This article reports on the analysis of authentic, transcribed data from interpreted interlingual encounters. The analysis leads to a conceptualization of the interpreter’s work which could have considerable practical implications for the teaching of interpreting. It also illustrates the theoretical implications for the comprehension and explication of this activity, from conceptualizing interpreting as interaction. As analytical instruments to be used in line with the redefinition of problems, two complementary and mutually compatible typologies of interpreter contributions are suggested. These are classified as kinds of texts.