Conference Interpreter Services

What is Conference Interpreting?

For many years Kwintessential has been pleased to provide teams of interpreters for international conferences around the world. Whether it’s a relatively small event, with only a few delegates requiring language support, to a large scale conference with attendees speaking a range of languages, we are here to provide a customised conference interpreter solution for you.

Conference interpreting can be one of the most high impact forms of interpreting, which requires linguists who are precise, hard-working and who can think on their feet. That’s why a typical conference interpreter set-up will feature a pair of interpreters working together in a booth, taking turns every 15 minutes interpreting directly into the earpieces of the delegates. Only the best interpreters can operate in a conference setting, due to the effort and the energy required. That’s why at Kwintessential, we only work with the most highly qualified and experienced interpreters around the world.

Subject matter, and therefore specialist terminology, can vary dramatically between events. In fact, no two conferences are ever the same! All of our conference interpreters are specialised in specific fields; areas in which they have an expert understanding of the industry-specific language involved, as well as intimate knowledge of the style and tone of voice most appropriate to the specific type of event.

For more information on our conference interpreting services or for a free, no-obligation quote, please click here or call us on 01460 279900.

What Type of Interpreting do I need for my Conference?

Simultaneous interpretation is the most common type of interpretation for conferences, but it can also be used for business activities of varying sizes.

Large Conferences

If you’re planning a large international conference, a major formal business meeting or a corporate event, you will need to make sure you take the right approach to interpreting. For these larger events, you will need to make sure you have a team of 2 interpreters per language. This allows each interpreter to take breaks, to ensure a high-quality service throughout a long day. You will also require specific equipment including booths, microphones and headsets, and a site visit will be required beforehand for set-up.

Medium to Small Events and Meetings

If you’re planning a smaller business meeting, looking for a tour guide or undertaking a foreign audit, you’ll probably need only 1 interpreter. These events are far less formal than a large conference, and the interpreter is less likely to be required to work non-stop. These kind of events may still require some equipment, such as microphones or headphones so the translation can be heard clearly.

One-to-one interpreting

Technically known as Chuchotage, this is where an interpreter whispers the translation to one person, or sometimes a very small group of people. Generally, this is used in small, low-key business meetings and liaisons where only one or two people don’t speak the main language. These are more casual meetings where you will generally only need one interpreter without any specific equipment.

Consecutive or Simultaneous Interpreting?

The difference between these 2 major types of interpreting can seem subtle to non-linguists. What are the differences between the 2 different services, and how do you know which is right for your meeting or event?

Consecutive Interpreting

Consecutive interpreting is where the interpreter repeats everything that a speaker says, after they have said it in the original language. This works very well for smaller meetings, where the amount of speech that needs to be interpreted is relatively small, and there may be natural breaks or separate conversations going on in the room. Consecutive interpreting is considered the “standard” form of interpreting by most of the industry. It can, however, be slightly disruptive to the flow of events in some situations.

Simultaneous Interpreting

Simultaneous interpreting, as the name suggests, is interpreting in real time. Most commonly, this involves interpreters speaking through a microphone and directly into an earpiece being worn by the delegates. Simultaneous interpreting is favoured at conferences and large events, where the pauses require for consecutive interpreting would not be practical, and where there may be multiple delegates requiring interpreters in different languages.

For more information about the type of interpreting that’s right for you, call a member of our team today on 01460 279900 or click here for a free no-obligation quote.