Event planning can be challenging and frustrating in many ways, especially when the time your boss allows you is limited. Besides looking for a proper venue and stages, coordinating attendees and speakers takes up a ton of time any planner has. So it can be overwhelming when there are speakers or attendees who need interpretation services. You’d be lucky to have a trustworthy vendor who always get your back. But what if you need to do everything from scratch? Here are 3 practical tips for you to find the best interpreters for your event from Magnus Communications LLC. While we focus on Mandarin Chinese / English, many of the tips we share below apply to other languages.
Let’s start from the basics of interpretation in the very first tip.
Tip #1 Know what you need
Sometimes event planners easily get confused when they have to decide which one to choose – a consecutive interpreter, or a simultaneous interpreter? Well, there are important differences between them, and the choice can have huge impacts on the final communication effect of your international event. It’s important to distinguish between the two categories of services, and then you can easily decide which one is the best fit for your event.
Consecutive Interpretation
In consecutive interpretation, the interpreter waits for the speaker to finish a sentence or an idea, and then renders the speaker’s words into the target language. Generally speaking, the more formal the setting, the longer the segments should be. Our interpreters are trained in special note-taking and memory techniques that enable them to render passages as long as 6-8 minutes faithfully and accurately.
Consecutive interpretation is best suited for situations involving a small number of people, or where a personal touch is required. Examples would be business meetings, press conferences, interviews, teleconferences, or any type of one-on-one exchange.
Simultaneous Interpretation
In simultaneous interpretation, the listeners wear headphones, and the interpreter renders the speaker’s words into the target language as he or she is speaking. Owing to the tremendous level of concentration required to perform this type of interpretation, simultaneous interpreters always work in teams of two (for business meetings) or three (for United Nations conferences). Usually, the interpreters work in a soundproof booth (or “box”) that enables everyone involved to focus on their work without the distraction of hearing another language, and to ensure that there is no ambient sound coming through the interpreter’s microphone and to listeners’ headsets.
Because this mode of interpreting saves time, it is preferred for conferences and meetings in which a great deal of information has to be conveyed. In general, simultaneous interpreting is a more time-efficient way to deliver information, while consecutive interpreting, with more interaction among the speaker, the interpreter and the listeners, is more accurate when important speeches or information has to be conveyed.
To summarize, here’s a short checklist for you to quickly decide which kind of interpretation service to choose:
Consecutive interpretation can be a better option for you when:
- Your event is not super time-sensitive;
- There is a podium or a properly-set stage for the consecutive interpreter to stand or sit not too far from the speaker in front of the audience;
- Your event is a one-on-one, or a private meeting that needs interpretation to be as faithful and impactful as possible.
Note: If you have a large audience who need interpretation services, or if your venue is spacious, make sure your consecutive interpreter has a well-functioning microphone that can reach everyone in the venue.
On the other hand, Simultaneous interpretation can be a better option for you when:
- Your event is time-sensitive;
- There is professional interpreting equipment available onsite, e.g.: booth or portable devices;
- There are more than two working languages involved
There can be special occasions that don’t fit in either categories. Communications specialists and experts from Magnus Communications LLC would be happy to assist you in creating a tailored solution for your special event.
Next week, we will give you some ideas on how to select the right simultaneous/consecutive interpreters from a pool of candidates with more practical tips to come along. The agenda is listed as below:
- How to select the perfect simultaneous/consecutive interpreter
- How to work with your interpreter to ensure the best interpreting effect
We will expand on the above topics in the following two posts. Add them to your bookmark, then you can rest assured that you have a perfect guide to pick the right interpreters.
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