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For the record: interpreters talk and translators write

Dear Abby: I'm writing about your answer to "An International Educator" (Dec. 27), who asked about translators at parent-teacher conferences. Your answer was only partially correct.

I am a professional interpreter and translator. First I should note that translators do written work; interpreters speak aloud. Different skills are involved, which is why there are different terms.

Second, during interpretation, the interpreter is not considered to be part of the conversation, just a "conduit" through which communication takes place. Persons being interpreted for do not need to look at the interpreter while facilitating their communication.

A professional interpreter will interpret everything that is said; for example, they will not leave out curse words or "filter" or embellish anything. They also try to approximate the same voice tone.

I should also note that professional interpreters are bound by privacy codes much like doctors and nurses. We are not allowed to divulge any information we have learned from our interpretation jobs. Another thing to realize is that a professional interpreter (or translator) will be completely neutral, regardless of who hired him/her or with which party he/she enters the room.

If someone is using a non-professional interpreter, a person who just happens to know both languages but has not had the training to be an interpreter, he/she may not adhere to these privacy or conduct codes, and their interpretations may not be of the best quality. Just knowing two languages does not guarantee that someone is capable of doing accurate interpretations (the same goes for translations). -- ONE WHO KNOWS IN KANSAS

DEAR O.W.K.: Thank you for clarifying the difference between the two terms. You were one of many readers who wrote to explain it, and I'm glad you did.

DEAR ABBY: Please tell your readers that even though gay people are more integrated into our lives, it does not provide an open invitation to pry into anyone's sexual practices. I have been asked many times about the physical mechanics of my relationship, although I would never consider requesting such information from my heterosexual friends, neighbors or co-workers.

I think the bottom line should be: Keep your noses out of your friends' bedrooms and everything will be just fine. I am a gay 49-year-old man in Texas and honestly would never dream of asking any couple -- straight or gay -- what they do when they are alone. It bothers me that some people think being accepted means I welcome these kinds of questions. -- MYOB IN AUSTIN

DEAR MYOB: There is no end to the nosy and intrusive questions people with poor judgment will ask. However, there is a standard response that may resolve your problem if you say it with a smile. It's, "If you'll forgive me for not answering that question, I'll forgive you for asking!"

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in "What Every Teen Should Know." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

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