Although many of us may seem like two similar disciplines, the truth is that the translation and the interpretation They have a very clear difference; The interpretation works to convey the message of the “X” language to the “Y” language orally, while the translation is done in writing and is based on reproducing the message written in a certain language to another. Although the destiny of both is the same, the ways of working, the techniques that are used and the time that each of them requires is very different.
It is true that in these statements there are nuances, since a translator will be able to work with audio files, video and images as long as the final result is written.
The 3 main differences between translation and interpretation
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We have already talked about the main difference. While the interpretation works with the oral language in the present, in real time, a translation works on transmitting the information of already written texts and, therefore, its delivery will not be so immediate.
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Another very important difference is the accuracy of the services. Translating content in a professional way requires an almost perfect level of precision, since the small details will make a very big difference when interpreting information from one language to another. Interpretation, however, is somewhat more flexible, and the reasons are understandable. Being a discipline “in real time”, the interpreter does not have time to contrast what is being said so his experience and knowledge of the subject is fundamental.
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The time in which the work is prepared also varies greatly depending on the service. In the case of interpretation, an interpreter usually spends days, weeks or even months studying what type of conference he is going to have to work on (if it were the case), who he is going to have to interpret, how that person expresses himself, the rhythm of the speech he has, etc. A translator, in the same way, takes the time to study the translation that he is going to have to make, but, unlike in the case of an interpreter, he will have more time to continue informing himself during the period assigned to the translation of the document in question so that the result is perfect.
Intangible factors
There are certain factors that we cannot measure so tangibly, but which, however, influence the result of the service in the same way. We are talking about the use of concrete expressions, metaphors and other resources that are going to make interpretation an extremely complicated activity. Professionals must be able to understand the tone, the objective of the message, whether it carries irony or not and, in short, an infinite variety of resources that human beings use when communicating with other people. In these cases, professionals who work with their mother tongue have a considerable advantage, of course, but the study of official languages and experience can lead a professional to have a complete command of the language, even if it is not their mother tongue.
Another factor to take into account is the changes that the pandemic has introduced in the way that companies or organizations and, therefore, people relate. The interpretation has been made, on many occasions, through video calls, which increases the difficulty of an already complicated discipline. Although professional interpreters have always been needed in person, when the interpretations that we must carry out are carried out through a screen, the professionalism of our interpreter acquires much more value, hence the importance of making sure that we are in the right hands.
In short, interpreting supposes the action of explaining the meaning of certain information through the oral word. Translating, on the contrary, means transmitting the meaning of written information, whether it is a text, software, a multimedia file or a web page, among others. If you have any kind of doubt, you can put yourself in Contact us And we will be happy to assist you and advise you on which professional you need to hire according to your specific needs.
