Every business wants to thrive globally these days! But to do so it has to communicate with its international audience just the way a local business would. This is where professional interpretation and translation services come into play. But what are the differences between these two? That’s what we are going to discuss in the next part of the blog.

 

Translation vs. Interpretation

 

There are several differences between translation and interpretation. Translation deals with written content and it demands a much higher level of accuracy. Moreover, it takes time to produce. On the other hand, interpretation focuses on spoken words and it requires to be delivered right away. Interpretation aims at understanding and effectiveness of communication rather than perfection.

 

The translators and interpreters require a little different set of skills however they share a deep cultural and linguistic understanding, knowledge of the subject, and the ability to communicate. Although these terms are used interchangeably, understanding the difference between the two is vital for choosing the right service you need.

 

Top 5 differences between interpretation and translation

 

Format

 

Professional interpreting services deal with spoken language that too in real-time. Contrastingly, translation service is about translating the text.

 

Delivery

 

Interpretation needs to be delivered on the spot, in real-time. It can occur in person, on phone, or via video. Translation, on the other hand, can be done long after the creation of the source text. Professional translators often get ample time and they can utilize technology as well as reference materials to come up with accurate, high-quality translations.

 

Accuracy

 

Interpretation can be less accurate than translation. Although all professional interpreting service providers aim to achieve the highest level of accuracy, it is not possible to deliver faultless interpretation in a live setting. But translators get time so they have to deliver the utmost accuracy in their translations.

 

Direction

 

Interpretation should be flawless in both source and the target language. Thus, interpreters are required to translate in both directions instantaneously without any kind of reference materials. Professional translators, on the other hand, usually work in a single direction as they have to translate the source material into their native language.

 

Intangibles

 

Metaphors, analogies, and idioms pose the biggest challenge for interpreters as well as translators. In addition to this, interpreters need to capture the tone, inflection, voice quality, and other elements of spoken words. Then, they need to convey these verbal cues to their clients in real time.

 

To sum up

 

You might have understood the difference between translation and interpretation by now. These two services come in handy in completely different scenarios however they both are parts of language services. Do you want to learn more about professional interpreting or translation services? If so, feel free to get in touch with the experts right away.