Simultaneous Interpretation: The Ideal Solution
The original presentation is translated orally into the target language at the same time as the presenter is speaking. Two or three interpreters work in a soundproof booth and receive the original audio signals via headphones. Utilizing infrared equipment, the interpreters’ version is transmitted straight to the participants’ headsets.
This interpreting mode requires intensive concentration, and for this reason interpreters take turns approximately every half hour.
The original presentation can be interpreted into (nearly) any number of different languages. As the name implies, the interpreter goes along absolutely simultaneously, and nothing gets lost from the original. This is why this mode of interpreting is the ideal solution which is chosen for the overwhelming majority of international meetings.
Consecutive Interpretation: Passage by Passage
The interpreter translates a presentation orally passage by passage and without any technical equipment. He or she uses a very sophisticated kind of note taking to remember precisely what the original speaker said.
This mode is especially suited for e.g. depositions, audits, as well as dinner speeches in a small group of people.
Whispered Interpretation
This works exactly like simultaneous interpreting. The only difference is that the interpreter speaks in a hushed and subdued voice. He or she whispers into a microphone which is set to the same frequency as the participants’ headphones. This mode is ideal for events at which people are continuously mobile, i.e. guided tours, factory tours, etc. It is not suitable for standard meetings where the interpreter could get disturbed by noise in the room, such as people coughing or moving their chairs, while he or she might also disturb participants with his or her constant whispering.