interpreter/translator

This is one that’s often lost in translation—or lost in ignorance, maybe. When you’re talking about multi-lingual experts, do you know the difference between interpreters and translators?

Hint: Sign-language translators are incredibly rare.

Interpreters work with spoken text, and translators work with written text. It’s simple, really, but you hear it wrong all the time. Live speeches have interpreters. Multi-national meetings have interpreters. Interviews with a language barrier have interpreters. Why is it that “translator” is so ubiquitous? 50% of the time, it’s actually wrong.

Don’t you feel smarter now?