The document discusses the role of interpreters in translation. It notes that translation occurs in social situations involving at least three people: a producer, interpreter, and consumer. The role of the interpreter is pivotal as they enable communication between monolingual individuals. An interpreter owes competence in two languages - their native language and the foreign language being interpreted. As a bilingual individual in the middle of two clients, interpreters can experience ambiguities from conflicting expectations and mental fatigue. They also wield a degree of power over the interaction due to their ability to selectively translate or withhold parts of the discussion.