The interpreters are proficient in their mother tongue and the foreign language they work with. They translate an oral message from the foreign language into their mother tongue or the other way around in real time, within a dialogue, debate, presentation, workshop, conference, etc. Therefore, the interpreter is a facilitator who helps convey a message by translating it from one language into another in real time.
The most important thing is for the interpreters to master their mother tongue, so that they can convey the message and its nuances with accuracy.
Three or more processes take place in the brain during simultaneous interpreting:
· active listening of the message in the original
· understanding the main idea or message behind the words
· looking for the words that can express the essence of the message in the target language
Specialised studies are not necessarily required, but it is necessary to follow some basic rules to achieve the three processes at work in simultaneous interpreting:
· Knowledge of the context, key concepts, names, biographies, and beliefs of speakers, which all help anticipate the ideas of the speakers.
· Understanding the first unit of meaning before starting to interpret. Listening intently for a few seconds (leaving a delay) before speaking is crucial for getting that first unit of meaning; then, each sentence is uttered once there is a rather clear idea of where it is going. What helps is making sure that the sentence is clear on who does what. The idea is to translate meaning and units of meaning, not merely words. The work should not be a verbatim translation of the original.
· While listening, the interpreters will separate the message into main information (unit of meaning: who does what?) and secondary information (this is information that could be left aside, for it does not alter the overall meaning of the message: rhetorical elements, little innocuous jokes, repeat sentences that do not add anything to or take anything from the broader message).
· Delivering the interpretation in rather short, simple, and clear sentences is very important. The focus is on key words and concepts that cover these questions: Who does what?, How?, When?, Why? does an action/process/event take place.
· If the interpreters miss the message or an important part of it, they can kindly ask the speaker to stop at an appropriate time before they start interpreting and ask for clarification. This is particularly true for consecutive interpreting.
· The interpreters jot down the figures, years, names of people, places, and organisations on a piece of paper, so as not to overload their memory and to make sure they are correct.
· The interpreters work in a team. Before starting, they decide who will begin and when they will do the handover (usually after 15-20 minutes). This ensures the high quality of work throughout the event.
