Simultaneous interpreting without equipment
Whispered interpretation or chuchotage, is a simultaneous interpretation modality in which the interpreter sits or stands next to the person, or small group of people, that need the translation, and whispers (hence the name) simultaneously her/his translation of what is being said.
It is used for individuals or small groups of people, usually no more than three people, when the majority of the audience can understand the speaker, except that individual or small group.
If in a conference there is only one individual in the audience who needs interpretation to a certain language, we ffer you the possibility of having an interpreter working for that person. Another example would be in a meeting in which most of the participants speak English, a very common situation, but there is a delegate who does not feel comfortable and does not want to miss anything of what is being said in the meeting; he could use then the services of a whispered simultaneous interpreter who would be next to this person and would translate everything that is said in the meeting to him or her.
DON’T GET LOST IN TRASNLATION ON SKYPE MEETINGS
If in an international conference call on Skype you want to be sure that you understand everything that is being said, without interrupting the rest of the participants, you can be assisted by one of our interpreters and, as long as the sound quality allows it, the interpreter will translate what it is said simultaneously; the rest of participants who are not at the room do not even need to know that there is an interpreter assiting you, if you do not want to.
It is unidirectional, that is, the content is translated towards the target language for a specific audience. Although its combination with other techniques allows bilaterality. For example, in a meeting one of the participants needs translation into his/her mother language so he/she is being assisted by a simultaneous translator, when this delegate want to participate in the meeting, his/her interventions can be interpreted consecutively so that the rest of the participants understand his/her intervention.
WHISPERED INTERPRETING REQUIRES HIGHLY SKILLED INTERPRETERS
One of the advantages of this interpreting modality is that no equipment at all is needed. On the other hand, it requires that the interpreter has the training and very extensive experience to know, for a start, how to properly position themselves in the room so they do not interfere with the meeting, how to modulate the tone of their intervention at all times, so that they do not disturb the rest of the audience, and among many other things, how to maintain the level of concentration required for simultaneous interpretation, taking into account that sound conditions are not going to be ideal. Often there are ambient sounds, noises or interruptions that hinder their work and the interpreter has to make an extra concentration effort. For all these reasons, we choose very carefully the conference interpreters who will be able to provide this service.
We have being providing whispered interpretation for many years, and have many happy clients who work on a regualr basis with us. Do not hesitate to contact us and tell us about your interpreting needs.