Foreign language elite:
Interpreters
The profession of interpreting is considered to be one of the most challenging, with the highest requirements set for linguistic and subject-specific qualifications, and where an excellent skills set and expansive subject knowledge are prerequisites. This profession can be equated, without any exaggeration - in terms of the demands placed on the individual regarding concentration and presence of mind - with professions such as surgeons, engineers and jet pilots.
Even the experienced members of this professional group, the so-called "old hands", hardly experience any form of routine, due to the fact that interpreters have to adapt to the most varied of situations in any given working day. They are essential for appointments at the registry office when a marriage ceremony is due to take place, in which one of the parties either speaks no, or only bad German. Even with notary appointments, interpreters must often be present, for example, for the conclusion of contracts (marriage contract, a real estate purchasing contract for a house in Spain, Portugal and other countries, etc.), in which persons connected to the contracting parties do not have a strong command of German. Here, our interpreters are on hand to interpret German / English, Spanish / German, French / Italian or any other language combination.
Also, at various conferences in all possible fields, at medical conferences, symposia, meetings, general meetings or visits of delegations from different areas of public life, in panel discussions at trade shows and in political discussions, in the context of increasing internationalisation and globalisation, negotiation interpreters, conference interpreters, simultaneous interpreters or consecutive interpreters must be present to interpret German / Spanish, English / German, French / English and other language combinations.
Linguistic ability may be an advantage when getting to grips with the profession of interpreting, but it is by no means enough in order to practice this "supreme discipline" professionally, within the foreign language services. Often, interpreting is not limited to the transmission of spoken language; instead, interpreters must consider the tone, gestures or facial expressions of the person they are interpreting for, in the foreign language. And, of course, it is essential to acquire a detailed background of the person speaking before the interpreting appointment.
In addition, the professional activity of a specialist interpreter requires a comprehensive general education in order to adequately respond to any eventuality associated with the issue at hand. Not least, the interpreters for the European Parliament must regularly read several newspapers, specialist journals and professional literature, in order to be able to meet the language requirements for their activity. Often, the interpreter must adapt under immense time pressure to a variety of disciplines, and not only in their native language but, of course, into the foreign language that they will be interpreting.
It is also essential that the interpreters and specialist interpreters know the respective national and cultural practices precisely, in order to "circumvent" potential embarrassments which might arise from the statement of a speaker without his/her knowledge. The interpreter not only reproduces language, but also makes a considerable contribution to the smooth communication between different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
On the whole, the interpreter must succeed in squaring the circle, as it is not the specialist interpreter at the forefront, but rather the respective speaker or presenter. Professional interpreters only achieve perfection when the listeners, as it were, do not realise that the communication is taking place indirectly through a third party, as if the partners in the discussion have the impression that they are communicating directly with each other. As an aside, it should be mentioned that discretion and absolute confidentiality regarding the issue to be interpreted are natural prerequisites for a profession in which one often comes into contact with controversial and conflicting aspects.
The vocation of interpreting can only be practised if an individual can withstand stress and has an above-average level of concentration. This goes so far that, for example, simultaneous interpreters who are interpreting via a microphone from German into English, or from French into German, or between other language pairs in parallel, to the speaker in the appropriate foreign language, must alternate after 20 to 30 minutes in order to recover. Simultaneous interpreters, therefore, generally sit in twos in the interpreting booth.
Consecutive interpretation runs somewhat differently. Here, a speaker usually speaks over a period of 10 to 15 minutes, during which the consecutive interpreter, by means of a special note-taking technique, reproduces the spoken word in a foreign language. Here, once again, the highest demands are placed on the concentration and memory capacity of consecutive interpreters. Frequently, consecutive interpreters are needed for press conferences that are mostly televised live, for example, at meetings of senior government officials.
Since the occupational title of Specialist Interpreter is not legally protected, people are able to practice this profession who do not have a relevant professional qualification, or who have not sat any technical examination in this regard. It is even more important, in this regard, to trust a renowned and experienced translation agency that provides professional foreign language services. We will only employ graduate interpreters with a diploma, specialist interpreters with a diploma, chartered interpreters, publicly-appointed and sworn interpreters for the respective interpreting event.
Even the experienced members of this professional group, the so-called "old hands", hardly experience any form of routine, due to the fact that interpreters have to adapt to the most varied of situations in any given working day. They are essential for appointments at the registry office when a marriage ceremony is due to take place, in which one of the parties either speaks no, or only bad German. Even with notary appointments, interpreters must often be present, for example, for the conclusion of contracts (marriage contract, a real estate purchasing contract for a house in Spain, Portugal and other countries, etc.), in which persons connected to the contracting parties do not have a strong command of German. Here, our interpreters are on hand to interpret German / English, Spanish / German, French / Italian or any other language combination.
Also, at various conferences in all possible fields, at medical conferences, symposia, meetings, general meetings or visits of delegations from different areas of public life, in panel discussions at trade shows and in political discussions, in the context of increasing internationalisation and globalisation, negotiation interpreters, conference interpreters, simultaneous interpreters or consecutive interpreters must be present to interpret German / Spanish, English / German, French / English and other language combinations.
Linguistic ability may be an advantage when getting to grips with the profession of interpreting, but it is by no means enough in order to practice this "supreme discipline" professionally, within the foreign language services. Often, interpreting is not limited to the transmission of spoken language; instead, interpreters must consider the tone, gestures or facial expressions of the person they are interpreting for, in the foreign language. And, of course, it is essential to acquire a detailed background of the person speaking before the interpreting appointment.
In addition, the professional activity of a specialist interpreter requires a comprehensive general education in order to adequately respond to any eventuality associated with the issue at hand. Not least, the interpreters for the European Parliament must regularly read several newspapers, specialist journals and professional literature, in order to be able to meet the language requirements for their activity. Often, the interpreter must adapt under immense time pressure to a variety of disciplines, and not only in their native language but, of course, into the foreign language that they will be interpreting.
It is also essential that the interpreters and specialist interpreters know the respective national and cultural practices precisely, in order to "circumvent" potential embarrassments which might arise from the statement of a speaker without his/her knowledge. The interpreter not only reproduces language, but also makes a considerable contribution to the smooth communication between different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
On the whole, the interpreter must succeed in squaring the circle, as it is not the specialist interpreter at the forefront, but rather the respective speaker or presenter. Professional interpreters only achieve perfection when the listeners, as it were, do not realise that the communication is taking place indirectly through a third party, as if the partners in the discussion have the impression that they are communicating directly with each other. As an aside, it should be mentioned that discretion and absolute confidentiality regarding the issue to be interpreted are natural prerequisites for a profession in which one often comes into contact with controversial and conflicting aspects.
The vocation of interpreting can only be practised if an individual can withstand stress and has an above-average level of concentration. This goes so far that, for example, simultaneous interpreters who are interpreting via a microphone from German into English, or from French into German, or between other language pairs in parallel, to the speaker in the appropriate foreign language, must alternate after 20 to 30 minutes in order to recover. Simultaneous interpreters, therefore, generally sit in twos in the interpreting booth.
Consecutive interpretation runs somewhat differently. Here, a speaker usually speaks over a period of 10 to 15 minutes, during which the consecutive interpreter, by means of a special note-taking technique, reproduces the spoken word in a foreign language. Here, once again, the highest demands are placed on the concentration and memory capacity of consecutive interpreters. Frequently, consecutive interpreters are needed for press conferences that are mostly televised live, for example, at meetings of senior government officials.
Since the occupational title of Specialist Interpreter is not legally protected, people are able to practice this profession who do not have a relevant professional qualification, or who have not sat any technical examination in this regard. It is even more important, in this regard, to trust a renowned and experienced translation agency that provides professional foreign language services. We will only employ graduate interpreters with a diploma, specialist interpreters with a diploma, chartered interpreters, publicly-appointed and sworn interpreters for the respective interpreting event.
Experience
- Simultaneous interpreters
- Accompanying interpreters
- Consecutive interpreters
- Negotiation interpreters
- Whispering interpreters
- Exhibition interpreters
Variety
- Live interpreters
- Press conferences
- Notarisations
- Interviews
- Marriage ceremonies
- Customer meetings
Technology
- Interpreting technology
- Interpreting equipment
- Interpreting booths
- Conferencing technology
- Video technology
- Simultaneous equipment