Question 8 - Short Answer Type Questions (3 Marks each) - Chapter 1 Class 11 - Computer Systems

What are language translators? What are its types?

Answer:

As the computer can understand only machine language, a translator is needed to convert programs written in assembly or high level language to machine language. The program code written in assembly or high-level language is called source code . The source code is converted by a translator into the machine understandable form called object (machine) code.

The three types of translators used in computing systems are 

1. Assembler - An assembler is a system program that converts an assembly language program into  the machine language of the host computer.  
2. Compiler -  A compiler is a system program which translates a program written in a high level language  into its equivalent program in machine language.
3. Interpreter - An interpreter converts a high-level language program into an equivalent machine language program one line at a time  and executes it, if no error is encountered.