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.

[Alejandra Gana]

hello everyone!! so to me a translator is more someone who is going to tell you word for word what something means, so they are directly taking what you might say in Spanish and translate to English, Lets say an interpreter dives deeper. they translate but it goes further they interpret a situation and explain it in detail so that the person truly understands whats going on.

[Brian Pacheco]

Totally agree with you!

[Alejandra Gana]

a translator also is more carefull on using the appropiate words on a crucial circumstance

[Dayane Malone]

I feel like translators have more time to analyze and decide on the best term or word to use, while interpreters have to think fast and choose the most accurate and appropriate word for the situation in real time.

[Brian Pacheco]

I feel like the biggest differences between an interpreter and a translator is that a translator is reading directly from something (email, letter, text, book, pamphlet) whereas an interpreter is more of being the voice of what someone is trying to say. Repeating what the person is saying, in my case Spanish, explaining it more in detail to be more fully understood. I feel challenges could include someone not knowing what they are trying to describe therefor making it difficult to understand. Challenges could also include too many people, family members or a spouse trying to all translate or interpret making it difficult to really understand what is happening with the person. Maybe saying what they feel is happening instead of what may be really going on. Another challenge could be not being able to understand what the person is trying to say or explain. It is important to understand that a translator is not an interpreter because you don’t want to miss important information by just translating word for word what they are saying because you could possibly miss something important that they are trying to say.I feel that interpreting is also a way of being able to express what someone is trying to say possibly by body language. For instance, the person is holding their chest making facial expressions indicating pain, saying “ouch” or making a “in pain sound”, you could interpret that the person is possibly experiencing pain and inquire by questioning if that’s the case. It is important to interpret and not just translate so that you are able to capture the whole big picture of what really might be happening.

[Art Liebl]

Great post Brian! I think you got the point. As you stated, an interpreter “is more of being the voice of what someone is trying to say.” Of course, this does not mean we can adulterate the original message by adding or omitting to the original message. Another point to consider – interpreters need to convey not only the spoken message but also the feelings and emotions behind the words. This is a challenge – let’s demonstrate it in 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). You, as the interpreter need to give the physician the whole and complete picture of what was said. You need to convey, not just the content “I am fine”, but more importantly 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!

Question for the class: how would you give the words, “I’m fine” the emotional color necessary to impart to the provider the way it was said? This expression, “I’m fine” can be said in a wide array of manners…from happy to sleepy, to sad, to sarcastic… How do we deal with these varying feelings and emotions in the way we interpret them?

[Brian Pacheco]

hmmmm, I would say you need to closely pay attention to body languages, cues and tone of voice while interpreting the ‘I’m fine”. Depending upon the issue, the atmosphere or the situation you are in, I would think that that may give me a little more insight on what they are feeling or trying to say. For instance, going back to what you said about the doctor typing looking down at the computer, lets say you have a homeless person who hasn’t eaten in days. They answer “I’m fine” but at the same time it sounds sad and weak, also I can hear their stomach rumbling, and see them shaking. I feel that knowing they are homeless and haven’t ate in days would give me more info to the fact that they actually may be hungry. Or like when one of the kids would fall off the bike and say “i’m fine” because they wanted to continue with their friends but really they weren’t fine. I’m probably going way off here lol but you get it….have compassion.

• This reply was modified 5 days, 2 hours ago by Brian Pacheco.
• This reply was modified 5 days, 2 hours ago by Brian Pacheco.

[Judy Guarin]

I think the most accurate way is to transfer the original message “I’m fine” with all the emotions given, sounds, facial expressions etc…

[Judy Guarin]

Great point Brian, Very well explained and detailed. However, correct me if I’m wrong but as interpreters we are not allowed to interpret the patient’s body gestures verbally. We must act as the patient and show the exact body gestures/sounds and not try to interpret what we think or see the patient is trying to say they are feeling. It is the Dr’s responsibility to ask the patient what he/she is feeling if the message is only given by body gestures and not actual words.

[Emily Arias-Perez]

yes I love how you described it

[Alejandra Gana]

yes you put it all out there, loved how you described it.

[Judy Guarin]

Good afternoon all! I think the difference between an Interpreter and a Translator is that an interpreter has to deliver the original message from one language to another without changing the meaning of the message and it’s done as a third person from one person to the other and this is done verbally or by signed language with the pressure of having to get it done immediately… The interpreter has to understand the message and deliver it accurately. A translator, on the other hand, deals with written texts, documents etc. they have to translate the message word for word but have the opportunity to revise it before delivering it. An interpreter’s challenge can be sharp listening, quick thinking and the ability to make tones and emotions almost instantly without time to research on the message being delivered. As with the translator some of the challenges can be accuracy, words and meanings from one language to another, this can be very challenging for a translator because they have to research the message without changing the meaning or the message, the translator has no one to ask to repeat or explain what they are trying to say. In conclusion both the interpreter and translator have similar responsibilities and challenges with the exception that the interpreter has more pressure to deliver the message in real time, and need to memorize everything said in the original message. The translator has more time to deliver the message in a written matter with less pressure but must be very thorough and accurate.

[Emily Arias-Perez]

I love how you explained it.

[Dayane Malone]

Hi,

I agree with your discussion! In my opinion, being an interpreter can be more challenging because there’s no time to really think about the best words everything happens so fast and live, right in the moment. Translators, on the other hand, have the time to research, review, and choose the most accurate or natural words for what they’re working on. Both roles are important, but I think interpreting requires a lot of quick thinking and confidence to keep up with the conversation while staying accurate.

[Judy Guarin]

Hello, Correct! Agree 100%

[Luanna Vieira Rosa]

Hi! I love how you worded this!

[Emily Arias-Perez]

The difference between a Translator and an Interpreter are very different. First let’s start off by knowing what each of these mean. An interpreter interprets spoken words verbally from one language to another. A translator works more with converting written words in another language to the wanted language. They each face their own challenges. Interpreters have to interpret on the spot (Live) which makes you think more critically in a short amount of time. With Translators everything is thru text so it can be taken more literal or the text may be read and misunderstood when it comes to humor. It is important to not confuse an Interpreter with a Translator because it can cause a lot of damage in someone’s else’s life it can cause confusion a translator simply cannot do what an interpreter can for example fast on the spot thinking and converting spoken words into one language and saying it in another is critical thinking. A translator knows how to edit the text in another language and translate it into another, make it more understandable to one that wouldn’t understand this takes time.

[Brian Pacheco]

Yes, I agree! They definitely each face their own challenges!

[Shannelys Guzman]

Emily, I would have to agree with you it is very difficult to understand the emotion behind text especially humor like you said great point! Wow that’s so true a translator would not be able to do what an interpreter does fast on the spot word for word its a very important role interpreters have

[Dayane Malone]

Hi,

Interpreters and translators are not the same thing or do the same thing, they actually have very different jobs. The biggest difference is that interpreters work with spoken language and “transfer” that message the best way possible. While translators deal with written language to “carry” “trasnlator spend meticulous hours transforming linguistic content from one language to another” (introduction to medical interpreting page 21)
An interpreter listens to someone speaking in one language and immediately says the same thing in another language. It’s all happening live, right there in the moment like during a doctor’s appointment, a court hearing, or a meeting. Interpreters have to think quickly, remember what was said and speak clearly without having time to look things up or double check. One of the hardest parts of interpreting can be keeping up with the pace and emotions of the conversation while still making sure the message is accurate.
A translator on the other hand, works with documents, books, or any written material. They have more time to read carefully, research the right words, and make sure the final version sounds natural in the other language. Their main challenge is to keep the same meaning, and cultural feel while making the text easy to understand.
It’s really important to understand that interpreting and translating aren’t the same thing. Both jobs are important they just help people communicate in different ways.

[Shannelys Guzman]

After thinking carefully what is the biggest difference between an interpreter and a translator I discovered they are completely different. They cannot be compared, not one bit. While one allows you to read documents you in your language and the other allows you to be read. A translator is simply going to give you exactly that word for word translation in written form after research and some time. While interpreting on the other hand is you conveying the whole person’s existence as a human with feelings emotions and understanding on the spot real time as they speak you repeat in the language corresponding making everyone in the room be on the same page. Interpreting is the bridge between a human feelings human and seen. While translating gives them exact translation regardless of meaning just words no emotions no humanism just words.

I feel as if the challenges of a translator are less than the challenges or an interpreter. As a Translator you have time to research online. Check a few sites cross reference your work. You can have that time to check your work time after time, perfect it to the T. Often having an opportunity to get those second pair of eyes to give you a second opinion if something is incorrect. While interpreting you have no time you have to know it you have to be alert aware listening actively attentive to body language and things being said without words to convey to the provider and client to make sure everyone in the rooms on the same page.

It’s important to know interpreters do not translate word for word they convey the message utilizing all the information they have understood during the interaction live no research no time no add on’s just making sure the patient is understood and cared for.

[Luanna Vieira Rosa]

The main difference between interpreters and translators is how they work with language. Interpreters deal with spoken or signed language in real time, like during a conversation or a live event, while translators work with written stuff, like documents or books. Because of that, interpreters have to be super quick on their feet. They don’t have time to look things up—they just have to listen, understand, and speak right away, often while picking up on cultural cues in the moment.

Translators, on the other hand, can take their time. They work behind the scenes and get to use tools like dictionaries or online resources to make sure every word is accurate. It’s less about speed and more about precision and making sure the final product reads well.

Each job comes with its own challenges. Interpreters deal with a lot of pressure because they’re helping people communicate instantly, especially in high-stress situations like hospitals or courtrooms. Translators might not have that kind of pressure, but they do need to be super detailed and make sure their writing is spot-on.

Even though both jobs involve switching between languages, the skills, tools, and situations they work in are pretty different. If someone needs help right away in a conversation, they need an interpreter, not a translator.

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