🎓 Study English中文版
What does “interpret” mean?
interpret sth (as sth)
/ɪnˈtɜːprɪt/
＝ to explain or decide what something means
A key verb in academic writing. You interpret data, graphs, poems, sources and lab results. It is about what you think something means, so the same evidence can have different interpretations.
In plain English
A graph is just numbers. To interpret it is to say what those numbers mean.
Describing says what you see; interpreting says what it shows. In school and university work, strong answers often win marks at the interpreting step.
It has a second meaning: to turn speech in one language into another language on the spot. A person who does this is an interpreter.
5 meanings of interpret
- interpret data or resultsto explain what data or results meanResearch
How do you interpret these results?
- interpret a text, poem or artworkto explain the meaning of a text, poem or piece of artAcademic writing
Students interpreted the poem in very different ways.
- interpret something as somethingto understand something in a particular wayCommon
The teacher interpreted his silence as agreement.
- interpret for someone (spoken translation)to translate what someone says, out loud, as they speakEveryday
A volunteer interpreted for the exchange students at the briefing.
- interpretation (noun)an explanation of what something means; also spoken translationAcademic writing
The ending of the novel is open to interpretation.
Sentence patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| interpret data / findings / a graph | In Section 4, we interpret the survey data in light of earlier studies. |
| interpret sth as sth | Some readers interpret the policy as a step backwards. |
| be open to interpretation | The source is open to interpretation, so explain your reading clearly. |
| misinterpret sth | Many candidates misinterpreted the question and wrote about the wrong period. |
| a different / an alternative interpretation of sth | Offer an alternative interpretation of the cartoon before you conclude. |
Real-life examples
🔬 Lab report: the discussion section
The rise in temperature after five minutes can be interpreted as evidence that the reaction is exothermic.
📚 Literature lesson: discussing a poem
Ms Lau: What does the empty chair in the last stanza mean?
Kelvin: I interpret it as the father who has passed away.
Ms Lau: Good. Can anyone offer a different interpretation?
👩🏫 Citizenship and Social Development: reading a source
Teacher: Don't just copy the numbers from the table. Interpret them: what trend do they show?
Student: So I should explain what the drop in youth turnout suggests?
Common mistakes
✗ The graph interprets that sales went up.
✓ The graph shows that sales went up. / I interpret the graph as showing a rise in sales.
A graph only shows or indicates something. People (writers, readers, researchers) do the interpreting.
✗ We need an interpreter for our English essay.
✓ We need a translator for our English essay.
An interpreter translates speech. A person who translates writing is a translator.
✗ I interpret it to be a sign of hope.
✓ I interpret it as a sign of hope.
The most natural pattern for “understand A in the way of B” is “interpret A as B”.
✗ This data can be interpreted in many interpretations.
✓ This data can be interpreted in many ways.
Using “interpreted” and “interpretations” in one sentence is clumsy. Say “in many ways”, or “This data is open to interpretation.”
Before and after ✨
Data analysis in a school-based assessment report, rewritten with Dictionify’s Polish: removed words are crossed out and new words are highlighted.
According to the table, it interprets that 60% students do not have breakfast. So we can interpret students are very lazy. This is my interpret of the data.
According to the table, it interprets that 60% of students do not have skip breakfast. So we can One way to interpret this is that many students are very lack time in the morning, rather than simply being lazy. This interpretation is my interpret of the data. supported by our interviews, in which several students mentioned long journeys to school.
- it interprets that → just say what the data shows: 60% of students skip breakfast. Add of after a percentage.
- we can interpret students are very lazy has the wrong pattern and jumps to a harsh conclusion. One way to interpret this is that… shows you know other readings exist.
- my interpret → the noun is interpretation. Backing it with interview evidence makes the argument stronger.
Similar and opposite phrases
| Phrase | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| explain | to make something clear | More general; it can just state facts. “Interpret” stresses your judgement about meaning. |
| analyse | to study something in detail, part by part | Analysing breaks the data down; interpreting then says what it means. |
| understand / read | to take something in a certain way | More casual, as in “How do you read this?”. “Interpret” is more academic. |
| translate | to change words into another language, usually in writing | “Interpret” is used for live, spoken translation. |
Opposite: misinterpret / misread (to understand something wrongly); take sth at face value (to accept something as it first looks, without thinking deeper)
Quick quiz
Pick an answer to check it straight away.
Your teacher says “Interpret the data in Table 2.” She wants you to…
Answer: B. “Interpret” means saying what the information means, not repeating the numbers.
Which sentence is correct?
Answer: A. The pattern is “interpret A as B”, and a poem cannot interpret anything.
At an exchange event, someone turns a Mandarin speech into English as it is given. This person is…
Answer: C. Live spoken translation is done by an interpreter. A translator works with written text.
FAQ
What is the difference between “interpret” and “analyse”?
Analysing breaks information down and finds patterns. Interpreting says what those patterns mean. A good report does both: analyse (the figure rose by 20%), then interpret (this may show the policy is starting to work).
How can I give my interpretation in an essay without sounding too sure?
Use phrases like “One possible interpretation is that…”, “This could be interpreted as…” or “This suggests that…”. They admit other readings are possible, which sounds careful and academic.
Interpreter vs translator: what is the difference?
An interpreter works with speech, for example at conferences, in court or at talks. A translator works with writing, such as documents, books and subtitles.
Is “open to interpretation” good or bad?
It depends. For a poem or a film ending it is neutral or even positive: the meaning is rich. For a law or exam instructions it is usually negative: the meaning is unclear and can cause arguments.
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