Interpreter facts for kids

An interpreter is a person who helps people speak to each other when they use different languages. They translate what someone says from one language into another, usually right away. Interpreters often work at big meetings, conferences, or even in hospitals to help people understand each other better.

An interpreter can also be a computer program. This kind of interpreter reads and runs other computer programs that are written in text files. It's different from a compiler because it doesn't create a new, separate file for the program to run. Instead, it runs the program line by line.

What Interpreters Do

Interpreters are like language bridges. They make sure that people who don't speak the same language can still communicate clearly. This is super important in many situations, like:

• International Meetings: Leaders from different countries need interpreters to talk about important global issues.
• Healthcare: Doctors and nurses use interpreters to explain treatments to patients who speak another language.
• Legal Settings: In court, interpreters help people understand what's happening and make sure everyone can share their side of the story.
• Business: Companies use interpreters when they work with partners or customers from other countries.

Most interpreters work for themselves, helping different groups and businesses talk more easily with their clients who might not speak the main language very well.

Types of Interpretation

There are a few main ways interpreters do their job:

Simultaneous Interpretation

In simultaneous interpretation, the interpreter translates almost at the same time as the speaker. They usually sit in a soundproof booth, listen through headphones, and speak the translation into a microphone. This translation is then sent to listeners through their own headphones. This type is often used at large conferences, like those at the United Nations or the European Parliament, because it saves a lot of time.

Consecutive Interpretation

With consecutive interpretation, the speaker talks for a bit, then pauses. The interpreter then translates what was just said into the other language. This goes back and forth. It's often used in smaller meetings, interviews, or medical appointments where a more personal connection is needed.

Sign Language Interpretation

Sign language interpreters help people who are Deaf or hard of hearing communicate with people who use spoken language. They translate spoken words into sign language and sign language into spoken words. You might see them at concerts, news conferences, or school events.

Interpreters in Computers

Besides people, the word "interpreter" also describes a type of computer program.

How Computer Interpreters Work

Imagine you have a recipe written in a special code. A computer interpreter reads this code line by line and performs the instructions right away. It doesn't turn the whole recipe into a new, ready-to-use dish (like a compiler would). Instead, it just follows each step as it reads it.

This is useful for programming languages like Python or JavaScript. When you write code in these languages, an interpreter can run your program directly without needing an extra step to create a separate "executable" file. This makes it quicker to test and change code.

Related pages

• Sign language
• Video Relay Service
• Teletypewriter

Images for kids

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  A painting showing a doctor explaining the outcome of an operation to his servant, who acts as an interpreter.

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  Stéphane Brizé (second from the right) speaking in French in Buenos Aires in 2019. Seated to his left, the interpreter (on the extreme right) waits to translate into Spanish.

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  Nuremberg defendants at dock listening to simultaneous interpretation

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  Simultaneous interpreter's station (Televic Conference) at the European Court of Justice

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  Interpreter (left) next to Swedish filmmaker Johannes Nyholm at Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema 2019.

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  Interpreting booths at a conference by the World Trade Organization 2017

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  A US military interpreter sits with Afgan army soldiers, Ghazni province

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  A Peshmerga American interpreter, with a refugee, Duhok

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  The hostess (in red) and a sign language interpreter at a press conference in Taipei, 2007.

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  Two sign language interpreters working for a school, 2007

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  Interpreting booths in the European Parliament where interpreters simultaneously interpret debates between the 24 official languages of the European Union.

See also

In Spanish: Interpretación (lenguas) para niños