Language Translator

• Language Translator:-

                         A Computer understands instructions in machine code (i.e. in the form of 0’s and 1’s). It is difficult to write computer program directly in the machine code. Today, mostly the program are written in high level languages i.e. C, C++, Java, BASIC PASCAL etc.

            The program written in high level language must be translated into machine code with the help of translator (or language processor) before running on the computer. Every language has its own language Translator program. Therefore, language translator is defined as:

                         “The special translator system software that is used to translate the program written in high level language (or assembly language) into machine code is called language Translator or language processor”.

• Types of Language Translators:-

                   The language processors are divided into three types.

1. Compiler
2. Interpreter
3. Assembler

• Compiler:-

 

                 The language translator program that translates the complete source program into machine code as a whole is called compiler. The C and C++ compilers are best examples are compilers. The program translated into object code successfully if it is free of errors. If there are any errors in the source code, the compiler specifies the errors at the end of compilation. The errors must be removed before the compiler can successfully compile the source code. The object program can be executed a number of times without translating it again.

• Interpreter:-

 

                  The language translator program that translates the source code into machine code statement by statement is called interpreter. It translates one statement of source program into machine code and executes it immediately before translating the next statement. If there is an error in the statement, the interpreter terminates its translating process at that statement. It also displays an error message. The GWBASIC is an example of an interpreter program.

                     The main advantage of interpreter is that it makes easier to detect and correct errors in the source program.

It is a time consuming process of translating and executing statements one by one.

Each time the program is run, the source code id translated again. For this purpose you must have a translator program (Interpreter) permanently in your computer.

• Assembler:-

 

           The language translator program that translates the program written in assembly language into machine code is called Assembler.
                   An assembler performs the translation process in similar way as compiler. But assembler is the translator program for assembly language (a low level programming language), while a compiler is the translator program for high level programming language.