Do you have questions about interpreting? Here are the answers.

Conference interpreting is, above all, a demanding profession that requires rigourous training and exceptional adaptability. It does not require the same skills as translation. While translators work with written text, interpreters work with spoken language and must grasp the speaker’s message on the fly to convey it as faithfully as possible in another language. The conference interpreter also takes into account nonverbal cues, tone, and the speaker’s intent to ensure that the audience fully understands the message.

In conference interpreting, interpreters work in simultaneous mode (at the same time as the speaker and using equipment), consecutive mode (after the speaker and without equipment), or whispered mode. To learn more about these modes, visit the page “Services ,” where I describe my various services.

Speed, accents, wordplay, written speeches, and quotations… conference interpreters regularly find themselves in complex situations that require them to draw on all their technical skills, as well as to demonstrate a deep linguistic, cultural, emotional, and human understanding of the situation. To help your team of interpreters, be sure to provide them with background information, preparatory documents, and any other materials you have—as early as possible!

In simultaneous interpreting, interpreters work in pairs or even trios, depending on the nature and duration of the event. Simultaneous interpreting is extremely demanding, and interpreters must take turns every 30 minutes to ensure that communication is free of errors or misinterpretations. The interpreter who is not actively speaking into the microphone also provides support to their colleague. In consecutive interpreting, the interpreter may sometimes work alone for short assignments.

Remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) has evolved, and interpreters now have access to a wide range of tools that allow them to work remotely via various online videoconferencing platforms. However, the assistance of a technician is still necessary to ensure the audiovisual quality of your event.

As soon as possible! Not only will this allow your language team to be fully prepared and provide you with the best possible service, but they will also be able to advise you on the logistical aspects of your event: equipment, setting up interpretation booths, and other tips for speakers.

Absolutely! Confidentiality is the cornerstone of our profession. Some professional associations, such as AIIC and SFT, include professional secrecy in their codes of ethics. To reinforce this commitment, feel free to ask your interpreter to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

It all depends on your project. The duration of the event, the type of interpretation you choose, and the number of languages required will all affect the final cost. High-quality interpretation ensures that your message is conveyed clearly and accurately, without risking embarrassment, and ultimately contributes to the success of your event. Feel free to request a personalised quote.

The temptation to use AI is everywhere today, but except in a few very specific cases, machine translation tools are not yet ready to do the work of interpreters and are unable to overcome certain obstacles: speed, multiple speakers speaking at the same time, accents, humor, nonverbal communication, recognition of proper names, and the addition of new ideas…

Another issue related to the use of these tools is data privacy, as well as intellectual property rights.

Also, be wary of so-called “automatic interpretation” solutions, as these do not actually involve real-time interpretation but rather a “speech-to-text” voice recognition process combined with “text-to-text” multilingual translation and then “text-to-speech” text-to-speech synthesis. It’s a three-step process and that means just as many potential errors…