Simultaneous Interpreting

Typically, while performing Simultaneous Interpreting, the interpreter sits in a booth wearing a pair of
headphones and speaks into a microphone. Strictly speaking, "simultaneous" is a misnomer: the
interpreter cannot start interpreting until he or she understands the general meaning of the sentence.
Depending for example, on how far apart in the sentence to be interpreted the subject and the verb are
located, the interpreter may not be able to utter even a single word until he or she has heard the entire
sentence!
This fact should make it evident how difficult the task of the interpreter really is: she must translate the
sentence into the target language while simultaneously listening to and comprehending the next sentence.
You can experience the difficulty of the task even if you only speak one language: try paraphrasing
someone's speech with a half-sentence delay while making sure you understand the next sentence and
paraphrasing the previous one.
One of the key skills of the simultaneous interpreter is decisiveness: there is simply no time to weigh the
merits of variant translations, or to recall just the right idiom in the target language. Any delay and a few
words (and possibly a complete thought) that the speaker uttered could be lost, and since the speaker may
be far away, or even in a different room than the interpreter, the loss may be permanent.
Consecutive Interpreting
During Consecutive Interpreting the speaker stops every 15 minutes (usually at the end of every
"paragraph" or complete thought) and the interpreter then steps in to render what was said into the target
language. A key skill involved in consecutive interpreting is note-taking, since few people can memorize
a full paragraph in one hearing without loss of detail. Interpreter's notes are very different from those of,
say, a stenographer, because writing down words in the source language makes the interpreter's job harder
when he has to translate the speech into the target language.
Many professional interpreters develop their own "ideogramic" symbology, which allows them to take
down not the words, but the thoughts of the speaker in a sort of language-independent form. Then the
interpreter's output is more idiomatic and less source-language bound.
The Difference between Translation and Interpreting
Interpreting and translation are two closely related linguistic disciplines. Yet they are rarely performed by
the same people. The difference in skills, training, aptitude and even language knowledge are so
substantial that few people can do both successfully on a professional level.
On the surface, the difference between interpreting and translation is only the difference in the medium:
the interpreter translates orally, while a translator interprets written text. Both interpreting and translation
presuppose a certain love of language and deep knowledge of more than one language.
The Skill Profile of Technical Translators
The differences in skills are arguably greater than their similarities. The key skills of the translator are the
ability to understand the source language and the culture of the country where the text originated, then
using a good library of dictionaries and reference materials, to render that material clearly and accurately
into the target language. In other words, while linguistic and cultural skills are still critical, the most
important mark of a good translator is the ability to write well in the target language.
Even bilingual individuals can rarely express themselves in a given subject equally well in both
languages, and many excellent translators are not fully bilingual to begin with. Knowing this limitation, a
good translator will only translate documents into his or her native language. This is why we at Language
Scientific absolutely require our technical translators only translate into their native language, in addition
to their subject matter expertise.
An interpreter, on the other hand, must be able to translate in both directions on the spot, without using
dictionaries or other supplemental reference materials. Interpreters must have extraordinary listening
abilities, especially for simultaneous interpreting. Simultaneous interpreters need to process and
memorize the words that the source-language speaker is saying now, while simultaneously outputting in
the target language the translation of words the speaker said 5-10 seconds ago. Interpreters must also
posess excellent public speaking skills and the intellectual capacity to instantly transform idioms,
colloquialisms and other culturally-specific references into analogous statements the target audience will
understand.
Interpreter Qualifications
Interpreting, just like translation, is fundamentally the art of paraphrasingthe interpreter listens to a
speaker in one language, grasps the content of what is being said, and then paraphrases his or her
understanding of the meaning using the tools of the target language. However, just as you can not explain
a thought to someone if you did not fully understand that thought, neither can you translate or interpret
something without mastery of the subject matter being relayed.
It simply cannot be overstated: when choosing an interpreter, his or her expert knowledge of the subject
matter is equally as important as their interpreting experience. (See the section "Why Subject Expertise
Matters for Technical Translators" for a more detailed discussion of the importance of subject matter
knowledge for technical translators and interpreters).
Language Scientific's interpreters possess the following skills:
Thorough knowledge of the general subject to be interpreted
Intimate familiarity with both cultures
Extensive vocabulary in both languages
Ability to express thoughts clearly and concisely in both languages
Excellent note-taking techniques for consecutive interpreting
At least 2-3 years of booth experience for simultaneous interpreting

Language interpretation or interpreting is the facilitating of oral or sign-language communication, either
simultaneously or consecutively, between users of different languages.Translation studies deal with the
systematic study of the theory, the description and the application of language interpretation
and translation.
[1]

In professional parlance, interpreting denotes the facilitating of communication from one language form
into its equivalent, or approximate equivalent, in another language form; while interpretationdenotes the
actual product of this work, that is, the message thus rendered into speech, sign language, writing, non-
manual signals, or other language form. This important distinction is observed in order to avoid
confusion.
[citation needed]

An interpreter is a person who converts a thought or expression in a source language into an expression
with a comparable meaning in a target language either simultaneously in "real time" or consecutively
after one party has finished speaking. The interpreter's function is to convey every semantic element (tone
and register) and every intention and feeling of the message that the source-language speaker is directing
to target-language recipients.
Simultaneous[edit]
Simultaneous interpreter's station (Televic Conference) at the European Court of Justice
In (extempore) simultaneous interpretation (SI), the interpreter renders the message in the target-language
as quickly as he or she can formulate it from the source language, while the source-language speaker
continuously speaks; an oral-language SI interpreter, sitting in a sound-proof booth, speaks into a
microphone, while clearly seeing and hearing the source-language speaker via earphones. The
simultaneous interpretation is rendered to the target-language listeners via their earphones. Moreover, SI
is the common mode used by sign language interpreters, although the person using the source language,
the interpreter and the target language recipient (since either the hearing person or the deaf person may be
delivering the message) must necessarily be in close proximity.
The first introduction and employment of extempore simultaneous interpretation was theNuremberg
Trials, with four official working languages.
Consecutive[edit]
Interpreters facilitate 3-way conversation among Vladimir Putin(Russian), Muammar Gaddafi (Arabic)
andMireille Mathieu (French) (2008).
In consecutive interpreting (CI), the interpreter speaks after the source-language speaker has finished
speaking. The speech is divided into segments, and the interpreter sits or stands beside the source-
language speaker, listening and taking notes as the speaker progresses through the message. When the
speaker pauses or finishes speaking, the interpreter then renders a portion of the message or the entire
message in the target language.
Consecutive interpretation is rendered as "short CI" or "long CI". In short CI, the interpreter relies on
memory, each message segment being brief enough to memorize. In long CI, the interpreter takes notes of
the message to aid rendering long passages. These informal divisions are established with the
client before the interpretation is effected, depending upon the subject, its complexity, and the purpose of
the interpretation.
On occasion, document sight translation is required of the interpreter during consecutive interpretation
work. Sight translation combines interpretation and translation; the interpreter must render the source-
language document to the target-language as if it were written in the target language. Sight translation
occurs usually, but not exclusively, in judicial and medical work.
Consecutively interpreted speeches, or segments of them, tend to be short. Fifty years ago, the CI
interpreter would render speeches of 20 or 30 minutes; today, 10 or 15 minutes is considered too long,
particularly since audiences usually prefer not to sit through 20 minutes of speech they cannot understand.
Often, if not previously advised, the source-language speaker is unaware that they may speak more than a
single sentence before the CI interpretation is rendered and might stop after each sentence to await its
target-language rendering. Sometimes, however, depending upon the setting or subject matter, and upon
the interpreter's capacity to memorize, the interpreter may ask the speaker to pause after each sentence or
after each clause. Sentence-by-sentence interpreting requires less memorization and therefore lower
likelihood for omissions, yet its disadvantage is in the interpreter's not having heard the entire speech or
its gist, and the overall message is sometimes harder to render both because of lack of context and
because of interrupted delivery (for example, imagine a joke told in bits and pieces, with breaks for
translation in between). This method is often used in rendering speeches, depositions, recorded
statements, court witness testimony, and medical and job interviews, but it is usually best to complete a
whole idea before it is interpreted.
Full (i.e., unbroken) consecutive interpreting of whole thoughts allows for the full meaning of the source-
language message to be understood before the interpreter renders it in the target language. This affords a
truer, more accurate, and more accessible interpretation than does simultaneous interpretation.
What is simultaneous interpretation? The speaker's voice is interpreted at the same time he or she is
speaking, with minimal delay. Simultaneous interpretation requires specialized equipment and engineers
for installation and monitoring. Delegates listen to the language of their choice using headsets connected
to multi-channel wireless receivers. Teams of highly trained multilingual interpreters work in soundproof
booths. Simultaneous interpretation is most commonly used for large meetings and multilingual events.
What are the advantages of simultaneous interpretation? * No interruptions--a smooth, uninterrupted
interpretation
retains the effectiveness, flow, and mood of the speaker's
presentation.
* Most efficient use of time--the meeting schedule is not affected since no additional time is required for
the interpretation.
* Ideal in large meetings when only a small number of attendees do not speak English--the interpretation
is heard only by those who choose to listen.
* Essential when multiple languages will be spoken at the same meeting.
What is consecutive interpretation? The speaker pauses after every two or three sentences to allow time
for the interpreter to render the speaker's remarks into the other language. The interpreter becomes a more
integral member of the meeting since he or she is always in close proximity to the meeting participants.
Consecutive interpretation is commonly used for tours, informal meetings, guidance through trade
show exhibits, business negotiations, or receptions.
What are the advantages of consecutive interpretation? * More cost-effective--fewer interpreters and no
equipment or technical personnel are required.
* Allows participants to absorb ideas and listen to the proceedings in both languages if they desire.
* Most effective in sensitive business negotiations--participants have a chance to reflect on what is being
said.
* Essential when more than two languages will be spoken at the same meeting.
An interpreter is a mediator for people who are dealing with language barriers. They convert a thought or
expression in a source language into an expression with a comparable meaning in a target language. The
interpreter's function is to convey every semantic element (tone and register) and every intention and
feeling of the message that the source-language speaker is directing to target-language recipients.
Interpreting services can be delivered in multiple modes but the two main ones
are consecutiveand simultaneous interpretation. Lets look at the two modes more closely!
Simultaneous
The first introduction and employment of simultaneous interpretation was the Nuremberg Trials which
were series of military tribunals held by the Allied forces of World War II in 1945-46. Then in the late
1940s and the early 1950s, United Nations officials introduced simultaneous interpretation as a preferred
method for the majority of UN meetings because it saved time and improved the quality of the output.
In Simultaneous Interpretation (SI), the participants wear headphones, and the interpreter renders the
speaker's words into the target language as quickly as he or she can formulate it from the source language,
while the source-language speaker continuously speaks; an oral-language SI interpreter, sitting in a
sound-proof booth, speaks into a microphone, while clearly seeing and hearing the source-language
speaker via earphones. The simultaneous interpretation is rendered to the target-language listeners via
their earphones.
Simultaneous interpretation is normally for congresses or conferences and its very intense.
Consecutive
In Consecutive Interpreting (CI), the interpreter speaks after the source-language speaker has finished
speaking. The speech is divided into segments, and the interpreter sits or stands beside the source-
language speaker, listening and taking notes as the speaker progresses through the message. When the
speaker pauses or finishes speaking, the interpreter then renders a portion of the message or the entire
message in the target language. Consecutively interpreted speeches, or segments of them, tend to be
short. Fifty years ago, the CI interpreter would render speeches of 20 or 30 minutes; today, 10 or 15
minutes is considered too long. Sometimes, however, depending upon the setting or subject matter, and
upon the interpreter's capacity to memorize, the interpreter may ask the speaker to pause after each
sentence or after each clause. Sentence-by-sentence interpreting requires less memorization and therefore
lower likelihood for omissions,
Consecutive interpretation is frequently used in medical interpreting to communicate between patients
and clinicians.
Simultaneous Vs Consecutive
In deciding whether to use the consecutive or the simultaneous mode of interpreting, interpreters and the
users of interpreter services must recognize the impact of these modes. Consecutive interpreters have
more control over the situation: They can clarify ambiguities, ask for repetitions, or determine the
meaning of problem terms. Consecutive interpreting is still taught in most schools of conference
interpreting and is considered a stepping stone to learning proper techniques for simultaneous
interpreting.
Simultaneous interpreting saves time. For example in courts it saves valuable court time. As soon as
counsel finishes asking a question, the witnesss answer is forthcoming. It is more accurate than relying
on the interpreter retaining long passages of oftentimes disjointed information, as is needed
for consecutive interpreting. This method makes it unnecessary for the interpreter to request that a
question be repeated. Everyone wearing a headset can hear the witnesss answer clearly, in spite of
sometimes unfavourable courtroom acoustics. Interpreter fatigue is kept at a minimum, as the tension of
trying to accurately retain long passages is reduced. The result is higher-quality interpretation.
In conclusion, scholars and professional interpreters generally agree that consecutive interpreting is
preferable when absolute precision is required, but in todays fast-paced world it is often regarded as a
fine art, a luxury that may have to be dispensed with when time is of the essence.
Pearl Linguistics can provide both consecutive and simultaneous interpreters. Please choose the mode of
interpreting you require and contact us today!