You wouldn’t go from Paris to London by bike or cross the Sahara in a Ferrari, so why provide simultaneous interpreting without the right equipment?
Our clients often confuse oral translation and simultaneous interpreting, so allow me to clarify a few things.
Simultaneous interpreting without equipment is less interpreting and more like noisy chaos. With simultaneous interpreting it is important to remember that the speaker must speak into a microphone in order to be translated (the interpreter cannot translate what he cannot hear!), and that simultaneous interpreting must be efficient.
Sometimes it is better not to provide interpreting at all than to misspend one’s budget on installing poorly adapted equipment.
What are the choices?
1. A classic setup with one or more booths for the interpreters to work in, with in-built sound management equipment such as microphones, radiators, sound mixing board(Infrared or digital), headphones and a technical assistant.
2. The same classic setup but with a half booth (known as a table top booth) which takes up less space but is noisier due to the lack of doors. The interpreter is less isolated and the participants can sometimes hear the interpreter speaking.
3. A classic setup without booth where the interpreters are in the room itself and are not separated from the participants. This can sometimes prove off-putting both for the interpreters and the participants and it is better to avoid interpreters with a loud voice.
4. A wired conference system where participants are seated around a table equipped with microphones. The participants can interact without interruption and intervene as and when they wish. The interpreters have their own booth and the participants are equipped with headphones. A sound mixing board and an on-hand technician should also be provided.
5. When space is tight or the interpreters cannot be seated where they can see the room, it is always possible to put a video link in place or move the interpreters into an adjoining room. N.B. The interpreters must be able to both see and hear the speakers as all senses work in harmony to aid understanding.
6. Portable wireless equipment, a kind of ‘kit’, if you will, is composed of a case of rechargeable headsets and a battery-powered microphone which is used by the interpreter. Whilst this system is less expensive and cumbersome, it is not suitable for multilingual meetings. It is not necessary to have a technician on hand and the interpreters can situate themselves near the speakers to whisper the translation.
Which equipment should I choose?
- The classic setup with a booth, half-booth or no booth at all, is best for conferences with a panel of speakers and an audience seated in a lecture theatre.
- As booths are generally not expensive, the choice of which type of booth to use often depends not on budget but on the space available. Bear in mind that it is always more efficient to provide interpreters with a closed booth where possible, especially for meetings involving more than two languages (e.g. French/English/German).
- The conference system is recommended for negotiations, board meetings and discussions between a dozen or more people, especially when interaction between speakers is essential. All the participant needs to do is to turn his microphone on to be heard and translated.
- Portable equipment is becoming more and more popular due to financial constraints but should only be used for small groups, visits and short meetings. Such equipment is often awkward both for interpreters whose concentration is broken and for participants who must take off their headset each time a speaker intercedes in their language.
At CG, we always strive to properly understand the objective and strategy of the assignment in our charge. We do our best to advise our clients bearing in mind both budgetary constraints and the meeting’s importance.
Be it a meeting, conference, seminar or talk with guest speakers, choosing the right interpreting system and assembling teams of interpreters who enjoy working together is the key to making your event a success.