Simultaneous interpretation allows listeners to receive a speaker’s message in another language while the speaker continues talking. This lesson introduces the defining features of the process, explains its historical development, and compares its two main modes.
Simultaneous interpretation (SI) is oral translation from a source language into a target language in real time. The interpreter listens and begins conveying the message as soon as they understand a meaningful unit, rather than waiting for the speaker to finish.
All flashcards
Simultaneous interpretation
Oral translation into a target language in real time while the speaker continues talking.
Consecutive interpreting
Interpreting in which the interpreter delivers a section of translation after the speaker pauses.
Chuchotage
Whispered simultaneous interpretation delivered beside a listener or small group without electronic equipment.
Alan Gordon Finlay
An IBM employee who received a patent for simultaneous interpretation equipment developed in the 1920s.
Full-size interpreter booth
An enclosed workspace with walls, floor, ceiling, doors, and ventilation; it is harder to transport than a tabletop booth.
Quiz questions
In a traditional conference interpretation system, which sequence carries the message from speaker to attendees?Answer: Speaker microphone, interpreter headphones, interpreter microphone, attendees’ headphones.
What is a typical trade-off of using a tabletop interpreter booth?Answer: It is portable and quick to set up, but open at the back and not fully sound-proof.
What is the usual minimum number of interpreters a full-size booth can accommodate?Answer: Two interpreters.
Why are the Nuremberg trials of 1945–1946 often treated as a milestone in simultaneous interpretation?Answer: They demonstrated its practical use in complex multilingual proceedings.
Which interpretation mode best suits a small group needing real-time translation without electronic equipment?Answer: Whispered interpreting beside the listeners.