Interpreting

Interpreting is a system of oral communication between speakers who do not share a common language. For this kind of service, it is essential for the interpreter to have an excellent mastery of the foreign language and an in-depth knowledge of the cultural context.

Contrary to what people tend to think, interpreters enable speakers to communicate with each other not by translating every word they utter, but by conveying the ideas which they express. The interpreter listens to the sentences uttered by the speaker in the source language, re-elaborates them and in real time renders the message into another language, naturally and fluently, adopting the delivery, tone and convictions of the speaker and speaking in the first person. There are two main interpreting branches:

• Conference interpreting
• Liaison interpreting

The interpreter works in a sound-proof booth. The speaker speaks into the microphone and the interpreter, who uses a headset to listen to the speaker, almost simultaneously delivers the oral translation. The audience listens to the translation through headsets. Simultaneous interpreters always work in pairs in the booth and tend to take turns every 20-30 minutes.

The interpreter translates a few sentences and concepts of a speech, taking notes if necessary. In order to ease the comprehension of the message, the interpreter and the speaker can agree on the modalities and rhythm of the interpretation in advance.
Consecutive interpreting is frequently used when there is only one speaker talking in a language different from that of the audience.

From the French chuchoter, “to whisper”: ‘Chuchotage’ or Whispered Interpreting is a type of simultaneous interpreting without any of the equipment described above, ie: sound-proof booths, headsets and microphones. It is a whispered interpreting mode in which the interpreter sits behind or next to the listener, this being the case, whispering interpreting can be used only for a very limited number of listeners (2 or 3 maximum).

Bidules, or ‘spiders’ as they are sometimes known, are another alternative to simultaneous interpreting, in which portable devices : the “tour guide-system”– is used. The mobility feature of the tour guide system/bidule system, enables interpreting to be provided to touring delegations (eg. A visit to a factory or to several departments within a company).
The interpreter can also work inside the room where the meeting is taking place, through the use of a microphone and headset.
Interpretation via Bidule/Tour guide system is recommended when there are a limited number of listeners and when the room/location has sufficiently good acoustics.

Liaison interpreting is used during business meetings, negotiations, guided tours, trade shows, etc, where the interpreter mediates between people speaking two different languages without the use of any conference interpreting equipment.
The interpreter can simultaneously whisper the translation to one of the interlocutors or consecutively interpret after he/she has spoken.