Interpreting glossary

A practising interpreter who is the link between the conference organizer and the team of interpreters that he recruits according to working languages and subject matter, the place of the meeting and his knowledge of the market.

It entails orally translating a speech as it is delivered.
Interpreters work in a soundproof booth with a direct view of the meeting room or conference hall. They will hear the speaker in their headsets and simultaneously translate into the target language (usually into the interpreter's native language).
Listeners hear the translation on a receiver (small headset).

In normal circumstances, simultaneous interpretation requires two interpreters per language (and therefore per booth). They will work in turns, alternating at regular intervals, usually every 30 minutes.

Here the interpreter listens to the speaker deliver part of a speech, takes notes and then translates into the target language. Speaker and interpreter will be seated together and will speak one after the other.
The speaker can talk uninterrupted for several minutes, as a professional interpreter will be capable of rendering every detail and nuance.

This technique particularly lends itself to negotiations, formal speeches or interviews. It does not require a soundproof booth and the only equipment needed is a simple sound amplifier if the meeting is being held in a large room or with a big audience.

Simultaneous interpretation performed without a booth by interpreters who operate in rotation to whisper into the ear of one or at most two delegates.

This method is rarely suitable because the interpreter's voice may disturb the other participants and the interpreter may not always be able to hear the speakers properly.

This system uses a radio transmitter and headsets but no soundproof booths.
Its lightness makes it useful but the system is only suitable in specific circumstances such as site visits where delegates and interpreters need to move around.

It cannot replace a booth in a conference room.

AIIC is the International Association of Conference Interpreters founded in 1953.
It is the only worldwide organization of conference interpreters and has some 2,800 active members.

Admission criteria are very selective but enable AIIC to guarantee the linguistic proficiency, professionalism and business ethics of its members.

Active languages at a meeting are the languages into which interpretation is provided.

Passive languages at a meeting are the languages from which interpretation is provided, in other words the languages delegates may speak.

It is an interpreter's language skill level in all his languages, as defined by AIIC criteria.

• A language: active language into which he interprets (this is usually his mother tongue or one which he speaks with equivalent fluency).
• B language: language he speaks fluently and into which he may also interpret depending on subject and circumstances.
• C language: languages he understands completely from which he interprets but which he does not translate into.

Relay interpreting is another term for indirect interpretation, i.e. rather than translate directly from the source language to the target language, an interpreter may work from a colleague's translation.
Relay interpretation can be justified at conferences using many languages where some interpreters do not understand all the working languages, or in cases where an exotic or rare language is spoken or required.

However, AIIC advises against this solution and only accepts it in exceptional cases. This is because relay interpreting inevitably causes an additional time lag and increases the risk of inaccuracy and errors.

In relay interpreting, the pivot interpreter is the interpreter working directly from the source language, and whose translation will therefore serve as the basis from which other interpreters may work into other languages.

Option: offer that does not commit the client whereby interpreter pencils in the dates and accepts no alternative work without first checking if the original offer is to go ahead.

Contract: a firm offer made to an interpreter for a stipulated period. The interpreter turns down all alternative offers of work for these dates and, if the meeting is cancelled, will receive all or some of the fee.