Interpreting

ENG 492

Level: 7

Instructor: Dr. Adawia Ali Mahjoob

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Introduction

Human beings have always made use of intermediaries in order to

communicate from one language to another. As a research area, education in
the fields of translation and interpreting has received growing attention in
recent years, with the increasing professionalization of the language-
mediation sector demanding ever more highly trained and skillful employees.
Increasing demand for professionals for the languages services industry and
other areas of intercultural communication have given rise to widespread
concern for reflection on how translator and interpreter education and training
can best be conceived and the necessary skills and knowledge to be acquired.
Interpreting as a modern profession has established its status in the
international communities. Interpreters help people overcome languages
barriers, dispel their suspicion and serve as a bridge in intercultural
communication. But, to finish all these tasks, an interpreter should possess
special talents and skills and therefore interpreting skills have become one of
the hot issues that received wide attention.

History of Interpreting

The origins of the profession of simultaneous interpretation are traced in the

ancient times. However, it was not until a century ago that interpreting started
to be associated with a professional status. A turning point in the modern
history of international interpreting was marked by Paul Monteux’s
interpreting for the allied leaders at the Paris Conferences in 1919. His
brilliant performance influenced a transition from chance interpreters to

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adequately skilled professionals working at The League of Nations and
International Labor Office in Geneva.
Incorporating specific technical subjects during international discussion
contributed to the need for expert linguists. This led to the establishment of
the first school for interpreter in the Geneva in 1941 which trained the
candidates in whispering and consecutive interpreting.
As neither of these methods was efficient, the system of Simultaneous
Interpretation emerged.
Andree Kaminker, one of the first simultaneous interpreters in the history,
attributed the invention of the whole system to Mr. Finaly and Mr. E. A.
Filence.
Giba explains that they developed the device known as IBM Hushaphone
system, used for the first time at a session of International Labor Conferences
in Geniva in 1927.
Additionally, Tryuk states that at the same time the phenomenon of
simultaneous interpretation was applied in 1935 during International Congress
of Physiology in Leningrad where Ivan Pavlove’s speech has been translated
simultaneously in to English, French and German. However, before the war
interprets did not actually perform a true simultaneity. They used the
equipment typical to of Simultaneous Interpreting but they applied different
methods, which Gaiba denotes as "simultaneous successive interpretation"
and the simultaneous reading of pre-translated text” . He explains that in the
former the interpretation were simultaneous only with each other, but not with
original speech, employing Consecutive Interpreting.

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When speech terminated one of the interpreters would translate consecutively
into his language, immediately the other sitting in the booth gave their version
of speech in a target language on the basis of their note. The latter allowed
interpreters to translate the speeches in advance and read theme in the same
time as the original delivery. These two variants applied the Filene- Finally
system, but not for simultaneous interpreting as we observe today.
In fact, the art Simultaneous Interpreting came into force at the Nuremberg
trails. Because of the special linguistic features of this event, the organizers
realized that the previous the previous methods had to be altered. Firstly the
charter stated that all the proceeding should be translated into German as it
was understood by all of the defendants. Consequently, Consecutive
translation would only increase the length of the trail, Gaiba mention that it
would be impossible to ask the whole International Military Tribunal to speak
and understand German, the defendants as well as English, French, Russian
and American judges and prosecutes have the right to speak and hear their
own language.
The tribunal could not limit itself to one working language since the members
of the bench and prosecution had to interact in order to conduct inconsistent
prosecution. Gaiba raises the question (who was the person that first thought
of extempore simultaneous interpreting as the optimal solution of Nuremberg
linguistic problem?) (Gaiba 1998) He states there appears to be controversy
among the sources, which indicate alternately Justice Jackson, the U S chief
prosecutor and Lion Dostert, later Chief of the Translation Division at
Nuremberg ( Gaiba, 1998: 34,35).

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Interpreters were recruited in a two-step process. Initially, candidates were
tested for language skills in their home countries, then they were sent to
Nuremberg where Dostret checked their competence in simultaneous
interpreting. Finally, for the first time in the history the world marveled at
phenomenon of simultaneous interpreting in the crowded Nuremberg
courtroom.
Gaiba (1998) reports that everybody could select the interpreted version of
their choice or the original speech called (verbatim) by means of switches
installed at every seat and connected to earphone. The deal consisted of five
channels: verbatim speech, English, Russian, French and German. There were
twelve interpreters in the room who were divide into four desks according to
the language into which they translated, and only three interpreters translated
at the same time in the court room. Gaiba explains (when German were
spoken, for example, the German desk was silent. Their microphone was
switched off, so that the verbatim speech were carried to channel one
(verbatim) and channel five (the German channel) Gaiba (1998: 62)
The Nuremberg Trail has become a path leading to invention of simultaneous
interpretation was regarded as revolutionary branch of translation. soon
triggered by expanding professional market and rising numbers of graduates,
national and international professional organizations of interpreters were
formed in the early 1950s. Together with the international federation of
translation (FIT), the international Association of Conference Interpreters
(AIIC) was established as a professional body with worldwide individual
membership.

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Pocshacker concludes (based on a code of ethics and professional standards
adopted in 1957, AIIC proved that highly successful in regulating interpreters’
working conditions and establishing a high profile for profession on an
international scale” (pochhckar, 2004:29). The European parliament, the
European Commission and the court of justice of the European Union’s
institution that employ interpreting services.

Interpreting and Interpreting modes

Language interpretation, or interpreting, is the facilitation of oral or sign-

language communication, either simultaneously or consecutively, between
users of different languages.
Oral Translation is a translation performed orally, irrespectively of form of the
text from source, either consecutively or simultaneously.
Interpretation,, essentially, means an extempore oral reproduction , in one
language, of what is said in another language.
In interpreting, the interpreter will take in a complex concept from one
language, choose the most appropriate vocabulary in the target language to
faithfully render the message in a linguistically, emotionally, tonally, and
culturally equivalent message.

What difference between interpretation and translation?

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People often confuse translation with interpretation. While both service
involve adapting from one language to another, there are a number of
important differences.

Five key differences:

1. Spoken versus written: Interpretation is the transference of meaning

between spoken languages, while translation is the transference of meaning
between written languages.

2. Real time versus delayed: Interpreting occurs in real time. It happens in

person, on phone or through television/video service.

Because translation involves the written word, it typically takes place long
after text is created, which gives the translator time to access resources
(dictionaries, glossaries, subject matter experts, etc.) to produce an accurate
and effective end document ( or website, help file, etc.).

3. Level of accuracy: Interpretation and translation demand different levels

of accuracy. While interpreters aimed to be completely accurate, it’s difficult
to achieve in a live conversation. They may omit some detail of original
speech as they interpret into the target language. Conversely, translators have
time to evaluate and revise each word and sentence before delivering their
product, so they can achieve a greater level of accuracy and greater fidelity to
the original.

4. Direction and fluency. An interpreter must be fluent enough in both the

original language and the target language to be able to translate in both
directions, on the spot without any reference material. Interpreters are highly

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qualified people, and the work is quite demanding! It’s so demanding that
interpreters work in pairs and must switch off every 2o minutes or so prevent
mental fatigue. Typically, professional translator only work in one direction
translating into their native language. As such, translators do not to be as
fluent in the source language as an interpreter must be. The key skills of
translator are to understand the source language and to use their knowledge of
the target country’s cultural and language norms to create an effective
translated product.

5. Intangibles: both translators and interpreters are faced with the challenge
of making metaphors, analogies and idioms understandable to the audience in
the target language. However, interpreters must also capture tone, inflection,
voice quality and other intangible elements of the spoken word and convey
those meaningfully to the audience.

Modes of interpreting

The modes of Interpreting have evolved through time. Three modes are now
recognized by the interpreting profession: simultaneous and consecutive
interpreting:

1. simultaneous interpretation

Simultaneous interpreting occurs: when the listener hears the interpretation at

the same time as the speech is delivered. Phelan explains that the interpreter
sits in the booth equipped with headphone and microphone. The booth
contains a volume control button, a mute button and a relay button used for
listening the interpretation from another booth. “Because of the high level of
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concentration required for simultaneous, interpreters do not usually interpret
for more than thirty minutes at a time (phelan, 2001: 7). They have to process
incoming information in one language and produced interpretation in a
second, so it is often necessary to hear more details in order to generate a
correct interpretation.

Pochhcker(2004) subdivides SI into whispered interpreting (also known as

Chuchotage), which is done not by whispering but by speaking in a low voice.
It is possible when interpreter works next to one or a couple of listener and
provides a rendition without the transmission equipment. He also
distinguishes sight interpreting in which the interpreter’s target-text
production is simultaneous not with the delivery of source but with the
interpreter’s real – time (visual) reception of the written source text”
(pochhcker 2004: 19), and signing when the interpreter alternates between
reception (reading) and production (signing).

2. Consecutive interpretation:

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In consecutive interpreting, the interpreter interpret between chucks of the
original speech (immediately after the original speakers has completed a few
sentence or in most cases, a fairly long paragraph.

In this case the interpreter listens to a speech while taking notes then begins
the rendition when the speaker has finished the source utterance. is more
suitable in a situation where there is a smaller audience and interpretation
into just one language is needed. No special interpreting technology is
needed for consecutive interpreting. The interpreter stands next to the
speaker, takes notes of the presentation and interprets the speech after every
5 – 10 minutes.
Speaking and interpreting take place in turns, and so it should be taken into
consideration that the event will be prolonged by the time it takes to
interpret.
Consecutive interpreting is usually performed by one interpreter. In case of
meetings lasting longer than 4 hours, two interpreters should be involved.

CI considered (double simultaneous) because it can be divided into two

phases. The first one focuses on simultaneous listening and note-taking,
whereas the second one involves simultaneous reading of notes and
translating. The interpretation is not a summary, but a complete rendition of
the original speech. Since there are no booths, practice in public speaking is
useful as the interpreter has to deliver the speech in front of the audience.
Note taking developed by the pioneers of conference interpreting in the early
twentieth century is carried to CI. When interpreting consecutively,
interpreter use a system of abbreviations and symbols which are result of the

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 experience and individual styles. Pochhacker (2004) explains that CI with
systematic note taking is referred to as (classic consecutive ) in contrast to
short consecutive) without notes, which employs short-term memory.

Consecutive interpretations considered more convenient , economical and

widely- used

Other minor types of interpretations

 Whispering interpretation

In whispered interpreting (chuchotage, in French) sometimes called

whispering simultaneous, the interpreter sits or stands next to the person or
people requiring interpretation (a maximum of two people can be
accommodated, unless a microphone and headphones are used) The
interpreter does not whisper, as this would after a time be taxing on the voice
making further speech impossible due to the hoarseness whispering for long
periods induces. . Instead the interpreter speaks softly using normal (voiced)
speech kept at a low volume. The interpreter's mouth and the ear of the person
listening must be in close proximity so as not to disturb the others in the room.
Without electronic equipment, chucotage is tiring as the interpreter's posture
is affected.

It is to whisper into the ear of one or two representation it is a type of

simultaneous interpreting. It is suitable in a situation where the audience is
made up of 1–3 people who don’t understand the main language of the event.
The interpreter sits next to the audience and quietly interprets what the

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speaker is saying. No special interpreting technology is needed for whisper
interpreting.

 Liaison: Munday explains, (liaison interpreting typically implies

dialogic, face to face interaction and thereof often use used interchangeably
with dialogue interpreting) (Munday, 2009: 204). It tends to take place in
more intimate setting, with fewer participants than during conference
When consecutive interpreting is performed in less formal contexts, normally
without a rigid distinction between the audience (mainly listeners) and
speakers, it is normally called dialogue, community or liaison interpreting.
Liaison interpreting is characterized by a dialogical communication mode, and
can take place in a variety of settings, from business premises to hospitals,
police offices, the factory floor, and virtually any other place. Interpreting
provided in favor of immigrants, in doctor-patient encounters or in the
courtroom implies a wide gap in status between the two interlocutors. In
contrast, in business meetings the two parties usually hold similar positions,
and have a shared educational and professional background. In other words,
we may say that culture is the real gap between the parties. Liaison
interpreting in business contexts is the main focus of this study since it is
arguably one of the settings in which the interpreter’s cultural mediation can
be most important to the two parties.
in liaison interpreting each utterance depends strongly on the previous remark
of the other interlocutor. As a consequence, a greater number of culture-bound
factors come into play, such as turn-taking patterns, more or less direct
responses, as well as a range of kinetic elements. The task of the interpreter is
made even more complex by the fact that the interlocutors do not follow a
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pre-determined train of thought (as it happens in presentations at
conferences), overlap frequently, and thus generate confusion.
In Business liaison interpreting, the interpreter and his/her clients often sit
round a table with no physical barriers standing between either of them, which
helps the creation of a rather informal atmosphere. As a consequence, in such
situations the interpreter is not seen as an external element, but rather as one
of the team, so that both parties will often address him/her directly, or ask for
advice about what to say and how to behave in any particular situation which
they recognize as ‘different’ and unpredictable on the basis of their cultural
background. The more intimate situation gives the interpreter the chance to
ask for occasional repetition or clarification of some segment of conversation;
in addition, the considerable personal involvement can also be a source of
greater fulfilment for the interpreter.

 sight interpretation
The term sight translation refers to the oral translation of a written text. In
ST, the source text is a written text as in written translation, while the target
text is an oral text as in interpreting. ST may be used in various settings. The
interpreter may sight-translate while listening to the speaker’s live speech.
This is a special mode of simultaneous interpreting, which is termed
“simultaneous interpreting with text” (Pöchhacker 2004: 19). It is common
in conference interpreting settings, which require the interpreter to keep up
with the source speech rate. In some non-conference interpreting settings,
however, there is no audio input, and the interpreter deals with written source
texts only. Unrehearsed ST may be distinguished from rehearsed SI

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(Lambert 2004). It is often the case that the interpreter is allowed some
preparation time to read the text before the task (rehearsed SI), but it is also
possible that the interpreter has to sight-translate on the spot without
preparation .
SI requires rapid text analysis, rapid conversion of information from one
language to another while avoiding word for word translation, and public
speaking techniques (Weber 1990: 50). Reading may be self-paced, but SI
delivery speed may not be entirely at the discretion of the interpreter (Brady
1989: 142). Angelelli states that ST should sound as if the interpreter were
reading a document in the target language, which implies smooth delivery
devoid of hesitations and pauses (Angelelli 1999: 27). Because of time stress
and the oral nature of the task, ST appears to have more in common with
interpreting than with translation (Brady 1989: 143; Lambert 2004: 298).
However, ST is distinct from SI and consecutive interpreting in that source
language information is presented visually, and the message is processed
differently (Agrifoglio 2004: 49). Because of the constant visibility of the
source text, listening comprehension ability is not needed in ST. Viezzi’s
works (1989; 1990) pointed to lower information retention rates after ST
than SI and CI, which suggest that memory may not be engaged very
vigorously in ST. Based on such empirical evidence, Viezzi argued that ST
processing is not parallel with SI and CI, and that the interpreter may not
process and store the incoming information during ST in the same manner as
in SI or CI.

As reading and target language production take place concurrently in ST, the
interpreter needs to read the source text while thinking of its translation
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(Weber 1990: 46). Moreover, in order to produce smooth oral renditions, the
interpreter may have to read ahead to identify key words and units of
translation while planning target language expressions (Agrifoglio 2004: 54).
The interpreter may also need to store some information in short-term
memory until she reads enough information from the source text to
reformulate in the target language. When sentences are long and complex,
this may require extra processing efforts on the part of the interpreter. The
greater the syntactic difference between the source language and target
language, the greater the challenge to the interpreter to coordinate reading
and smooth target language production.

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Difference between the major modes of interpreting

It is now important to point relevant differences in the process and skills

taking into account consecutive and simultaneous interpreting. In the former
case interpreters have the possibility to listening and assimilating the
incoming information before production their rendition, whereas in the later
they cannot afford to lag behind the speaker and therefore must produce their
interpretation on the base of shorter source-speech segments. The process of
simultaneous interpreting comprise of three efforts- a Listening and Analysis
Effort which is linked to the comprehension of the incoming message, a
production effort required for the production of a target- language speech, and
a Short –Term Memory Effort which corresponds to storing the information
just received from the speaker. Consecutive interpreting has two stages.

The first one is similar to simultaneous interpreting; the only difference lies in
the fact that the production Effort in this case is devoted to taking notes, not
producing a speech. During the second interpreter is no longer paced by the
speaker but produces a rendition on the bases of his / her notes. Therefore the
distribution of efforts is as follows: a Note- reading effort for deciphering the
notes, a Long- Term Memory Effort which refer to storing the information in
long –term memory and reconstructing the speech, and finally a production
Effort for providing interpretation.

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There are some important differences in interpreting skills that results from
such distribution of efforts. An interpreter working in simultaneous mode has
to split his/her attention between two parallel lines of discourse and at the
same time monitor his/her own output for logic, coherence and linguistic
correctness, thus split attention is one of the most important aptitudes in this
mode as well as a prerequisite for a successful performance. Due to the fact
that in consecutive mode speech comprehension and speech production stages
do not overlap, the level of split attention is lower. In this case the interpreter
is only pace by the speaker during listening and taking notes. During the last
phase, he/she can perform at his/her own pace which decrease the possibility
of making errors. Another different is attributed to the fact that in consecutive
mode incoming message is committed to the interpreter’s long-term memory
in the range of a few minutes, whereas simultaneous interpreting makes use of
short-term memory which lasts only up to several second. It is also worth
mentioning that note- taking is not subject to the same rules of linguistic
correctness as speech production as its primary aim is to help interpreter
reconstruct the source- language message. Accordingly faithfulness in note-
taking is not an aspect of interpreting which is constantly evaluated by the
audience. As for the working environment, consecutive interpreting is best
suited for situations involving a small number of people, therefore interpreters
working in this mode have a direct contact both with the speaker and
audience. Simultaneous interpreters work in sound-proof booths because of
the high level of concentration required. Because this mode of interpreting
saves time it applies to 90% of conferences and meetings particularly within
European Union.

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Types of Interpreting

The activity of interpreting has evolved in the course of history in a variety of

settings. The most important types of interpreting include:

 Conference Interpreting as defined by Munday ( is generally understood as

the most prestigious and highly professionalized from interpreting, usually in
the simultaneously mode, as represented globally by AIIC, valued most highly
by NATTI, and practiced in international for a such as UN and EU institution.
It flourished as a result of the boom in the international meeting after World

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War II. What is distinctive about this particular type is that it take place with
in particular format of interaction that is conference.
 Community Interpreting occurs in the public services sphere, such as,
medicine, law, education or welfare services. As explained by Wadenssjo,
(involvement in face to face interaction emphasis the community interpreter’s
role as both language and social mediator. Community interpreter have to
handle real time dialogue – more or less spontaneous and unpredictable
exchange of talk between individual speaking different languages and they
also have to interpret in both directions).

 Court interpreting was introduced with the establishment of institution for

the enforcement of law and administration of justice in order to ensure that
even those not speaking the language of the authorities could be held to
account. Training and experiences are crucial, since court procedures are
formal and language is specialized. Different modes of interpreting may be
applied to achieve this aim, including sight translation of court document
(pochhacker.2004) therefore, distinguishes between the broader nations of
legal interpreting, or judicial interpreting and courtroom interpreting. In the
context of European Union, this type of interpreting applies to the institutions
such as the court of justice and the civilian services tribunal.
 Business Interpreting is regarded by pochhacker(2004) as a primeval type
of interpreting᾽ since some of the first mediated encounters between
communities speaking different languages served the purpose of trading and
exchanging goods command of the language of business and economies in
order to be successful facilitators of business.

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 Sing Language Interpreting popularly known as (interpreting for the deaf
refers to interpreting between a signed and spoken language, although may
involve interpreting between a spoken language and singed form, called
transliteration). As Phelan specifies (sign language interpreting is provided for
deaf or hearing- impaired people who cannot understand the original speech
(Phelan, 2001: 14).

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 Constraint for delivery

The process of interpretation / basic techniques of interpretation

The interpretation process consists of three distinct parts :

a. Understanding
(i) Be able to hear it well
(ii) Have an intimate knowledge of the language
(iii) Be acquainted with the specific culture and linguistic peculiarities of the
country of the speaker
(iv) Well versed in the subject matter
(v) Possessed a wide general education
b. Conversation transference: not translate literally but should express each
idea as it would normally be expressed by a good public speaker in the target
language.(problems: proverbs, metaphors, illusion, jocks and after dinner
stories, speaker mistakes, obscure and ambiguous statement and long
quotation within improvised speech)
c. Delivery: the interpreter voice should carry well and speak only his mother
tongue wherever possible, style, intonation. Never pause or leave a sentence
unfinished.

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Encyclopedic knowledge

Encyclopedic knowledge though hardly possible in practice, is a goal

towards which is conscientious interpreter or translator should work
untiringly. The lack of knowledge of the subject matter can become a serious
stumbling-block. An interpreter has to learn to acquire in advance some basic
knowledge of an basic terminology relevant to the given or assigned task. Of
course, the level of knowledge acquired or mastered by interpreter can never
equal that of the specialist in any particular field. Yet a competent interpreter
must have some knowledge in all multifarious field with which he deals, and
the level of that knowledge must be adequate for understanding. As a rule an
interpreter's "extra linguistic inadequacy" always leads to obscure or
meaningless or even erroneous interpretation conversely, given the required
"language proficiency" the greater the interpreter’s knowledge of the subject
matter, the more readily understanding occurs and the more accurate and
intelligible his "output" in the target language.

Basic qualities of the interpreter

In order to be qualified interpreter one has to acquire a combination of some
qualities: which can only be achieved through an arduous process of
intensive training and practice. These basic qualities include :

1-A strong sense of duty

2-A good command of the language involved (both source language & target
language)
3-An encyclopedic knowledge / Jack of all trades.
4-A cute hearing, understand& grasp the idea

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5-A good articulation: not to sallow part of the words; his voice should be
carry well and be pleasant to hear, speak distinctively and naturally.
6-Familiarity with "simultaneous knot-taking": A good interpreter must be
good at knot taking. He should learn to be able to concentrate on listening to
grasp speaker's "idea" while jotting down a few "key words" in the meantime
, with signs or symbols to represent a sense group or a figure or a proper
name.
7-A good memory
(i) store up a large vocabulary including the relevant specialized terms and a
great wealth of "relevant important formulation" a long with the
corresponding correct translation in the target language;

(i) A accurately absorb and retain the idea or the series of ideas.
8-Quick and accurate response: speediness and accuracy

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 Conceptual knowledge

Analysis of Interpreting Process

A. The Perception Procedure There are mainly two ways for the
interpreter to perceive the message: one is auditory perception and the other
is visual perception. In this procedure, factors that will influence the quality
of the interpretation include the interpreter’s listening ability, and the setting.
Compared with the general listening, listening in interpreting is a more
complicated and difficult process. The setting, temporal and physical
conditions, in which communication takes place also play an important role
in the interpretation process. Time constraints for speakers at conferences
often lead them to deliver their message at a furious pace. Noisy listening
conditions make the reception of the communicating message difficult both
for intended receptors and for the interpreter
B. The Decoding Procedure The decoding procedure follows in an almost
indiscernible instance, during which the interpreter processes the information
stored in the “perceptual auditory storage” and extracts necessary
information from both linguistic and non-linguistic codes. It is where the
message is born. In this procedure, factors that will influence the quality of
the interpretation include the source, particularly the speaker, the
interpreter’s linguistic competence and his background knowledge, which
includes the knowledge of the world and knowledge of the subject under
discussion.

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C. The Recording Procedure In this procedure, the interpreter’s memory
plays a crucial role, and is a decisive factor in whether this procedure is
successful or not or at least in how much the interpreter can get from the
source’s speech. A supplementary way of securing this procedure is note-
taking, which seems to be more important in consecutive interpretation.
Recording must be based on comprehension, and it is two folded, mental and
written. According to Bao Gang (1998), there are three kinds of memories in
human being's information processing system, known as sensory store
(perception), short term store (working memory) and long term store
(permanent memory) (p.146). Among these three kinds of memories,
working memory plays an important part in our work especially in
interpreting, but short memory is severely limited in size, it can only hold
approximately seven plus or minus two information units. Obviously, we
cannot solely depend on our brain and memory while interpreting.

D. The Encoding Procedure This procedure includes the activation of the

target language (TL) elements found in the long-term memory, as well as
syntactic and semantic word processing and word-string processing
according to the TL syntactic and semantic information stored in long-term
memory. The result is a paraphrase in TL of the source language message.
As long as the interpreter successfully accomplishes the first three
procedures, factors that take effect on this procedure include the interpreter’s
second language proficiency, his master of various kinds of translation skills,
and the intended receptors.

E. The Expressing Procedure

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Expression is the terminal procedure in the process of interpretation.
Although sound and effective expression can only be realized on the basis of
successful fulfillment of the first four procedures , expression itself directly
influences the final output and result, thus of great significance. It is without
doubt that the preceding procedures are the decisive factors for the success of
the last procedure. However, there are still some points that the interpreter
must pay attention in terms of the way of expressing. The interpreter’s voice
should be loud enough for everybody to hear, and it should be smooth and
even, and the pitch should be appropriate. The interpreter’s pronunciation of
words should at least be good and constant, if not standard British or
American English.

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 Basic Interpreting Skills

Nida claims (translators are born not made), which may imply that
interpreting or translating skills are gift that can be mastered, but if an
individual lacks this talent the best training might be of no avail. According to
a German interpreter Gertrud Deitze, (to be an interpreter you have to like
language .. to like the effort that goes into learning and maintaining a high
level of language).

Another conclusion may be drawn that becoming an interpreter requires

knowledge and aptitude.

In term of knowledge, international Association of Conference interpreter

(AIIC) features complete mastery of the target language (s) into which the
interpreter works, this involve a broad idiolect as well as ability to express
oneself accurately and fluently in a variety of a registers.

Similarly, Gile stresses (conference interpreters are required to be able to

make speeches at the linguistic level commensurate with that of personalities
they interpret, be they diplomats, scientist, politicians, artist, or intellectuals)
(Gile 1995: 5).

In- depth knowledge of the source languages from which the interpreter
works is also crucial. AIIC explains that it enables the interpreter to
understand the English spoken by non-native speakers and to be familiarize
with a large number of synonyms, idiomatic expression, proverbs and
quotations. Needless to say, university degree or equivalent is the basis of

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preparing for interpreting as a profession. yet another component focuses on
general knowledge and understanding of current affairs.

AIIC also defines that aptitude in relation to necessary skills and personal
traits. The ability to analyze information and conveying the meanings as well
as intuition are of prime importance. Before delivering the utterance,
interpreters have to analyze everything they hear and absorb it so that they can
transfer what they have understood to the listener in another language and
another culture. This entail using their intuition to anticipate what speaker is
going to say.

Another important factor is the speed of reaction and ability to adapt without
delay to speakers, situation and subject.

The speakers are unknown to the interpreter who needs to adjust to different
accent, pace and style of each individual. In context of European Union, it
often happens that MEPs do not take into consideration the fact that their
utterance is simultaneously interpreted in the in to other language. They tend
to use to elaborate discourse, jocks or metaphors which may not have a
translation equivalent in a target language which involve the ability of
paraphrasing the speaker.

Similarly, they often speak fast or read from the paper they have prepared in
advance which involves a quick output. As pointed out by Marzoocchi the
European parliament interpreters frequently face problems related to the speed
of delivery in (the oral delivery of written text with the specific prosody
related to reading aloud, the lesser redundancy, and other obstacles due to the
syntactic and semantic complexity of planned, written speeches).
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Additionally, powers of concentration he initial quality for the prospective
interpreter. Clearly, a lapse in concentration may result in losing the thread of
an utterance both by the interpreter and the listeners.

It significant to be skillful speaker so pleasant voice and public-speaking skill

are required. Despite working under pressure, the interpreter delivery must
remain smooth as to retain the audience’s attention.

The important of enumerated aptitudes is also explained by Kalina (2002).

Kalina summarizes the components of the interpreters outputs in the

following table:

Presentation Linguistic content Semantic content

Voice quality Grammatical correctness Consistency
Articulation Adherence to norms Logic coherence
Public speaking Comprehensibility Completeness
Discipline Stylistic adequacy Accurateness
Simultaneity Terminological adequacy Un ambiguity
Technical mastery Discretion Clarity
Conduct Lack of disturbance Reliability

She remark that interpreter working at conferences, in negotiations or in

media are expected to render a professional surfaces based on the skills they
have acquired during their training.

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Equally important for interpreting profession are the mental capacities, such
as, excellent functioning of memory, the ability to perform at a high level of
concentration, as well as, self-motivation and extraordinary tolerance to stress.

Finally, Allice lists the interpreter high degree of intellectual curiosity

displayed in the extensive knowledge of current economic, political or social
issues. this quality is particularity important in the case of European union’s
interpreters. In order to be well prepared, interpreters have to be
acknowledgeable about all areas of EU activity.

Due to fact that the scope of topics discussed during parliamentary meeting is
extensive, interpreters have to be familiar with current issues and political
views of members of parliaments as well as to be up to date with international
political situation and the latest development. Interpreters are at the core of
multilingualism; their task to ensure that language is not an obstacle during
international encounters. Moreover, they have the role of the communication.
As Gtrude Dietze states “I make people understand each other whatever they
say, even if they say the opposite of what I hold as truth”

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