INTRODUCTION TO

INTERPRETATION

J.A.M HANSANI
TRL 415 (3)
BA IN LANGUAGES (KELANIYA)
MA IN LINGUISTICS (KELANIYA)
The modes and types of interpreting have
evolved through time. Three types are now
recognized by the interpreting profession
and have been adopted in federal and state
statutes and court rules: simultaneous
interpreting, consecutive interpreting, and
sight translation
SIMULTANIOUS INTERPRETATION
Simultaneous interpretation works best for
events in which attendees do not usually
speak, such as lectures or panel discussions.
In this type of interpretation, a speaker talks
continuously as the interpreter repeats the
speaker’s message in another language.
The interpreter uses special equipment,
including a microphone that transmits to
headsets or earphones worn by attendees.
Simultaneous interpretation can
accommodate multiple languages at once,
though it is limited by the availability of
interpreters and equipment
 This is widely used in formal and large-scale
international meetings. Interpreters work in
soundproof booths using microphones and
headsets.
 As they listen to the speakers they simultaneously
translate them.
 The audience can hear the translation through their
own earphones.
 Strictly speaking, “simultaneous” is a misnomer:
interpreters cannot start interpreting until they
understand the general meaning of the sentence.
 Simultaneous interpreters process and memorize
the words that the source-language speaker is
saying now, while simultaneously outputting in
the target language the translation of words the
speaker said 5-10 seconds ago.
The goal for simultaneous interpreting is not to

paraphrase, but to convey the exact language

Simultaneous interpreters must be decisive; there

is simply no time to weigh the merits of variant
translations or to recall just the right idiom in the
target language. Any delay and a few words (and
possibly a complete thought) that the speaker
uttered could be lost.
Simultaneous interpreters sit in a booth in
front of a microphone, receiving input
from the speaker through earphones.
Delegates can hear the interpreter speak in
their language through the use of portable
receivers tuned into specific language
“channels”.
Simultaneous interpreting requires an
extremely high level of skill, with teams
of two or more interpreters required per
language who will work in turns, relieving
each other at set intervals, to ensure that
fatigue and stress resulting from an
intense level of concentration does not
affect issues of quality and accuracy.
Keys for proper simultaneous interpreting
In the simultaneous interpreting mode, the
interpreter must do several things at once:
listen intently to whatever party is
speaking
accurately interpret from the source
language to the target language
• be prepared to switch languages rapidly
whenever the LEP party is directly
engaged in the procedure and consecutive
interpreting is required
The active language of the interpreter is
also under more pressure in simultaneous,
as he is speaking at the same time as
listening and analysing. So the need for
excellent mother-tongue or active language
skills is even keener here than in
consecutive as well.
The possibility of 'interference' from the
passive (heard) language to the active (spoken)
language is also greater in simultaneous, so
interpreters have to pay even more attention to
their output. This might mean getting away
from the original syntax, chopping up long
sentences into short ones and avoiding 'false
friends'.
CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETATION
CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETATION

 In a consecutive interpreting situation, an

interpreter gives a rendering of lengthy passages
of speech after a party has finished speaking. S/he
must give a structured and accurate rendering of
the meaning of the statement with no major
distortions of meaning, changes to the logical
order of the statement or serious omissions of
detail.
a) Sentence by sentence, paragraph by
paragraph interpretation
b) The whole speech, which may last five,
ten minutes, up to half an hour or one
hour
Consecutive interpretation is often used in
diplomatic talks and small-scale meetings.
The interpreter generally sits next to the
speaker, takes notes while listening and then
provides an accurate and comprehensive
translation after the speaker has finished.
In the case of long speeches, the
interpreter will translate one section at a
time, so that several minutes of the
original speech will alternate with the
translation and so on until the end of the
speech. This type of interpretation does
not require special technical equipment.
 To allow the interpreter to render what was said
into the target language, consecutive
interpreting relies on the speaker to stop
speaking frequently, on average, every one to
five minutes. The speaker's pauses come at the
end of a sentence or topic. While waiting, the
interpreter listens and takes notes as the speaker
moves forward through the communication.
A vital skill involved in consecutive
interpreting is note-taking, since few
people can memorize a complete
paragraph in a single hearing without
losing detail.
Consecutive interpreting is a true and
accurate interpretation of one language to
another, spoken in brief sound bites
successively, without omissions or
embellishments, so that the parties can
understand each other slowly and
deliberately
Keys for proper consecutive interpreting
In the consecutive interpreting mode, the
interpreter
must:
• listen intently to whatever party is
speaking
• be prepared to take notes to aid in
recollection
• accurately interpret after the party has
completed her statement.
 Consecutive

Simultaneous

"Translating while listening" "Listening, then translating"

The interpreter delivers the

The interpreter delivers the
translation after the speaker has
Definition translation while the speaker is producing
completed the source speech (or a section
the source speech.
of it.)

Depending on the exact setting, the Depending on the exact setting, the
following may be used: following may be used:
Equipment
• Soundproof booth w/ audio transmitter • Notepad and pen
• Tour guide system • No equipment (liaison)

Typical Conferences, board meetings, certain tour Business meetings, press conferences,
Settings guides, etc. public service (court, hospitals, etc.), etc.
3. SIGHT TRANSLATION
SIGHT TRANSLATION
Sight translation combines interpretation
and translation. For sight translation, an
interpreter reads text out loud, converting
the text from one language to another in
the process.
Sight translation does not usually occur on
its own, but rather is part of a consecutive
or simultaneous interpretation session. For
instance, an interpreter may provide sight
translation for text on presentation slides
 Sight translation is the rendering of material
written in one language into spoken speech in
another language.

 It is a true and accurate verbal translation of

written material into the spoken form so that
the parties can understand what documents
written in foreign languages say.
Sight translation is often used when defendants
are given forms in court that are written in
English, such as rights forms, plea forms, and
probation orders.

It is also used when foreign-language documents

such as birth certificates, personal letters, and
identity documents are presented in court.
When performing sight translation, the
interpreter must:
• possess a wide vocabulary and knowledge
of the specific type of document presented
• have the ability to quickly scan and
understand the main points of the document
• accurately interpret the document into its
equivalent meaning in the target language.
THANK YOU!