interpreter
/ɪnˈtɜːprətə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈtɜːrprətər/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈtər-prə-tər -pə-/ (ame, mw)
interpreter — noun
- interpretersingular
- interpretersplural
1. A person who translates spoken words from one language into another, allowing pe
A person who translates spoken words from one language into another, allowing people who speak different languages to communicate with each other.
Mayumi worked as an interpreter for the Japanese delegation at the trade summit.
work as an interpreter — professional role collocation
The hospital called in an interpreter to discuss treatment options with the Mandarin-speaking patient.
call in an interpreter — collocation for arranging services
Without the interpreter, the negotiations between the German and Korean teams would have failed completely.
Walid asked the conference centre to provide an interpreter for the Arabic-speaking guests.
Ritu studied interpreting at university before taking a job at the European Parliament.
- translator
works with written texts, not spoken language
- linguist
broader term for someone skilled in languages, not specifically a speech translator
文法句型
countable noun
work as an interpreter
act as an interpreter
用法筆記
An interpreter works with spoken language in real time, while a translator works with written documents. The two terms describe different professional skills and should not be used interchangeably.
常見錯誤
2. A type of computer program that reads and runs instructions in a programming lan
A type of computer program that reads and runs instructions in a programming language one step at a time, without first converting the whole program into machine code.
Python uses an interpreter to run code one line at a time rather than compiling it first.
one line at a time — key feature distinguishing interpreters from compilers
The interpreter stopped running when it found a typo in line seven of Harold's script.
Ilan downloaded a new Ruby interpreter for her web development project on the weekend.
Caio wrote a simple interpreter for his own programming language as a class project.
The JavaScript interpreter in a web browser runs code whenever a user clicks a button.
- runtime
broader term for the environment where code executes, not the specific translation mechanism
- command shell
a specific type of interactive interpreter found in operating systems
- compiler
translates the entire program before execution rather than running it line by line
文法句型
countable noun
the [language] interpreter
[language] interpreter
用法筆記
Frequently appears as part of a compound noun with a programming language name (e.g. 'Python interpreter', 'Ruby interpreter'). The key difference from a compiler is that an interpreter executes instructions immediately without a separate build step.
常見錯誤
3. A performer — particularly a musician or actor — who expresses a personal view o
A performer — particularly a musician or actor — who expresses a personal view of the music they play or the character they portray.
Élise is widely regarded as a sensitive interpreter of Chopin's piano compositions.
sensitive interpreter of [composer] — characteristic collocation in music criticism
Critics praised Naoko as the finest interpreter of that Shakespearean role in over a decade.
The young conductor's bold style marked her as an original interpreter of Beethoven's symphonies.
The orchestra searched for an interpreter who could bring new life to the composer's lesser-known works.
Arjun's performance as Hamlet marked him as a thoughtful interpreter of Shakespeare's most famous tragedy.
文法句型
countable noun
interpreter of + [composer/work/role]
sensitive interpreter of
用法筆記
Most common in formal reviews, criticism, and academic discussions of the arts. Takes the structure 'interpreter of + work or creator' (e.g. 'an interpreter of Mozart', 'an interpreter of the lead role'). Does not refer to casual or everyday performances.