To put it very simply, interpreting services are used to facilitate communication between two people who speak different languages who are attempting to hold a conversation, while translation services are used to take a document and to rewrite that document as clearly and accurately as possible into another language. This might not sound like a huge difference, but in practice it is.
While translation services often occur in private over a significant period of time interpreting services occur in the moment, in real time, as the conversation is occurring traduzioni simultanee. Translation services don’t require a particularly fast thinking individual to perform them, and in fact translation often benefits from a writer who is slower and more meticulous with their craft. Because it allows significantly more time translation services often revolve as much around getting the flavor of the text correct as putting down the blunt meaning of the work accurately.
Interpreting services, on the other hand, are more concerned with simply moving information as smoothly as possible. Interpreters certainly need to have a good feel for the way that tone and inflection and flavor works its way into an individual’s speech, as well as the different tacit assumptions embedded in the language and culture of the different people that they’re interpreting for. But at the end of the day there just isn’t enough time in the moment of interpretation to approach it with the same care as a translator approaches their work. An interpreter isn’t a perfectionist, they are merely facilitating conversation and the exchange of vital pieces of information and that’s all.
Because of this an interpreter needs to be able to think quickly and easily on their feet. They can’t get flustered in the moment. They need to be good at working with people and great at reading people in order to make sure their true intent comes across. Interpreting services are social; they are fast moving, and they require diplomatic and mediation skills as often as not.
Keep all of this in mind when you hire someone to take on your interpreting services. Even if you have a great translator whom you’ve been working with for many years do NOT assume that they will naturally make a great interpreter. Look for someone with a proven track record of working within this specialized field and who understands the specifics of their work. And above all, when you find an interpreter to use you must communicate with them about your needs and desires within the conversation they’ll be interpreting! Remember you’ll be working closely with your interpreter and won’t be simply dropping off some materials that you’ll be picking up a week later, so make sure you hire someone you can really work with.