Do you know the difference between Translation and Interpreting?

We live in a global, digital age, where businesses are able to expand their operations across the globe.

When the time comes to share your #business message with a new, international market, you’ll probably need someone to help you break down the language barriers. But what kind of language service suits your requirements?

Translation or interpreting?

I offer both translation and interpreting services, and I’m often asked what the difference is between the two. So let me explain:

Interpreters transfer the spoken word from one language into another, usually in a live setting, remotely or over the phone. Interpreting requires a good memory and quick reflexes.

Translators also communicate in multiple foreign languages, but do so in writing and over a longer period of time to allow for researching the right words, editing and formatting.

Both services require a high level of skill, but translation is the transfer of writing from one language to another, while interpreters process spoken languages.

Although some people can do both, a good translator is not necessarily good at interpreting, and vice versa, as the skill sets required are very different.

Do you need a translator or an interpreter?

Firstly, have a think about the project you need support with. Do you need a written document or email translated? Or are you holding an event where you need an interpreter to work in real time?

Once you’ve established which service you need, you can ask for a quote. If you need translation services, you need to specify the length of the document, the subject area, the original language, the language it needs to be translated into and the desired deadline.

For interpreting services, you must clarify whether you need support for an event, telephone conversation or video conference. It helps to know the date and length of your event, the languages involved and the subject matter. It would also be useful to give an idea of your budget.

If it’s an interpreter you need, remember to factor in travel and accommodation expenses for your event.

Will ChatGPT impact the translation industry?

You might have heard about the new conversational AI tool called ChatGPT that has gone viral lately, but is it going to transform the translation industry?

ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a chatbot created by OpenAI that can answer questions conversationally in a dialogue format. However, it sometimes provides answers that are incorrect or don’t make sense, or the technology fails to ask follow-up questions to gain clarity.

I believe it still has a way to go in terms of accuracy and detail. AI tools struggle with understanding context, tone of voice, and cultural and colloquial nuances of everyday language, and therefore cannot replace translators and interpreters.

Thank you so much to Dave for kindly providing the following comment:

“One of the advantages of this technology over Google is that once you ask a question, the source is provided to you without having to go through the many choices provided by a Google search. If the detail needs further explanation, you can interact with ChatGPT, which is something you can’t do with Google as the AI recognises/relates to the last question typed in the box. This source in the right application will save researchers and content writers, for example, a lot of time. It translates too. Overall, for a new technology it is really efficient and fast. Like anything, there is room for improvement but in my experience of new technologies, in time those improvements will occur.”

​Dave McColl – Co Founder of MXRB Consultants LLP

What are your thought on new AI tech?

TerpSummit 2023: The Coopetition Edition

Continuing with the theme of setting New Year’s resolutions, I always enjoy learning new things and developing my skills.

So it was fantastic to attend TerpSummit 2023, an annual three-day online event that provides a great opportunity to connect with other interpreters and share ideas. This year’s theme, ‘Coopetition’, combines Competition and Cooperation, as discussed by the conference host Sophie Llewellyn Smith in her opening speech. Once again, the event centred around three key themes: self-care/confidence, marketing/branding, and interpreting skills.

An incredible line-up of experts gave live presentations over the three days, covering a huge range of topics, such as imposter syndrome, mental health, hearing health, marketing, branding and finances.

I was unable to participate due to a whistle-stop trip to Sicily and an interpreting assignment in France, but I received recordings of the presentations. Sophie’s talk on time management was very useful – bursting with tips and tricks on how to improve productivity.

She challenged listeners to ask themselves, ‘Why don’t you have enough time?’

Is it that you don’t have enough time, or is it that you struggle with issues such as:

• Distraction
• Procrastination
• Overwhelm
• Lack of motivation
• Unrealistic assessment of how long tasks take to complete
• Trying to do too much – not enough hours to fit everything in

Her suggestions included turning off your phone or notifications to avoid distractions – ‘multi-tasking is a myth’, and trying the Pomodoro technique, where you work for 20-30 minutes at a time, with breaks in between.

I particularly enjoyed her advice on setting small goals. You may feel as though you have an ‘elephant burger’ of projects to get through, but if you break them down into smaller tasks with visual cues and rewards at the end of each, you will feel less overwhelmed.

A poll taken during the closing speech revealed that 72% of interpreters feel they are more collaborative these days than they were in the past, indicating a move from competition to collaboration.

Plenty of food for thought!

Does any of the above resonate with you? I’d love to hear your views.

Thank you so much to Sophie Llewellyn Smith for putting together such an inspiring and collaborative event. I look forward to attending again next year!

If you’d like to find out more about my interpreting and translation services for conferences across the globe (both remotely and in-person), please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Top tips for setting and keeping your New Year’s resolutions

We all start the new year with the best of intentions, making lists of resolutions in which we vow to form good habits and achieve new goals. But how many of us actually manage to keep them?

I, for one, am determined to stay on track! As we approach 17 January (the date known as ‘Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day’ because so many people have given up by this point), I’ve collected some helpful tips for us all to keep in mind:

1. Prioritise

Focus on the things that will really make a difference. If you make your list too long, it will be hard to tackle everything effectively.

2. Be realistic

Make sure your resolutions are specific and achievable. It’s good to be creative and challenge yourself, but don’t let things get too vague or over-ambitious.

3. Plan

Rather than throwing a wishlist together in a rush, think ahead and include it in your strategic planning. Break down larger goals into smaller, actionable tasks to be completed throughout the year.

4. Share your goals

Why not join forces with an accountability buddy who can check in and provide encouragement? It’s well known that talking to other people about your goals and sharing your progress helps you stay committed and motivated.

5. Celebrate progress

Set milestones so you can track progress and feel a sense of achievement (maybe even get a reward?) when you reach them.

6. Stretch yourself

Don’t be afraid to try something new. Growth happens outside your comfort zone.

7. Plan downtime, too

Remember that it’s important to make time for you, to relax, recharge and take a break from the daily grind.

What are your resolutions for 2023? The world is your oyster!