Lektors

Lektors is a term used in several European languages to denote a person who reads aloud in public or serves as a lecturer or language instructor. The exact meaning varies by country, tradition, and context. In liturgical settings, a lector is a layperson who proclaims Scripture during worship services. In many Christian communities this role is voluntary; in others it is a formal ministry with training and installation.

In academic and language-education contexts, lektor or related forms designate an instructor who teaches foreign languages or serves as a lecturer. In some Central and Eastern European universities, lektorat refers to a department or program that provides language instruction to students and to visiting lecturers. In everyday usage, a lektor is simply a language teacher, often specializing in pronunciation, conversation, or reading skills.

The term is etymologically derived from Latin lector, meaning reader, and has cognates in several languages, including German Lektor, Polish lektor, and Dutch lector. Plural forms such as lektors appear where the language combines with Latin-derived vocabulary.

Lektors may occur in religious, educational, and media contexts, and the term may also appear as part of organizational names or titles in various institutions. As such, the meaning should be inferred from context, since the same word can denote a liturgical reader, a language teacher, or a lecturer in different settings.