Subj : Anecdotes about translators
To   : Ardith Hinton
From : Alexander Koryagin
Date : Mon Nov 08 2021 08:37:24

Hi, Ardith Hinton! -> Alexander Koryagin
I read your message from 04.11.2021 23:52

 ak>> please, I am a translator."
 SM>> Should it be "an interpreter"?
 AK>> I believe both words are correct, but they have a bit different
 AK>> meaning.

 AK>> If you interpret a phrase or something you actually explain it.
 AK>> For instance, we can interpret the events in Ukraine, according to
 AK>> our point of view.

 AH> If the interpreter is expected to demystify what someone is saying
 AH> as quickly as they can say it, the result could be more of an
 AH> explanation than what I'd prefer if I'm hoping to read WAR AND
 AH> PEACE in English. As for what's going on in SomePlace Else, we may
 AH> get closest to the truth by comparing input from a variety of
 AH> people who live there & in other parts of the world....

On Russian TV news programs we see interpreters, too. ;-) They want not
only tell us the news, they want us to understand them as it must be.
So, all the television announcers have behind their shoulders theatre,
neuro-lingual, brain-wash, hypnotic courses, and they do their job very
effectively.  I literally feel how a nasty girl penetrates into my
brain. ;-)

 AK>> If you translate you take one form of something and change it into
 AK>> another form.

 AH> Yet I notice that when you translate written material into English
 AH> you behave in much the same way a professional translator would.
 AH> You take the time to look things up & discuss with others whether
 AH> e.g. "satchel" conveys to them what the word means to you, because
 AH> such details are very important.

As a rule a speech is much simpler than a written text from a book. An
interpreter would just said "bag" not thinking too long.

 AK>> Some people tell that an interpreter is a person who works with
 AK>> the spoken word, whereas a translator works with the written word.

 AH> Lionbridge.com explains the differences quite well. The situation
 AH> as I see it is much like what I see WRT music. To a student of
 AH> music history, "classical music" means a particular style composed
 AH> during a particular era... to the average person, the meaning is
 AH> much broader. In this case my choice of words depends on how much I
 AH> believe the audience knows about the subject.: - Q

Classical music? In Russia at least, it is a very narrow notion. We have
of course Jazz which can be "classical", "modern" etc but when we speak
"classical music" we mean a symphony music only.

Bye, Ardith!
Alexander Koryagin
english_tutor 2021

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