What are the different types of interpretation?

Interpretation is a key tool in the corporate world that is used by company executives during client meets as well as generic meetings held during corporate procedures such as business development, expansion or even during negotiations.

The different types of interpretation services available are as follows –

Simultaneous interpretation services

Simultaneous interpretation services consist of an interpreter associated with a revered agency hired by a company who will translate the source material in the language needed by the client.

The interpreter will also listen and comprehend the next sentence coming at them in the form of text or speech from the client’s end.

Simultaneous interpretation services are required by big corporations during board meetings, trade shows as well as conferences where people speaking different languages (and dialects) come together to learn, share opinions or offer insights.

Simultaneous interpreters are often allotted a booth where the professional will be listening in and use a microphone to state the interpreted message in the target language.

Consecutive interpretation services

Consecutive interpretation services come with a clause. The speaker has to stop for a minute or five for the interpreter to step in and translate what has been said by the speaker in the target language.

This is an interpretation service variant that is meant for small-scale enterprises, start-ups, community meetings, and even in courts of law where people speaking different dialects or languages take turns to state facts important to the proceedings of the day.

Escort or travel interpretation services

Escort or travel interpretation services is a special (or rather expensive) form of interpretation that is adopted by VVIPs when they are out on business or diplomatic trips to lands where the language is unknown to the client.

Travel interpreters are often labelled as cultural liaisons as they make sure that the client they are accompanying do not say anything that can make a business deal go sour or sever diplomatic ties.

Whisper interpretation services

Whisper interpretation services are similar to simultaneous interpretation. The difference is that the interpreter, instead of sitting inside a soundproof room listening in through a headphone and speaking through a microphone, will sit next to the client and speak the interpreted material into the ear of the same.

This setup is ideal for situations where the speech or source material offered by a person needs to be interpreted and not the source materials generated by everyone present in the venue.

Scheduled / on-demand interpretation services via phone calls

This type of interpretation service is ideal for people or organizations that need to convey their message seamlessly to the target person or target market segment when the former is on a telephone call with the latter.

The service looks like this –

• The client calls up the interpretation service provider of their choice.
• Then the client chooses the required language they need their conversation to be interpreted in.
• The next step is the agency connecting the client with the right interpreter.
• The last step is the interpreter interpreting the conversation.

This service is available in both ‘on-demand’ as well as on ‘scheduled’ form.

Conclusion

For the best results, company executives with plans to expand their business in a nation or overseas should choose a provider of interpretation services with a stellar reputation. One must also see to it that the interpretation service provider has a compelling portfolio and it has certifications from revered organizations like American Interpreters Association or American Translators Association.