Simultaneous Interpreting: What To Look For In A Conference Interpreter

Online, January 19, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Simultaneous interpreting has many advantages both for the listening audience, as well as the person who is speaking. Simultaneous interpreting is typically done when there is a speech or a conference to be done in front of a group of people instead of one on one communication. Simultaneous interpreting is the art of verbally transforming a message from one language to another as it is being spoken. Because of the advanced skills that an interpreter must possess in order to successfully perform this task, it is important to take in to account several factors when selecting an interpreter to perform this task.
1. One of the most important things to look for in a conference interpreter is their familiarity with the subject that will be discussed at the conference. If the interpreter is an expert on the subject matter, they are more likely to communicate the grain of the message more accurately than if they are brand new to the subject matter.
2. After selecting an interpreter who has experience working within the subject matter at hand, the interpreter should also use syntactic linearity when interpreting, which means that they will analyze each sentence in parts to extract the deeper meaning of the message. This requires very highly advanced analytical skills and must be done rapidly while the speaker continues with the speech.
3. A conference interpreter must also be able to fill in background information that may not have been explained by the original speaker. This will enable audiences who have not followed the subject to understand the history and current situation of the subject.
4. Many times, with simultaneous interpretation, it is necessary that the interpreter anticipates what the speaker will say. This talent comes with experience, and many times, working with the same speaker on more than one occasion to become accustomed to their style of speaking.
5. Because many different languages vary in their grammar as well as sentence structure, the ability to quickly reformulate sentences is a talent that conference interpreters must possess. The goal of a conference interpreter is to accurately relay a message in to what is called the 'target language' using proper grammar as well as effective vocabulary for the audience.
6. A final quality that a conference interpreter can bring to an audience is the simplification and explanation of technical terms that arise in the speech. An experienced conference interpreter will break down and explain the vocabulary to ensure that the audience understands the message.
Conference interpretation requires many different skills, but typically with some experience, extremely advanced language skills, and having a background in the subject matter, the interpretation is likely to be successful.