Interpreting Services
HumanTranslation provides translating and interpreting services in multiple languages. Contact our manager to specify the language pair and the subject matter, and we are sure to find the right specialist to suit your needs. HumanTranslation is a trusted language provider with a history that has excellent customer feedback and ensures that every order contributes to its impeccable reputation!
Interpreting and Translating: What’s The Difference?
While interpreting is all about verbal communication, translating is primarily about written forms:
- An interpreter works with the speech, and a translator works with documents
- The essential quality for the interpreter is speed, while the translator has time to focus on accuracy and edit the text
- An interpreter must have excellent speaking skills in both languages, while a translator, on the contrary, has to write well in both languages, but primarily in the target one.
What is common for both types of language services is the need to be well-versed in the subject matter.
Interpreting Services
Interpreting is the art of making a verbal message in one language to be understood by the speakers of another language, and this is done quickly, as the speech goes on. It helps people to communicate in real time and increase the speed of providing information while allowing the audience to fully absorb the context in which the speech is delivered, sometimes powered by demonstration, slides, and other types of visual aids.
The interpreter can also use sign language, and his main task is to preserve the original tone and the essence of the message. One characteristic of interpreting is that at least one (not always both) message is verbal, for example:
- A news program that is simultaneously interpreted using sign language
- A patient and a doctor that speak different languages and communicate via an interpreter
- The customer brings a document in another language and wants the interpreter to scan it, find the answer to one question, and say it orally
The interpreter can be available over the phone, in person, or by video conferencing. If the message is audible for the interpreter and he or she understands the subject matter and the overall message, it means that accurate interpreting services can be provided.
Types of Interpreting Services
Consecutive Interpreting
This is a kind of interpreting when the speaker talks for several minutes and then makes a pause for the interpreter to break in and communicate everything that was said. As you see, it requires the translator to be able to concentrate, take notes, and express the main thoughts in a concise way.
This service is usually in demand for meetings where only two languages are involved, and such events include conferences, negotiations, consultation with any specialist, court hearings, etc. Accuracy in rendering the message is of great importance here, which means that it is always better to use the services of a certified consecutive interpreter with relevant credentials. Take advantage of our pool of such specialists!
Simultaneous Interpreting
This is the most difficult genre as it requires excessive concentration on the part of the interpreter! The latter has no contact with the speaker, so there are no pauses or repetitions here. The interpreter just goes on as the speaker continues, and there is usually a 30-second delay. However, the delay should not be too long to be more or less synchronized with the slides or other visual prompts if they are available.
This type of translation requires equipment.
It can be done on site, and in this case there is a soundproof booth for interpreters who listen to the speaker through the headphones and speak into the microphone, and they are being listened to through the headphones by speakers of the languages they are interpreting into. Needless to say, this requires the sound technician’s work before the start.
As an alternative, simultaneous translation can be done remotely, usually from the interpreter’s studio. This saves the costs of travel and technician’s work and just requires connection to respective headphones.
As the pressure experienced by a specialist who has to listen and speak at the same time is enormous (it is an unnatural activity for a human brain), there are always at least two simultaneous interpreters who are changed every 30-40 minutes to take a rest.
The best results are achieved if you send the conference materials to the interpreters before the event to know what the speaker will talk about.
Be prepared to pay the high costs of simultaneous interpreters’ services as these are unique specialists that cannot be replaced with any translator available.
Phone Interpreting
This is a kind of service when there are two (sometimes more) parties over the phone that speak different languages and there is an interpreter to help them understand each other. In these cases, consecutive translation is used most often.
Over the phone interpreting is really helpful in all kinds of force majeure situations – you lose a wallet in another country, or you have to understand the doctor who does not speak your language, or there are any other situations that involve language barriers. Get connected with us if something like that happens, and we will find an interpreter for you in no time!
Sight Interpreting
Sometimes there are situations when you don’t need the whole document to be accurately translated – you just need a person to read it and tell you whether you, for example received the grant you had applied for or not. And this is where sight interpreting services come in: the specialist reads the document and answers any questions you might have.
Whispered Interpreting
This is a kind of simultaneous interpreting with no equipment involved. It happens naturally: the listener sits next to an interpreter, and the latter whispers everything the speaker says in a low voice not to disturb the speaker and everyone around.
Travel (Escort) Interpreting
This is the service provided to an individual or a group of people. For example, a foreign delegation will require one or several interpreters to assist them not only at official events, such as meetings, negotiations, or exhibitions, but also in everyday settings, like in a hotel or in stores.
Still not sure which interpreting services will be right for you?
Do not hesitate to contact our manager and describe the situation in which you will need interpreting services, and he or she will help you with the choice!
Why Choose HumanTranslation?
We have a pool of interpreters who can provide the interpreting services in any setting, into virtually any language, and they will have a deep understanding of the subject matter. This is done by careful selection of specialists done over the years.
Our interpreters are also aware of cultural aspects of interpretation, and they have years of experience in business setting and relevant training. All these factors will contribute to perfect understanding between you and your business partners.
Just give us an idea of the specialization, event, and budget, and we will help you select the services to suit you perfectly!
What makes a good translation? First of all, a high-quality source text. If this is a marketing piece of translation, for instance, and the original seems to convey some vague message that is hard to understand for the translator, it will be just as vague for the reader. Therefore, the customer should be prepared to work on the text to get a really good translation, and the translator should be ready to ask the customer to do so. This will make cooperation really beneficial – contrary to the “I-need-the-translation-quickly” approach that may not bear the fruit you want.
Ask the client about the country for which the translation is intended. The Arabic dialect required for Saudi Arabia will differ from the one appropriate for Egypt or Lebanon.
Most Arabic translations will require transcreation due to major cultural differences between English and Arab countries.
The target audience will determine the level of formality required in Arabic texts, so be sure to find out all the required information from the client.
The more important the translation, the higher quality should be agreed upon with the customer. High quality is achieved by editing, sometimes by several editors; it may add up to the cost, but it will finally pay off.
