1. What is the primary difference between translation and interpretation? Translation focuses exclusively on converting the written word, while interpretation facilitates real-time communication through the spoken word or sign language.
2. Why isn't being bilingual enough to be a professional linguist? Professionals require specialised training in syntax, memory recall, and industry terminology (medical/legal), along with formal assessment and language proficiency testing.
3. What should organisations look for in a quality language provider? Focus on the provider’s recruitment standards, quality assurance procedures, data security protocols, and their ability to handle technical support and industry-specific terminology.
Clear communication is the first step to achieving understanding. We also know that some of the terminology in our industry can be confusing to someone who’s not familiar with it.
That’s why we wanted to take a moment to explain the difference between language translation and interpretation, as well as address some other frequently asked questions.
Language translation is the process of converting the written word from one language into another language in a way that is culturally and linguistically appropriate so it can be understood by its intended audience.
Whereas language translation refers only to the written word, interpreting refers to the spoken word. An interpreter’s job is to facilitate communication between two people who speak different languages, whether the conversation takes place over the phone, in person, or via video remote interpreting.
Language translators and interpreters share many of the same skill sets. Both must be proficient in at least two languages and have a good understanding of the cultures for the intended audience, whether they will be reading or listening to the words. Both translators and interpreters typically need expertise in the industry for which they’re working, as well as the procedures, standards, and terminology associated with it. For instance, many interpreters and translators have additional training in the medical, legal, or business fields, which enables them to be proficient in their jobs.
Interpreters also need some specific skills, such as:
Specific skills for translators include:
A bilingual person is proficient in at least two languages. However, being bilingual alone does not qualify someone to be a professional interpreter or translator. Interpreters and translators need additional skills, including those mentioned above, to be effective at their jobs. Being a professional also means an interpreter’s or translator’s skills have been assessed using language proficiency tests, as well as industry-specific tests.
Offering language solutions to meet the needs of your audience is no longer optional. In addition to being the right thing to do, it’s also required by law for many healthcare and government organisations. But with thousands of translation and interpretation solutions to choose from, how can you be sure you’re selecting the right one?
Start by looking at how a potential provider hires and trains its translators and interpreters. It’s also important to ask about their procedures for ensuring quality and protecting your information, as well as their technical capabilities and how they respond to support requests.
Being understood changes outcomes. For more than four decades, we have worked alongside hospitals, health systems, government agencies, schools, and businesses to remove language and cultural barriers. Today, that work includes advanced interpretation and translation technology that connects directly to the systems your teams already use, including SIP voice, WebRTC video, EPIC, and leading telehealth platforms. The result is faster access to language support without disrupting clinical or operational workflows.
Real-time communication that fits your environment.
We provide on-demand and scheduled interpretation across multiple modalities, including phone, video remote interpreting, in-person services, British Sign Language, and remote simultaneous interpreting for events. Our SIP-enabled solutions deliver secure, enterprise-grade voice and video connections that integrate with call centres, softphones, and unified communications platforms. Interpreters are available inside the same tools your teams already rely on.
Telehealth and EHR integration, including EPIC.
Language access should be part of care delivery, not an extra step. Our solutions integrate with major telehealth platforms and electronic health record systems such as EPIC. Clinicians can request an interpreter directly from the patient encounter, document the session accurately, and capture translated content within the medical record. These integrations reduce administrative burden and support clearer, more complete documentation.
Modern translation technology with human oversight.
For written content, we combine translation memory, terminology management, and machine-assisted workflows with certified human review. This approach accelerates turnaround times while maintaining accuracy and consistency. We also provide certified medical and legal translations, multilingual desktop publishing, and secure transcription and captioning to support digital care and communications.
Security, privacy, and regulatory compliance.
Our technology is designed for regulated environments. We use encrypted SIP and WebRTC connections, secure APIs, role-based access controls, and detailed audit logging. Our programmes align with healthcare and enterprise compliance requirements to safeguard sensitive information.
Qualified linguists and proven quality processes.
Fluency alone is not enough. We recruit experienced linguists, require formal proficiency and industry testing, and provide ongoing training in medical, legal, and specialised terminology. Our quality programme includes peer review, client-specific glossaries, continuous performance monitoring, and measurable quality metrics.
Enterprise implementation and ongoing support.
We support organisations from implementation through long-term operation. This includes technical onboarding, SIP and EPIC integration, telehealth configuration, staff training, and 24/7 technical support. We also provide reporting and analytics to help organisations understand usage, performance, and impact.
Please contact us so that we can learn more about you and the particular challenge you are facing and offer a solution that works for you.