Interpreting As A Oral Translation Of Language

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1.1. What is interpreting?

Interpreting is a form of translating which occurs when two or more interlocutors do not speak the same language. However, interpreting or interpretation cannot be defined as a solely oral translation of words and signs, for it involves the context, as well as cultural differences among interlocutors. Thus, the main task of an interpreter is to convey the message of the speaker to the target audience in a manner that will help them understand what is being said. More specifically, an interpreter must make the same impact on the target audience that the speaker aims for the audience of his/her language, i.e. the source language. Bridging the gap between languages involves the understanding of context, gist, purpose, …show more content…

Moreover, it demands the mastery to accurately convey the message in the target language. Apart from the language proficiency, it is necessary that an interpreter comes prepared, i.e. it is crucial that he/she is knowledgeable about the subject matter of the speech or text he/she is interpreting. As mentioned above, the essence of translation is by no means literal translation of words from one language to another, but a deep understanding of the thought expressed by the speaker in the source language, and the efficient explanation of it using the cultural nuances of the target language so that the thought sounds natural. In order to interpret in a timely and efficient manner, an interpreter needs to understand the gist of the message and to convey it immediately to the target audience offering either a rough equivalent of the speaker’s thought or an adequate …show more content…

Simultaneous interpreting requires adequate equipment, such as microphones which directly transmit the sound to earphones of those delegates who need the interpretation of the original speech. If the equipment is not available, the interpreter whispers into the ear of one or maximum two persons requiring interpreting services. This mode of interpretation is called ‘chuchotage’ (Jones,

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