How to Make Simultaneous Translation Work in Your Office
Conveying an important message in the clearest way possible is crucial for a hassle-free workflow in an office. While the diversity of employees was minimal in the past due to having a similar geographical background, things have changed in today’s modern world.
Today, companies hire and work with employees from various parts of the globe. This practice is mainly observed in remote work environments, but the few offices that are still operational in the traditional way, also embrace the new, diversified workforce.
Having an interpreter in your physical office or virtual workspace is crucial if you conduct business activities with a diversified group of people. Moreover, the need for this service gets boosted if you regularly conduct office meetings, conferences, seminars where multilingual attendants are in abundance.
Simultaneous translation, also known as simultaneous interpretation, is a widely used type of interpretation — and it’s also the hardest one to set up. As the name suggests, simultaneous interpretation kicks off as soon as the speaker starts speaking. The translator translates the text in real-time from the source language to the target language.
To assist you in setting up a simultaneous translation system in your office, and make the most out of it, here are a few tips for you.
Don’t underestimate the importance of interpretation
At times, interpretation costs might feel like an unnecessary burden on your wallet. But that’s certainly not the case when you’re working with a diversified set of people.
One common argument that people have against interpretation is that almost everyone understands and speaks English. That’s true — but to an extent. Being fluent in a language is more than just being able to understand and speak simple sentences. And when you’re delivering important pieces of information, you need it to be delivered in the clearest way possible.
Invest in a top-of-the-line interpreter
Interpretation is useless if your translator ends up delivering an altered piece of information. While the barebone idea of translating something from one language to another might seem simple, it’s actually much more complicated when it comes to simultaneous interpretation.
First things first; your interpreter must be impeccable in both languages. They must be well-aware of the common native terms and sentence structures. Moreover, they should be quick thinkers and must have sharp hearing capabilities. Native subject expertise is a plus point as well. While choosing an interpreter for your office, make sure to invest a bit extra to get that top-of-the-line interpreter.
Book your interpreter in advance
If you’re getting an interpreter for a single conference or seminar, you might want to consider making the booking well in advance. The best interpreters are often booked for around a month in the future. Hence, you must get in touch with your preferred interpreter at least 30 days before your event. It’ll make sure you don’t end up in a complicated situation at the last minute. In that case, you would have to either go with a mediocre interpreter or pay a massive amount of money to a great interpreter for their urgent service.
Get the best translation equipment for your interpreter
If you’re hiring an interpreter for a single instance, they’d either bring their own simultaneous translation equipment with them or would suggest a reliable source of such equipment to you. However, if you require an interpreter in your office very often, and are looking to hire a full- or part-time interpreter, you might have to purchase your own simultaneous translation equipment. In that case, make sure to get good quality equipment that can stand the test of time and maintain quality.
Know your budget
Interpreters charge you on an hourly basis. Depending on the number of hours an interpreter is working for you, they might set you back a hefty monthly amount. Moreover, interpreters need a break every 20 minutes to keep performing at their best. It’s a great idea to calculate your monthly budget for interpretation beforehand and make changes to it accordingly.
Final word
Translation and interpretation are crucial for streamlining communication in an office due to the ever-growing diversity of the workforce. The above-mentioned tips will help you effectively set up an interpretation service in your office.
