Week 1 – Discussion Board 2

[Art Liebl]

In at least 250 words, think about the difference between an interpreter and translator. What are the biggest differences? What are the challenges of each? Why is it important to understand that an interpreter is not a translator? Reply to two fellow students by Monday.

[Leonisa Avelino]

The biggest difference between a translator and an interpreter is that an Interpreter convey message instantly in a real time situation. Also, another big difference is the memory retention skills that in Interpreter have to learn and navigate through their assignments. A translator has time to think and put the paperwork together. The translator is translating from word to word from a text, book, articles, or other conversation documents.

One of the most challenging situation Interpreter’s faces is memory and concentration. Interpreters need strong recall skills and the ability to focus for extended periods. They must process the information said and interpreter the information accurately and precisely instantly. Especially when it comes to terminology that you are not familiar with, you’re constantly challenging your mind and learning. Another challenge is dialects & accents. Variations in pronunciation and regional slang can make comprehension tricky. In my country Cape Verde, there are 10 islands. Each of those islands the accent is different. Sometimes it could be difficult to understand what they are trying to say. Some phrases or concepts don’t have direct translations, requiring cultural adaptation. Furthermore, Interpreter can face stressful and emotional situation especially in hospitals, courts, or other crisis situations.

A translator also faces many challenges in their daily task. There are cultural differences. some words or phrase don’t have a direct translation. Idioms and slangs are difficult to translate. These expressions you must find equivalent meaning. It is also tricky to preserve the authors tone and humor. Some words have multiple meanings, and without proper context, they can be misinterpreted. Some words have multiple meanings, and without proper context, they can be misinterpreted. Also, you have to focus on sentence structures which may vary between languages, making translation difficult.

I believe it’s very important to understand that an interpreter is not a translator because the expectations, skills, methods, and challenges of each role are different. Interpreters work with spoken language in real-time, while translators work with written text and have more time to refine their work. Interpreters need excellent listening, memory, and speaking skills, while translators require strong reading, writing, and editing abilities.

[Lesly Betancur]

Leonisa, I completely agree with your points. You’ve done a great job outlining the distinct challenges faced by both interpreters and translators. The real-time nature of an interpreter’s job definitely demands sharp memory retention, quick thinking, and the ability to focus under pressure. It’s not just about translating words, but also about maintaining accuracy and conveying the speaker’s intent and tone in an instant, especially when dealing with unfamiliar terminology or dialectical variations. Your example of Cape Verde, where accents and slang vary across islands, really highlights how dynamic and challenging interpreting can be because us Colombians experience the same when we’re communicating with other people from different parts of Colombia.

[Yona Souza]

Leonisa, the memory retention challenge you wrote about is something worth mentioning! I completely agree with you, and your point made me think more about the challenges when it comes to instantly interpreting information if the interpreter doesn’t know how to convey a word or piece of information clearly. This may become an issue but I believe that with practice and daily word usage, interpreters develop and strengthen their skills.

Thank you for sharing your thouhgts with us!

[Milleny Arantess]

Leonisa, your points and explanations make so much sense. I also think that one of the biggest differences between an interpreter and a translator is the challenges and skills each job requires. As you said, a translator needs to understand not only the words but the context of the words put together so they can get the person’s main point across while keeping the uniqueness that each person has. An interpreter, on the other hand, needs to understand words, yes, but we need to focus more on getting the context of what was said across without adding/removing anything to what was said.

[Art Liebl]

Great post Leonisa! I think you got the idea of what we are trying to understand. As you stated, an interpreter “works with spoken language in real-time, while translators work with written text and have more time to refine their work”. Leonisa…let’s take that a step further…according to the manual, an interpreter also “needs to convey…not only the spoken message, but also the feelings and emotions behind the words. This is a challenge – let’s demonstrate it this way: I am sure you have all been to the doctors…Imagine you are with a physician and a “Mrs. Perez.” The doctor asks the patient how she is as he continues typing on his computer. With tears in her eyes, the patient responds, “I’m fine” (Estoy bien). How would you interpret that as an interpreter? To be a true conduit (a role you will learn about next week), you need to give the physician the whole and complete picture of what was said. You would need to convey not just the content “I am fine”, but also transmit the emotions behind the spoken words…THAT IS A CHALLENGE! We are not cold translators…we are indeed interpreters who “explain the meaning”! Never forget this!

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by interpreter101.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by interpreter101.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by interpreter101.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by interpreter101.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback! I really appreciate this insight, and I wasn’t even fully aware of the depth of this role until now. The example you shared truly highlights the challenge of being an interpreter—not just conveying words but also emotions. This is such an important responsibility, and I look forward to learning more about how to be a true conduit in my work!

[Cristina Restrepo]

Leonisa, I am right there with you as I am now learning how deep and important the role of a medical interpreter is in ensuring effective communications between patients and medical providers. Really looking forward to learning everything that is needed to be a successful medical interpreter!

[Cristina Restrepo]

The most important difference between a translator and an interpreter is the type of language each of them works with because translators work with written language and interpreters work with spoken or signed language.

Other important differences between a translator and an interpreter are the skills needed to perform each job. For example, translators need to have great grammar, strong writing skills as well as an understanding of the subtle differences between the languages being translated. Also since translators work with written language they normally have time to research and revise their work for accuracy. They also work in one direction meaning that they translate from the source language to the target language, being the target language their native language.
On the other hand, interpreters work with spoken or signed language so the skills needed to perform the job are great listening skills, good memory and the ability to translate or convey meaning in real time. They also work in two directions meaning they go back and forth between the source and target language.

When it comes to the challenges, interpreters can encounter cultural differences in style of communication, also specialized knowledge of terminology that is used in a particular area such as law or medicine. Another challenge is the speed of speech and accents as it could make it difficult for the interpreter to understand what is being said. Also cultural expressions or sayings that have no translation. Being neutral and accurate is also a challenge as interpreters need to avoid adding their own opinions when interpreting.

While translators can face similar challenges as interpreters there are some challenges that only apply to translators such as avoiding literal word for word translation as it can affect the accuracy of the message being conveyed. Also keeping up with new words and expressions as languages are constantly evolving. Another interesting challenge is the competition with machine translators as they are becoming increasingly popular. Lastly, as translators work with written language they might need to collaborate with other professionals to ensure accuracy of translation.

To conclude, it is important to understand that an interpreter is not the same as a translator because they work with completely different formats of language. While the translator works with written language, the interpreter works with spoken or signed language. This key difference gives each career its own unique challenges and rewards.

[Lesly Betancur]

Cristina, your explanation of the skills required is spot on. Translators need strong writing abilities and a deep understanding of grammar, as well as the opportunity to research and refine their translations. Interpreters, on the other hand, rely heavily on their listening skills, memory, and the ability to convey meaning immediately and accurately, often with little time to process the information. It’s also interesting how you pointed out the neutrality required of interpreters, as they must remain impartial and focus solely on the message. As for translators, you’ve brought up an important point about avoiding literal translations, which can distort the intended meaning. The evolution of language and the growing presence of machine translators also add new layers of complexity to their work, making it essential for translators to stay current with trends and terminology.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Christina, I really like Your point about interpreters working in both directions while translators focus on one direction is so important. I also found it interesting how you mentioned the challenge of keeping up with evolving language and the rise of machine translation—technology is definitely changing the field! You did a great job explaining why each profession has its own unique challenges and demands.

[Lesly Betancur]

The roles of an interpreter and a translator are often confused, but they are distinct in both their functions and skill sets. The primary difference between the two is how they work. Interpreters work with verbal communication, whether it’s face to face, video/audio call, while translators work with linguistic content, converting it from one written language into another.

One of the biggest challenges an interpreter faces is the need to convey meaning immediately and accurately in real-time. This requires not only fluency in both languages but also the ability to think quickly and maintain a high level of focus. Interpreters must capture nuances, tone, and intent as they listen and speak. Another challenge that interpreters face is they are often required to work under pressure, especially in settings like medical or legal environments where the stakes are high, and miscommunication can have serious consequences. Their work is usually time sensitive and require significant memory retention skills.

Translators have the advantage of time. They work with written content and can take more time to research and choose the most accurate words and phrases. A challenge for translators is awareness of cultural context, idiomatic expressions, and specialized terminology, which can be tricky, particularly in fields like law, medicine, or technical fields. Also, translators may struggle with finding the perfect equivalent for certain terms, especially when there is no direct translation in the target language.

Understanding the difference between the two is crucial to ensure the appropriate expertise is applied. By recognizing these differences, professionals and clients can make informed decisions about which service is needed for a particular situation, ensuring effective communication and minimizing misunderstandings.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Lesly, I really like how you broke down the key differences between interpreting and translating. You did a great job highlighting the challenges interpreters face, especially the pressure of real-time accuracy and memory retention. I also appreciate how you pointed out the cultural and linguistic nuances that translators have to navigate. Understanding these distinctions is so important, especially in fields like medical and legal settings where precision is critical

[Cristina Restrepo]

Hi Lesly, thank you for explaining so well why it is important to understand that a translator is not the same as an interpreter, and as you said it, it’s to make sure the right professional is employed to ultimately ensure the job is done correctly.
You also pointed out the high level of focus an interpreter needs to have to accurately convey messages, and that is spot on considering the distractions they can face while working in certain environments such as hospitals, court rooms, etc.

[Milleny Arantess]

Hi Lesly, I love how you explained the differences between a translator and an interpreter!
I agree with you with the fact that although the roles of a translator and an interpreter are very similar, there are key differences in each role that make them what they are and not the same at all.

[Yona Souza]

Lesly, I completely agree with the points you wrote. And yes, I also think finding the perfect match when translating a word as a translator is really tricky because some words simply don’t exist in a different language. As you said, it all comes from cultural context and terminology. You gave really interesting insight, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!

[Joseph Matthews]

In my experience, the subject of the differences between interpreters and translators and their respective challenges is material for a dissertation so I will keep to my cardinal “A-B-C” rule which is: “Appropriate”, “Brief” and “Clear”.
As for translators – there are two key categories – the first being those that translate written statutory and legal documents, etc. These people are usually certified and bonded depending on the jurisdiction and their work has to be laser sharp accurate in grammar, syntax and structure, avoiding cultural idiomatic expressions where possible, due to the final decisions / rulings a government, corporate legal entity or judicial court may issue based on said translation. The translator in this case has the benefit of extra time to “get it right” – which is something that the interpreter does not.
The other type of translator, in my case for example, is in the business world where this person translates simultaneously in person or via teleconference for his/her offshore shareholder on one side and with a Union representative, Central Bank specialist or potential joint venture partner, etc. on the other. Here the line often gets blurred between this type of translator and the interpreter because of the similarities of time constraint, need for technical accuracy, etc. The big difference I see between the two is this type of translator is never neutral as he/she represents the interests of the offshore legal entity while the interpreter has to be neutral while always keeping an astute and transparent balance between the patient and the health care provider. Another difference that I have already noted in this training course is the “business translator” develops his own style, code and approach to the task which of course can vary a lot. The interpreter, however, follows a established and standardized set of codes, demeanor, ethics and protocols which levels out the playing field – no matter the forum or task at hand.
It is in the last point above that I find my greatest challenge in this course, as follows. How do I NOT allow my decades of experience of simultaneous translating in the business world to create dangerous “blind spots” or “comfort zones” that may impede my “step up to the ladder” in becoming a proficient interpreter which, in my opinion, brings the “complete package” to the table in this field of correctly, properly and transparently conveying the message at hand from one language to the other.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Joseph, I really appreciate your insight, especially your A-B-C rule—it’s such a great way to stay focused and effective. I hadn’t really thought about the nuances of simultaneous translation in the business world before, so that was really eye-opening. I also loved how you pointed out the difference in neutrality between business translators and interpreters. It’s interesting to see how your experience gives you a unique perspective while also presenting new challenges in adapting to interpreting standards.

[Joseph Matthews]

Reaching out to you Cristina as well as to Lesly as both of you hit on something key for all of us. I found Cristina’s comment on certain “cultural expressions or sayings that have no translation” very interesting, as well as a similar comment on the part of Lesly that alludes to this very same issue. This makes the job and goal of the interpreter of “conveying the message right” all the more challenging as the language always follows the evolving culture, and not the way around, as some might think. Finally, Cristina focuses on another key challenge of for all interpreters (especially me) which is keeping sound mental retention of all that is said and how best to convey this in its sequential order and content.

[Joseph Matthews]

Leonisa – as in the case of our colleagues cited above, you also highlight important challenges an interpreter faces in properly navigating through the various cultural contexts of idiomatic expressions as well as the goal of maintaining sound mental retention to ensure nothing is left by the wayside while interpreting. I especially like the emphasis you gave to the fact the interpreter can suddenly be faced with “stressful and emotional situations” which can be very unsettling. The interpreter has to stay calm and focused throughout such instances because, as Lesly well states – “the stakes are high”.

[Milleny Arantess]

I’m going to be honest at first I thought that interpreters and translators had basically the same job. They’re both telling someone what was said in English but in another language but after reading chapter one I realize that I was wrong.
An interpreter has to fully understand what is being said to convey that message across to the patient/person perfectly. We’re going to have to know what both the doctor and the patient means when they are speaking so we can keep their conversation going while making sure they understand and making sure we are saying everything they’ve said, not leaving anything out or adding anything either.
A translator on the other hand will take what the person is saying and translate it word for word in a way that can alter the meaning of what was said. Translators focus more on the words being spoken than the context they are spoken in. They will convey the message word for word but might change the meaning of what was said and leave the people they are translating for confused.
A challenge that interpreters have are knowing the exact vocabulary we have to use, especially as medical interpreters. We also have to know how to understand context as well as the words used so that we can convey the message exactly as it was intended. That means knowing when to emphasize and when to be more calm.
A challenge translators have are having to translate word for word what was said while trying to keep the context the same. They have to understand not only the words but the meaning and intent of those words strung together so that they don’t change the context that was spoken.
It’s important to understand why an interpreter is not a translator because both jobs have different functions and challenges so we have to know and understand what our job calls for and understand our challenges so that we can come up with a way to overcome those challenges.

[Yona Souza]

One of the biggest differences between an interpreter and a translator is that translators may spend multiple hours transforming the words from one language to the other. They recognize not just the meaning of individual words (as if the words’ meanings are analyzed on their own), but the overall context and true meaning of the content being translated.

An interpreter doesn’t translate word for word because the interpreting happens in real-time, resulting in a completely different duration than a translator. As an interpreter, you’re supposed to understand the meaning and context behind the words used by the person and use it to communicate the message in another language.

A key factor to interpreting is that you can’t omit any sort of information or feeling when communicating the information in a different language. An interpreter goes beyond just interpreting what the patient is saying, its job is to clearly express the person’s feelings and emotions to the doctor. This is a challenge to this role since you’re required to have social intelligence in addition to interpreting verbal utterances.

A translator only works with the words in front of them, and of course, the context behind them, this can be somewhat easier than interpreting because the translator doesn’t have to recognize the emotions or feelings behind the words written, they just simply transcribe the information. However it is very important to recognize that translating successfully takes more time and it can be a challenge to transform words from one language to another, since some words may be present in one language, but don’t exist in other languages.

Although both professions are extremely important, it’s crucial to understand that interpreters are not translators because they use different tools and methods of delivering the information presented to them.

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