Modern society is built on the ability of people to negotiate with each other. But it is so difficult to take the side of the interlocutor, to recognize his arguments and come to a single position. Especially if the participants in the discussion literally communicate in different languages. This will help fix this interpreter - an expert in building international bridges. What is the meaning of the term when and how it originated and can it be used today?
Turkic origin
Many refer to Fasmer when it comes to etymology. The old Russian “tl'mach” meant someone like a translator, but at the same time, philologists indicate a possible borrowing from the Turkic languages. Why? Easily verifiable facts are cited as evidence: “interpreter” is a word that not only sounds similar, but also preserves the pronunciation of the original. Moreover, one can find semantically close meanings in languages related to the alleged source.
Literal reading
What did the term indicate? After all, the ancestors in many situations used the word "interpreter". The value is literally sprayed between similar activities:
- spoken language translator;
- conversation intermediary;
- interpreter;
- commentator.
The main interpretation is called the translation for the Russian person in communication with a foreigner and vice versa. Representatives of the aristocracy often spoke several languages, but for important negotiations they sought the help of narrow specialists.
In addition, an assistant was needed to decipher a special manner of speech. If, due to age or illness, the speaker had problems with diction, or if he acted as an oracle, he simply said “visions”. Who will convey the information to the audience, interpret it and give it in a digestible format? This is a interpreter!
Allegorical meaning
The concept itself has long been outdated, it was replaced by the standard "translator". However, the word is preserved in everyday speech in its original form, but with an ironic bias. Sometimes it is used in relation to professionals to smooth out an awkward situation. It is also possible to use fans to comment on everything in a row, including the speech just said.
The relevance of the word
The definition is not useful to you for work. It has long disappeared from official documents, and more modern synonyms are used in the business sphere.
As a result, today, a “interpreter” is an opportunity to entertain others: either with erudition, knowledge of terminology when solving crosswords, or in conversations on a historical topic. Also, the concept has become a good basis for a joke if one of the friends cannot live a minute without the author’s retelling of well-known news.