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Interpreting

Simultaneous Interpreting

Simultaneous interpreting is the most complex and labor-intensive type of interpreting. It differs from consecutive interpreting in that the interpreter must listen to the speaker and render what is being said in the target language at the same time. The key factor that defines the nature of this work and the demands placed on the interpreter is the extremely tight time limit in which the specialist operates.

Simultaneous Interpreting: Specifics and Requirements for the Interpreter

The official history of simultaneous interpreting spans no more than a century.

In Russia it came into use in the 1920s. However, this method of rendering speech became widespread only in the 1940s, with the Nuremberg Trials and the creation of the largest international organization, the UN. It was at this leading international forum that the main advantage of this type of interpreting was fully appreciated: it saves time. Since then, engaging simultaneous interpreters has been standard practice for events with a large number of speakers and listeners who are native speakers of different languages.

Types of Simultaneous Interpreting

There are three generally recognized types of simultaneous interpreting:

  • sight translation: the interpreter has a document with the text in the source language and, as the speaker delivers the speech, interprets the relevant segments of the text, as well as any digressions the speaker may make;
  • simultaneous reading of an already translated text, where the interpreter only has to follow the speaker and deliver the content of what is said in parallel;
  • interpreting “by ear”: the most complex and labor-intensive type of interpreting, the “highest level of skill”, which requires of the interpreter not only a whole range of specific qualities and skills but also considerable experience and exceptional intellect. The interpreter faces an absolute time constraint: only a short window of 3–4 seconds, which demands maximum mobilization of cognitive abilities at all three stages of the process: listening in the source language (decoding), the translation itself, and encoding (speaking in the target language). The result must meet three essential requirements: accuracy of the interpretation (fidelity), its transparency (correct grammar and syntax, clean speech), and continuity of speech, meaning its uninterrupted flow, wholeness and unity.

    • Requirements for the Simultaneous Interpreter

    The last requirement is especially important when the speaker's speech is rich in idiomatic expressions (the best-known and most telling example being the speeches of the Soviet leader N. S. Khrushchev). The task becomes even harder when the speaker's pace is above average. As a rule, therefore, the interpreter has to work ahead of the speaker, building in their mind a probabilistic model of how the speech will unfold, based on the context of the situation and the message the speaker is putting into words.

    The intensity and many-sided nature of the process demand not only a high intellectual level from the interpreter but also basic mental and physical stamina. It is no coincidence that simultaneous interpreting is performed by at least two specialists who take turns, and each of them should work for no more than half an hour at a time.

    The interpreter's workplace also has its own specifics. It includes a soundproof booth and headphones, and the headphones are also given to listeners who do not speak the source language. With headphones, the interpreter hears only the speaker, which allows them to concentrate fully on the interpreting. Thanks to simultaneous interpreters, each speaker's speech runs without pauses, which significantly shortens the event as a whole (by roughly half).

    One more important nuance remains to be mentioned. Quite often, when organizing events with a small number of participants, organizers contact an interpreting bureau and ask for simultaneous interpreters.

    This is largely due to a lack of familiarity with how interpreting works, because in the course of discussion it often turns out that the event actually needs interpreters for consecutive interpreting, with no need for a booth or other organizational arrangements. That is why it is best to discuss all interpreting questions with the bureau's specialists well in advance. Our staff will be glad to give you comprehensive information.