Ever since the advent of globalization, if not before, English has been the world’s de facto lingua franca as more and more companies use English for both internal and external communication on the international market.
Yet the majority of people still feel most comfortable in their mother tongue for ease and fluency of expression. And nowhere is this more keenly felt than at international events, where despite language barriers, participants want to both understand and be understood.
Which is precisely why professional interpreting services also feature in the comprehensive Leinhäuser service portfolio.
We use the latest technology to give our clients a clear and informed voice and to ensure that everyone is speaking the same language. So, what does interpreting actually entail and what role does technology play?
Allow us to shed some light on the issue!
In the beginning was the word
While translation deals solely with the written word, interpreting conveys the spoken word. This distinction has only crystallized over time, however.
The German word for interpreting, “Dolmetschen”, comes from the Turkish dilmaç and describes someone who acts as an intermediary between two parties who speak different languages (though this mediation doesn’t necessarily take place verbally).
The term entered the German language via Slavic and was used to describe written translation by Martin Luther in his “Letter on Interpreting” published in 1530.
But that’s enough history – now let’s take a contemporary look at the different types of interpreting.
Consecutive or simultaneous – that is the question
Consecutive interpreting is the oldest method of conveying spoken language and involves a slight delay.
The interpreter listens carefully to a speaker and takes notes so that they can then reproduce what they said in the target language.
This form of interpreting is mostly used on the fringes of conferences, for example during welcoming remarks or table talks.
Simultaneous interpreting is used at international events such as supervisory board meetings, annual general meetings or town hall meetings, when speed is of the essence and the translation must be done with almost no delay.
As you may imagine, this requires a certain amount of equipment. Generally, the interpreter sits in a soundproof booth and listens to the speech through headphones so they can concentrate on every detail without being disturbed by background noise.
They interpret simultaneously into a microphone so that any participants who do not speak the source language can follow what is being said (also through headphones).
Simultaneous interpreting also includes whispered interpreting, otherwise known as chuchotage, which usually takes place outside the booth using a different system.
The interpreter does not normally wear headphones in this case, but speaks into a special microphone that transmits their words wirelessly to the participants’ headphones.
Whether interpreting is consecutive or simultaneous, technology has long been part of the interpreting landscape and is constantly evolving.
In his novel, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, British author Douglas Adams described an intergalactic world in which there are no language barriers thanks to the Babel fish.
These small creatures are inserted into the ear of every human (and every extraterrestrial, of course) and allows them to instantly understand any language just like real-time interpreting.
Indeed, ever since the development of self-driving cars, we have known that things that were science fiction yesterday can become commonplace tomorrow.
So, could Adams’ Babel fish soon become a reality?
Technical support before, during and after the interpreting assignment
For a long time, soundproof booths and wired/wireless systems for conveying spoken language have provided tried-and-tested technical support, but today they are often no longer sufficient.
Portable computers and tablets in particular have become integral to the interpreting process, both in the run-up to an assignment and afterwards, as well as in the booth itself. More and more interpreters now use translation tools.
For example, if a speech is available in advance, they can pre-translate it using machine translation.
Whilst they naturally still do the interpreting themselves, the translated document can help with the correct rendering of numbers or proper nouns.
Likewise, a laptop or tablet in the booth can be used to quickly look up terms, which would not be possible with a printed dictionary.
All documents, glossaries and other information can also be subsequently edited on the device and stored for similar assignments in future.
Virtual interpreting
The pandemic and social distancing rules also expedited the advent of interpreting in virtual environments.
While remote consecutive interpreting via audio and/or video is used in small settings, remote simultaneous interpreting is used for larger events.
Many conference technology providers have physical or mobile interpreting studios, known as hubs, which means that interpreters do not necessarily have to be on site, but are connected virtually via a special platform.
Interpreting via video conferencing systems is also common these days.
Artificial intelligence as an interpreter
The perennial human factor
As promising as it all may sound, it cannot replace humans. Technical equipment such as (portable) computers, translation software and hubs make interpreters’ work easier and more widely applicable, but AI has its limits.
If someone speaks too quietly, indistinctly, or with an accent, speech recognition technology is not reliable and the result is often unsatisfactory.
Processing the data also takes quite a long time, resulting in inconvenient delays during machine interpreting.
Most important of all, however, is that a machine simply cannot convey all that spoken language entails, such as emotions, culture and register.
Interpreters have a natural feel for how controversial or sensitive certain topics might be, and can find the right words for the audience in a given situation.
As a forward-thinking company, at Leinhäuser we move with the times and embrace new developments.
That said, the human element of interpreting remains irreplaceable, and we are proud to be able to combine our high-level traditional expertise with the latest technology for the benefit of our clients.
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Leinhäuser Language Services GmbH
Erlenhofpark
Inselkammerstr. 8
82008 Unterhaching
T:+49 89 – 480581 00
F:+49 89 – 480581 01