Linguistics Discussion 2013 and Beyond discussion

What is the role of the interpreter? Does this role change according to context? What about legal interpreters? What about written translators? Is it their job to be culturally aware and translate terms and ideas across?

One thing interpreters need to do is be sure that they do not cause a misunderstanding. Seems to me I remember reading an interpreter's anecdote, maybe one for Nixon and a Chinese leader, and the interpreter had to stop the proceedings and very carefully go over them because he realized the literal translations had nevertheless resulted in serious misunderstandings of nuance.

Something like that.