Translation and interpretation are a mystery to many. If you don’t live outside of your country of origin and you don’t have international business dealings, you probably haven’t run into many situations requiring a translator or interpreter. For this reason, there tend to be a lot of misconceptions about translation and interpretation. We’ve written down some of the most common myths and have done our best to set the record straight. Read on to discover more!
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Myth #1: Translators and Interpreters Do The Same Thing
This could not be farther from the truth. Though these two professions do require similar skills and fluency of language, they require numerous different skill-sets.
Interpreters are with clients face to face. This means that they have to think quickly on their feet in another language. Their fluency needs to be far greater than that of a translator, who would have time to search for words they might have forgotten or look up cultural meanings of different phrases. With interpreters, there is a smaller margin for error. They need to be able to weave seamlessly through both cultural and linguistic demands.
Translators are working with documents, meaning they have time to study and perfect the language. They aren’t required to think in a second language quite as quickly as an interpreter. Translation offers more time to consider the audience and marketplace where the material will be used. This means that they can craft subtle and distinctive translations that are truly authentic to the culture.
Myth #2: Machines Will Replace Human Translators
Machines will never replace human translators. While machines are cheaper and quicker than using a human translator, they cannot anticipate human emotion or cultural nuances like a human can. Understanding and interpreting cultural nuances is almost as important as knowing the language itself.
Myth #3: Anyone Who Is Bilingual Can Translate and Interpret
Being able to speak a language fluently does not mean that you can interpret and translate. Many people who can speak two languages fluently are incapable of translating from one to the other effectively. Most people involved in translation and interpretation professionally have certification or specific education in fields like linguistics that help them navigate the tricky waters of translating meaning from one language to another.
Myth #4: A Translator Can Translate Anything
Every translator has their specialty. Just like in medicine or academia, translators have an area that they work in. Some translate legal documents while other might be working on translating literature. You cannot expect one person to be able to work in every field. You wouldn’t expect a surgeon to be able to perform every type of surgery imaginable? Well, you can’t expect that from translators either! That’s why Akorbi employs a wide variety of translators with unique and specialized proficiencies.
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Hire Akorbi For Your Translation and Interpretation Needs!
If you find yourself in need of translation and interpretation services then make sure to contact us at Akorbi! We have highly trained and specialized translators and interpreters who work with our clients. They are all native speakers of the language they are translating so they are familiar with not only the language but also the accompanying cultural nuances. Reach out to Akorbi today for help with your translation and interpretation needs!