Differences between a Translator, an Interpreter, and a Transcriber

Each service is appropriate for different situations, and each requires a different set of skills, training, and linguistic knowledge.

TRANSLATION

Translation involves rendering written content in one language (the source) into another language (the target). Characteristics of a good translator:

  • Linguistic and cultural skills.
  • Must have the ability to write well.
  • Often specialists in a particular field.
  • Detail-oriented. Skilled translators pay close attention to the meaning of the text and the source content’s style, tone, and grammatical structure.

INTERPRETING

Interpreting involves rendering spoken content in one language (the source) into another language (the target). Types of interpreters:

  • Simultaneous
  • Consecutive

Interpretation is not a word-for-word translation; it is all about paraphrasing. Interpreters need first to transpose the source language within context, preserving its original meaning while rephrasing idioms, colloquialisms, and other culturally specific references in ways the target audience will understand. An interpreter’s only resources are experience, a good memory, and quick thinking.

TRANSCRIPTION

Transcription involves rendering spoken content in one language into written content in the same language. Types of transcriptions:

  • Verbatim, transcribing a text word by word.
  • Clean-read transcription, excluding errors and fillers.

Main distinctions to consider when deciding which service do you need:

TRANSLATORINTERPRETERTRANSCRIBER
MEDIUM OF DELIVERYIt can occur long after the original has been createdIt can occur on the spot or by phone, but immediatelyIt can occur long after the original has been created
ACCURACY100%60-80%80-90%
DIRECTIONFluent in target languageFluent in both, source and target languageFluent in target language

Idioms & Expressions

An idiom is a common phrase that means something different from its literal meaning but can be understood because of its widespread use. Because idioms can mean something different from what the words mean, it is difficult for someone not good at speaking the language to use them properly.

However, a word to the wise is that people should learn only one idiom/expression at a time because (as research indicates) if they learn seven in a row in fifteen minutes, they won’t remember anything at all later on. It is better to do one thing well and hammer it home until the learner has it clearly in his head and can use it when he needs it.

Because misunderstandings of such idioms and expressions frequently caused miscommunication between people, I decided to assist by explaining some of them every week in my Instagram account (@accu_trans). I am happy to share the material in the hope that it may be of some use and benefit others.

Failure to understand or misinterpret what the other is saying can create poor communication. Miscommunication and misunderstandings exist because of specific barriers that hinder both people from communicating. Obstacles such as noise or language differences enable people to impart their message to one another, which causes misunderstanding.

The list of idioms and expressions that will be presented on the Instagram account is not complete. However, what is intended is that the reader understands the phrase. By the way, the opinions cited do not represent a unified point of view but rather represent how different types of people speak in different ways, sometimes sensibly and sometimes arbitrarily; sometimes with ignorance and sometimes with wisdom. So feel free to agree or disagree with any definition listed here. Language is just a crude cultural convention. Who is to blame for the ignorant and abusive things that ordinary people say?

Expressions that we can use to state your opinion

ENGLISHSPANISH
Personally I think that… Personalmente pienso que…
Don’t you think that?¿No crees que…?
From my point of view…Desde mi punto de vista…
As far as I am concerned…Por lo que a mi respecta…
Although many people think that… I have a different opinion…Aunque mucha gente piense que… yo tengo una opinión diferente, …
I don’t share your opinion about that matter…No comparto tu opinión en ese asunto / en ese aspecto
We have different views about the problem… Tenemos diferentes opiniones sobre el problema…
If I were in your place, I would…Si fuera tú / Si estuviera en tu lugar, …(+verbo en condicional)
I would like to point out that…Me gustaría señalar que…
I find it difficult to explain…Me resulta difícil de explicar…
I don’t share that point of view…No comparto ese punto de vista…
I think it is useless to maintain that…Creo que es inútil sostener que…
The way I see it…El modo en que yo lo veo…
In my view…En mi opinión…

Normally we use “I think”, “I believe”, “In my opinion”. Do not forget that there are many other expressions that we can use.