What are the different types of interpretation?

When you host an event or business meeting with participants from foreign countries, you start looking for a translation services agency to hire an interpreter. During the initial discussions, one of the first things the company will ask is: what kind of event are you organizing? The answer is important for them because there are different types of interpretation, and each of them is better suited for one type of event over another.

The general definition of interpreting services states that an interpreter provides a spoken translation of a person’s speech; in practical matters, there are finer nuances. The various types of interpretation evolved in response to the need to provide the spoken translation to one person or to many persons. There are multiple factors that influence the style of interpretation, such as:

• The venue

• The type of event

• The medium (in person, over the phone, by video conference)

• The purpose (business, informal)

This article will detail the differences between different types of interpretation. However, whenever you need to hire an interpreter, the best and simplest solution is to find a professional agency and tell them what you need.

They will assign an interpreter to translate for the audience in the best conditions so that your event is a success. As you can see from the descriptions of the available types of interpretation, each of them requires specific skills. For this reason, it is important to hire an interpreter who not only knows the languages involved very well but can also deliver the required type of interpretation.

Being an interpreter is a very challenging profession. A professional must master one or several foreign languages and have the ability to speak out the translation clearly and with no time to think about the meaning of certain words or look them up in a dictionary.

Also, interpreters need to choose a specialization – select one of the types of interpretation and master it. These specific types are:

This is one of the best-known types of interpretation used in large official events, such as the sessions of the European Parliament, where politicians from all over the European Union member countries discuss common policies and decisions. 

In this instance, the interpreter gives the spoken translation in parallel with the speaker. Compared to other types of interpretation, this one requires specific equipment:

• Professional microphone

• High-fidelity headphones

• Soundproof booth

If you need simultaneous interpretation, you may need to hire two interpreters. This is one of the types of interpretation that requires intense mental focus, so each interpreter takes turns, each working in sessions of 20-30 minutes. 

Consecutive interpretation is recommended for smaller-scale events, such as business meetings. In this instance, the speaker will take a break after a few sentences, allowing the interpreter to translate their words.

Compared to other types of interpretation, consecutive interpretation does not require special equipment. The interpreter will bring a notebook or tablet to take notes in preparation for the translation.

In contrast to other types of interpretation, this service is reserved for only one person. It is usually used in high-level meetings (either political or corporate). The interpreter who delivers the translation is also specialized in the specific field of discussions: politics, finances, legal, technology, etc.

In some instances, the types of interpretation available for clients must take a more complex turn. One of these instances is when there are few individuals who speak both of the required languages, for instance, Finnish to Korean. Finding a speaker of both these languages is extremely difficult. In this instance, two interpreters are hired, each knowing one of the two languages plus English.

In such a case, one of the interpreters will translate the speaker’s words from Finnish to English and the other will translate from English to Korean.

Also known as liaison interpretation, this is one of the types of interpretations adequate for events with a small number of participants. In effect, the interpreter will bridge the language barrier between two people and help them have a conversation.

A travel interpretation service is generally offered to one person or a group of people who visit a foreign country for business or personal reasons. The interpreter will handle all the client’s interactions with locals, from taxi drivers to business associates.

Last but not least on our list of different types of interpretation, this is one of the most frequently requested services in the recent period. Due to travel restrictions, many business meetings take place over the phone or via video conference. The interpreter is given access to the telephone or video conference from a remote location and provides simultaneous or consecutive interpretation, as agreed beforehand.

Pronto Translations is an experienced translation and interpretation company, with over 20 years in business. We can provide you with a professional translator specializing in one of the types of interpretation detailed above at an affordable cost. We will listen to you carefully so we make the best recommendation for your needs.

Visit us in our offices in New York, NY or call us: 646-984-4073!  Our services are available worldwide online.

All the different types of interpretation require different skills as well as specialized equipment

Professional agencies have experienced interpreters skilled in various types of interpretation