Image by jeanbaptisteparis

Many people are confused with the difference between translation and interpreting – so what are they? They both deal with communications in different languages, and changing one language to another, but essentially the main difference is regarding the method of communication, whether it is written or spoken.

It is a commonly held belief that a translator can act as an interpreter, and vice versa; the two jobs are not, however, interchangeable.

In saying that, the major differences between translation and interpreting are:

1. Time to Perform

When documents are translated, the translator has time to read, re-read if necessary, and change the language. They can then read the finished document, comparing it with the original version. A translator can use a variety of resources to assist them, such as dictionaries, spell-checkers, and thesauruses.

Interpreting is generally instantaneous. An interpreter must change the language very quickly, without using different resources to help. It is also often the case that the words they hear are fairly fast moving, with little time to pause and plan.

Fun Fact #1

The world’s most translated document is the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It has been translated into 300 different languages!

2. Accuracy

Connected with the time and tools available, it is expected that translated materials have a higher level of accuracy than interpreted speech.

3. Fluency

Whilst both translators and interpreters are bilingual (or, in some cases, multilingual) professionals, the language is used in a very different way.

Typically, translators change a foreign language into their own native language, one that comes naturally to them and is easy to create a sensible and accurate written account.

An interpreter must switch between two languages on the spot, often acting as an intermediary between people. Interpreters must be highly fluent in each language.

Image by Antonio Litterio

Fun Fact #2

It is very rare for one person to work as both a translator and an interpreter. There is no name for a person who performs both functions; they should be referred to by both job titles.

4. Number of People

Whilst both translators and interpreters usually do their work alone, it is possible for a team of translators to work on the same document. It is also common for a translated piece to be proofread by another professional before being finalized. However, an interpreter must rely solely on themselves, although it is usual in long dialogues for interpreters to work for a short time and then switch due to the demanding and intense nature of the work.

Fun Fact #3

It is difficult to know the exact number of languages that exist in the world. According to Ethnologue, there are around 6,900 languages in the world! Without translators and interpreters it would be impossible for users of these different languages to communicate effectively. Some languages have no written form, leading to a reliance solely on interpreters.

5. Types of Languages

Interpreters deal solely with living languages – those languages that are spoken by groups of people in the world today. There are also interpreters that communicate in signed languages, and they may be required to use a combination of speech and sign.

Translators, however, may work with living, dead, and extinct languages. They are never required to work with sign language. Extinct languages are those that are not used in oral communications by anyone in today’s world. Examples include Gothic, Lycian, and Ancient Macedonian. There are some languages that are only used in the modern world for ceremonial events and that are not spoken by people in their everyday communications. These are known as dead languages and include Pali, Latin, Coptic and Sanskrit. Statistically, one language dies every two weeks!

1. Ioannis Ikonomou: 32 languages and counting

A native Greek speaker, Ioannis Ikonomou started learning foreign languages from the tender age of six years old. Born on the island of Crete, he now works for the European Commission in Brussels as a translator. He can speak a mind-blowing 32 languages fluently, including Greek, English, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, German, Polish, and Amharic. As well as spoken languages he can also understand and communicate in several ancient languages, such as Sanskrit, Latin, Gothic, and Pali.

There are various character systems and alphabets used amongst the different languages that he can use fluently, although he says that no language is particularly easy or difficult – it is, rather, a case of passion and he advises that anyone can learn languages if they fall in love with them.

Ioannis Ikonomou is celebrated for his phenomenal language skills and for the important role he holds at the heart of Europe.

2. Michael George Francis Ventris: the code breaker

Born in the UK to a British father and a Polish mother, Michael George Francis Ventris was educated in Switzerland, quickly learning both French and German in addition to English and Polish. He had an aptitude for learning languages, eventually learning several others, including Russian and Swedish.

After having served in the RAF during the Second World War, during which time some people believed he was involved in code breaking exercises, he became an architect. His translation prowess is noted for his part in deciphering an ancient code, known as Linear 2, discovered on items found on the island of Crete. His work and discoveries enabled historians to learn more about Mycenean Greece and the Cretan civilization. If it were not for the hard work of Michael George Francis Ventris and his peers, the previously mysterious language may have remained a secret for all time.

3. Jean-François Champollion: deciphering the hieroglyphics

Born in France in 1790, Jean-François Champollion was able to understand at least a dozen languages by the time he had reached the age of 16. He continued his linguistic studies, learning a combination of spoken languages and ancient languages. He had a particularly strong interest in Oriental languages, and was given the task of trying to interpret the writing on the Rosetta Stone.

After his success with the Rosetta Stone, Jean-François Champollion continued to decipher the meaning of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. He gifted the world with the meaning of the ancient characters, as well as the key to the Egyptian system of grammar. His tremendous work gave much to historians, scholars, and Egyptologists all over the world.

4. Xuanzang: a monk on a mission

A Chinese monk, Xuanzang lived in the seventh century and was one of the most famous translators of his day. He remains amongst the world’s most renowned translators today, especially within Asia, due to his tireless work at translating sacred Buddhist scriptures.

His quest led him on an adventure that lasted for a decade, during which time he learnt Sanskrit, and a subsequent number of years devoted to translating texts in Chinese. He played a huge role in shaping Chinese Buddhism and helping people to understand the teachings of the Lord Buddha. He is also credited for recording the political and social situations of the time.