Interpreting refers to the spoken transfer of language, as opposed to translation, which is the written transfer of language. In my case, I can listen to a speech originally made in German and interpret into English or from English into German.
Interpreting can be used in all kinds of situations where participants do not share a language, for example:
- International conferences
- Trade shows
- Product presentations
- Factory tours
- Press conferences
- Business meetings
Visitors feel more at ease when they can listen and express themselves in their mother tongue. Providing an interpreter can improve participation and understanding, helping you to build bridges and achieve your goals.
With an innate talent for languages, academic training, many years of experience working with a variety of different subjects and the ability to familiarise myself quickly with any topic, I am sure we can find the right interpreting solution to suit your needs. Do you need help working with speakers of German and English? Send me an email and we can talk about interpreting!
Modes of interpreting
Simultaneous interpreting
The interpreter listens through a headset and interprets immediately into another language, while the speaker is still speaking. This is often used for conferences and situations where the entire audience should understand the proceedings at the same time.
Simultaneous interpreting is often done by a team of two interpreters. This highly demanding task can only be done for short periods of time (usually around 20-30 minutes) in order to ensure a high standard of quality.
Certain technical equipment is usually required for a simultaneous interpreting assignment – get in touch if you want to know more.
Consecutive interpreting
An interpreter listens to a speaker and makes notes of the whole speech using a specialised notation system. Once the first speaker is finished, the interpreter then delivers the speech again in a second language. This can be very useful in certain situations, for example presentations to a smaller audience or in face-to-face business meetings. The interpreter does not require any specialist technical equipment to interpret consecutively.
Liaison interpreting
An interpreter works in both directions between two (or more!) languages, interpreting a conversation between (usually) two people.
This is used in a wide range of situations from hospital visits and legal settings to business meetings and international negotiations. The number of speakers, purpose and location will determine the most appropriate way for the interpreter work – whether sentence by sentence between participants or whispering simultaneously for one listener.
I’m here to help
You don’t have to worry about choosing the right service – that’s where I can help! If you have any questions about using an interpreter at an event that you’re attending or organising then just get in touch with me and I can find the right solution for you.