Q: So
what is the difference between a translator and interpreter
then?
A: Briefly,
interpreters translate what a speaker is saying either simultaneously or
consecutively into another language for the benefit of other people
present (at a conference or business meeting for example). Translators
on the other hand work on a written text, usually translating it from a
foreign language into their mother tongue.
Q: Right,
now I know what I want, how do I find one?
A: Just look in our
directory! If,
however, no-one in the Scottish Network offers the language combination
you require, you can access the details of all accredited ITI members in
the UK and around the world at ITI's online directory.
Q: I have
a text I want translated. How long will it take?
A: That depends
greatly on the subject-matter, complexity and length of the text in
question. Without sacrificing quality, few translators can produce more
than 2-3000 words per day (about 10-15 pages). If you email the text or
fax a few specimen pages, the translator will be able to give you a more
precise estimate.
Q: And
what is it going to cost me?
A: Again that very much depends on the languages involved, the
subject-matter, complexity and length of the text, as well as the time
available for translation. In the UK freelance translators usually
charge per 1000 words of source or target text. As a guideline, you are unlikely to
be charged less than £70 per 1000 for a straightforward translation between
common language pairs, but you could easily be quoted more than that for
a rush or complicated job, or one involving less common
languages.
Q: What
do you mean by source and target text?
A: Source text refers to the text in
the original language requiring translation, while target text is the
text after it has been translated into a second language. With some
language combinations, there is often a big difference in the number of
words between the source and target languages. For example, an English
translation of a German text will have about 15-20% more words than the
original, so it's important to be clear about which of the two a quote
is based on.
Q: I'm
not sure what kind of interpreter I need. Can you explain the difference
between conference, business, liaison and ad hoc
interpreting?
A: Conference interpreting is a demanding and highly
specialized skill. Usually the interpreter sits in a special soundproof
booth simultaneously interpreting the speaker's words into a microphone.
This is then relayed to delegates over headsets. This form of
interpreting is also known as simultaneous
interpreting.
Liaison, business and ad hoc
interpreting are more or less synonyms for interpreting in a business
setting, e.g. during meetings with foreign partners or customers,
contract negotiations, factory tours or the like. In these situations
the interpreter usually waits for the speaker to pause before
translating the words, so it is also known as consecutive
interpreting.
There are also
two specialized forms of consecutive interpreting, court interpreting
(i.e. interpreting in a court of law), and community or public service
interpreting (i.e. interpreting between immigrant community languages
and English for the police, NHS or social services for
example).
Q: And how much can I expect to pay an
interpreter?
A: Interpreting rates start at about £250 for an 8-hour day, plus
expenses, again depending on the languages involved.
Q: OK, now I've selected a translator or
interpreter, what do I need to tell them?
A: It's important
to brief the translator or interpreter as thoroughly as possible before
any job. In addition to the languages involved, the subject-matter and
length of text or duration of meeting (interpreters), you should provide
as much as possible of the following information:
- What is the purpose of the translation (e.g. internal information only or publication in a glossy brochure)?
- Who will read it (e.g. engineers, business customers, the general public)?
- When is the translation needed? (Set a realistic deadline!)
- How is the text to be presented, e.g. do you have a preferred word processing or DTP package?
- How do you want the translation delivered (on paper, on disk, by email attachment etc.)?
- Can you supply any background material, previous translations or terminology glossaries for reference (particularly important for interpreting assignments)?
In general, the better the briefing, the better the results will be!
We hope these Q&A's have helped clarify things for you. For a more detailed description of working with translator or interpreter see the introduction to our PDF directory or check out the links in the panel on the right.
