Life as an Interpreter

You walk into your booth, sit down, put on your headphones, and start to get ready to interpret into your native language. It’s time to put into practice all the tips and knowledge about the subject. The public who only speaks one language is in front of you, ready to listen to the speech. How would you feel? 

For today’s blog, we’ll talk about the life of an interpreter and tips for interpreters. It doesn’t matter if you’re just a starter or a seasoned professional. They’re useful for both. Enjoy your reading!

Where Do Interpreters Work?

These days, interpreters work in more varied settings than the ones they had a couple of years ago. Hospitals, businesses, schools, government institutions, and other places where people from different cultures interact are all options for employment. With the internet development, freelancing websites, such as Upwork, have become more common, allowing interpreters to provide services remotely. 

What Does An Interpreter Do? 

According to Merriam-Webster, an interpreter is a person who translates from one language into another. They basically decode one language that’s not understood by a party. Plus, interpreters are responsible for attending meetings and conferences in their home country or abroad to facilitate communication. 

Interpreters receive training to handle many different skills at once. First, they’re bilingual. Speaking another language is mandatory to connect two or more people whose languages are different. Additionally, interpreters’ second language level must be fluent because they work in different academic fields. Because interpreters work with a wide range of vocabulary, fluency isn’t enough. They need to know more words which will help them understand information quickly to convey a message in a couple of seconds.

Second, interpreters must listen carefully. Memory plays an important role. That’s why interpreters are exposed to long sentences or phrases that they need to remember in order to convey the message appropriately. There’s no room for adding or deleting words. Likewise, they must show concentration. It’s not recommended for interpreters to interrupt the speaker while talking, so showing attention is mandatory. 

Third, interpreters work with people who have different cultural backgrounds. People around the world demand interpretation services daily. This is why it’s important for interpreters to get used to different accents and cultures.  

Last, interpreters must be good at using technology. Inside their booths, interpreters have their headphones, computers, data base, and internet. A good command of these elements will make them save time and be more productive. So, being tech-savvy helps tremendously. 

Types of Interpretation Services and Tips

Consecutive Interpreting

In this type of interpretation, the interpreter listens to the speaker while they take notes. This type is commonly used in conferences or meetings. 

Tips:

• Active listening: As an interpreter, you’ll be part of the conversation between two or more people, so listening attentively is important. Don’t interrupt the speaker as they can lose the thread of the conversation. The speaker’s tone can help you because you also need to convey the same feeling when interpreting.
• Note taking: Don’t write everything the speaker says. This is a common mistake amateur interpreters make. If the idea is too long, write down key ideas. Also, you need to learn basic and important abbreviations in order to save space in your notepad.
• Memory retention: The capacity for retaining long segments is mandatory as an interpreter. You must get enough rest to be ready for your meeting the next day. Plus, being physically active will help create new neurons. All work and no physical activity makes your memory less active. In consecutive interpreting, both memory retention and note taking work hand in hand to ensure an accurate message.

Simultaneous Interpreting

This type of interpreting service is one of the most challenging ones. The interpreter must solely focus on what the speaker is saying and convey the message as they speak. In a few words, the information is transmitted in real time. 

You have to consider two aspects:

• Anticipation: This skill develops with experience that you can have in your own house at any time. Using your language skills, you must be able to predict the kind of phrases or sentences used in a ceremony or at a meeting to save time and be more accurate. Watch videos on YouTube about conferences and compare the phrases they use. You can also create your own list of common sentences.
• Accuracy: You might not have much time available between each interaction. So, keeping things simple can be your best ally. Besides, your time’s really short in simultaneous interpreting that being straightforward is something of a great help.

Whispered Interpreting

It’s also known as chuchotage. This type of interpreting combines simultaneous interpreting and whispering. The difference is the lack of technological equipment. The interpreter sits next to the person who’s going to receive the message in their native language, and speaks at a low volume.  

• Concentration: Since there’s no physical barrier between the participant and the interpreter, close attention is necessary to transmit the message. 

Over The Phone Interpreting

This type of interpretation has become stronger in the last couple of years, especially in online meetings. Businesses and companies use this service to interpret legal or medical information. Two definitions help over the phone interpreting:

• Scripts: They are useful to prepare anyone in different settings. By the same token, scripts explain how an action is going to take place. Creating your own scripts helps you be more prepared. You can write different greetings and farewells, so next time you need to be someone else’s interpreter, you know exactly what to say.
• Equipment: Knowing that over the phone interpreting takes place remotely, you need to have the right equipment. A good headset, a recent model computer or laptop, and broadband internet connection will be your best tools. 

In Short

Although there are different types of interpretation services, it’s always recommended to be prepared or at least know what each field is about. The requirements to become an interpreter include a combination of different skills in order to transmit the message accurately and precisely. 

Takeaway

Are you on your way to becoming an interpreter? In a globalized world, businesses make connections with different clients all over the world, and they’ll eventually need professional help that only an interpreter can give. In this case, preparation will make you stand out from all the candidates.