The conference interpreters are specialists
in oral communication between people and culture. They are not only to render a
message from one language into another, naturally and fluently, but also to adopt
the delivery, tone and convictions of the speaker and speaking in the first
person. It is different from translation, which deals only with written texts.
In the early fashion, interpreters
have always been involved in the development of international trade and
cultural exchange. With the emergence of simultaneous interpretation in the
middle of the 20th century the profession developed considerably and was shaped
accordingly. As international conference attendees are from various background
and cultures, and speaking different languages, the job of an interpreter is to
enable the attendees to communicate with each other, not by literally
translating word to word, but further by conveying the idea which they express.
There are three forms of conference interpretation:
-
Simultaneous interpretation
This is the most frequently used form,
where the interpreter speaks at the same time as the speaker, usually through
electronic equipment, offering immediate communication in as many languages as
required in a soundproofed booth. In the practice, the interpreter sits in a
booth, listening to the speaker in one language through headphones, and
immediately speaking their interpretation into a microphone in another
language.
The interpreting equipment transmits
the interpretation to the headphones of listeners in the meeting room. This
form is appropriate in bilingual or multilingual meetings and has the advantage
of not lengthening the meeting. It facilitates a lively discussion and encourages
more spontaneous contributions. Aside from its benefits, simultaneous interpretation
requires a high level of concentration of a specialist, since the interpreter
is doing several things “simultaneously”:
listen and speak, analyze
the structure of what is being said in order to present the speaker's argument,
listen to his/her own interpretation to check for slips of the tongue.
-
Consecutive interpretation
This is usually used for small discussion
groups and in negotiations. The interpreter is in the same room as the speaker
and follows their speech while taking notes before presenting their
interpretation. Very long speeches may be broken up into parts, with
interpretation after each part, but a trained interpreter is capable of
consecutive interpretation of speeches several minutes long. Note taking is an
essential part of consecutive interpreting. It involves committing to paper the
logic and structure of the statement as an aid to memory, rather than recording
everything that is said. It is suitable for scientific and technical presentations
given by a single speaker, or in meetings where only a small number of
languages are spoken, since it makes the meeting longer.
source : BOYI
-
Whispered interpreting
Whispered interpretation is
essentially simultaneous interpreting without a booth and rarely used in a
conference. The interpreter sits very close to the listeners and provides a
simultaneous interpretation in a quiet voice. At least two interpreters take
turns. The practice is hard on the voice and appropriate only for short
meetings. This form is not recommended for more than two people because if
several interpreters are working at the same time in the same room this can be
as noisy and unpleasant for the participants as it is inconvenient for the
interpreters.
source : todaytranslations
The skills of the conference
interpreter
Interpreters must have complete
mastery of their working languages, including an excellent command of their
native language. They need an immediate grasp of their passive languages and a
well-developed capacity to express themselves in their own language. Another
essential requirement is a good mind.
Interpreters need
a good level of
general education, a lively and flexible intellect, analytic capacity, the
ability to put themselves in the minds of the people for whom they are
interpreting.
They also need
to be able to
concentrate, have a good memory, have a pleasant voice and good diction, be
physically and mentally robust.
Interpreters need to be willing to
travel, since their work often takes them a long way from home.
Finally, they have to be rigorous, not only getting the message across, but also in their everyday professional
practice. A professional conference interpreter is always well-prepared, is
never late and above all has an
absolute obligation to respect professional confidentiality.
※ References
How interpreters work
What is conference interpreting?
Conference interpreting
What is a conference interpreter?
