Reply To: Week 1 – Discussion Board 2 @ Interpreters Associates

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Margareth Cruz	# Posted on January 26, 2023 at 9:22 pm
	The difference between both an interpreter and a translator is that an interpreter grasps the information that is given and relays the information to the patient in a way that they understand. A translator translates word for word without any understanding or explanation. An interpreter is one who becomes an advocate for those with a language barrier and helps that patient understand the information given to them from the medical personnel. Upon further research, translators are used more often on transcribing written information, such as textbooks, websites, etc. Interpreters use spoken language to get a message across from one party to another. The biggest challenge of an interpreter is not being able to hear the parties speaking in a certain environment. Without hearing what the parties are saying, you delay the time that is allotted for the visit and may have to ask for repetitions. Also, when hearing, it can be challenging as a mediator when either party speaks in a low voice or when they speak too fast. Sometimes, speaking too fast may not help the interpreter to comprehend everything to be able to relay the information to someone else. On the other hand, translators may have problems with translating figures of speech, conveying tones and diction, as well as having words or phrases that do not have a translation from one language to another. For example, in spanish, you can say, “no le busques tres patas al gato” which has much meaning and if a translator were to read that and try to transcribe the message, it would say “Don’t look for three feet on the cat” which does not make sense at all. An interpreter would hear that idiom and say “Do not complicate matters”. These are some of the challenges that both an interpreter and a translator would face. It is crucial to understand why an interpreter is not a translator because interpreters are advocates and mediators who convey a message in a way that the person they are aiding could understand. A translator would do no such thing. A translator transcribes from one language to another with no worry about the audience’s understanding and comprehension.

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Margareth Cruz

# Posted on January 26, 2023 at 9:22 pm

The difference between both an interpreter and a translator is that an interpreter grasps the information that is given and relays the information to the patient in a way that they understand. A translator translates word for word without any understanding or explanation. An interpreter is one who becomes an advocate for those with a language barrier and helps that patient understand the information given to them from the medical personnel. Upon further research, translators are used more often on transcribing written information, such as textbooks, websites, etc. Interpreters use spoken language to get a message across from one party to another.

The biggest challenge of an interpreter is not being able to hear the parties speaking in a certain environment. Without hearing what the parties are saying, you delay the time that is allotted for the visit and may have to ask for repetitions. Also, when hearing, it can be challenging as a mediator when either party speaks in a low voice or when they speak too fast. Sometimes, speaking too fast may not help the interpreter to comprehend everything to be able to relay the information to someone else. On the other hand, translators may have problems with translating figures of speech, conveying tones and diction, as well as having words or phrases that do not have a translation from one language to another. For example, in spanish, you can say, “no le busques tres patas al gato” which has much meaning and if a translator were to read that and try to transcribe the message, it would say “Don’t look for three feet on the cat” which does not make sense at all. An interpreter would hear that idiom and say “Do not complicate matters”. These are some of the challenges that both an interpreter and a translator would face.

It is crucial to understand why an interpreter is not a translator because interpreters are advocates and mediators who convey a message in a way that the person they are aiding could understand. A translator would do no such thing. A translator transcribes from one language to another with no worry about the audience’s understanding and comprehension.