What is a Translator?

When I tell people one of my skills is Translation Management, their faces go blank.

“What do you mean by translation?” they’ll ask.

I’m thinking, what could I mean…translation? Management? What else could it mean? So I carefully explain that I manage projects where materials are translated from one language into another.

This then is followed by, “I didn’t know you spoke another language, or “You can translate to French?” and so It goes.

Yes, I do have some rudimentary knowledge of a number of languages, because of my contact with them. No, I am not fluent in any, and yes, I can still manage a translation project.

The problem is that people do not know what these terms mean, so I will define them for you here.

Translator

A translator is a person whose job is translating writing or speech from one language to another. Note the key word here is writing. It can also refer to a computer program or application that renders one language or data format into another.

Interpreter

A person who interprets, especially one who translates speech orally. Note the key word here is oral.

Translation (Project) Manager

A translation manager or translation project manager, plans and manages translation projects, typically in the context of localizing a company’s materials for a new locale or market. Tasks include:

• Project planning and budgeting
• Establishing deliverables, timelines, and deadlines
• Recruiting, contracting, and managing suppliers (translators and reviewers)
• Consulting local specialists
• Preparing glossaries, briefs, and guidelines for each respective region
• Setting up and managing the various workflows involved
•  

I hope this helps clarify some of the confusion. For more details on the role of a Translator, you might want to watch my video, “The Translator.”