods, such as in a court or conference setting.
Consecutive interpreters convey the speaker's or signer's message in another language after they have stopped to allow for the interpretation. Note-taking is generally an essential part of consecutive interpreting.
Sight translation interpreters translate a written document directly into a spoken language for immediate understanding, but not for the purposes of producing a written translated document.

On the other hand, translators convert written materials from one language into another language. The goal of a translator is to have people read the translation as if it were the original written material.

To accomplish this requires, the translator must be able to write in a way that maintains or duplicates the original text's structure and style while keeping the original material's ideas and facts accurate.

Translators must also properly transmit any cultural references, including slang and expressions that do not translate literally. Most translation work is done with a computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool, and translators receive and submit most assignments electronically.

Translators also edit materials translated by computers or machine translation. This process is called post-editing. They often go through several post-editing revisions before becoming final.