Differences between simultaneous and consecutive interpretation

Interpretation is a discipline that encompasses many forms of work and sometimes they are often confused. The Simultaneous interpretation and the Consecutive interpretation They have important differences, and these are the ones that are going to define when we use one and at which not.

The interpretation of a professional, as we already know, is the oral communication that is made of a message expressed by a sender in the source language so that the receiver can understand the message in the target language. Three people participate in this process: the sender (communicates the message), the interpreter (transmits said message) and the receiver (receives the information).

 

What is the real difference between simultaneous and consecutive interpretation?

 

The first thing we must make clear is how these two disciplines differ from interpretation, and for this we are going to explain first what each of them consists of.

 

What is simultaneous interpretation?

 

Simultaneous interpretation is the type of interpretation that takes place while the sender is delivering his speech, that is, without waiting for him to finish transmitting his message. This type of interpretation requires a very high level of concentration, since the degree of skill that the person should have is very high.

The professional must manage to interpret what the sender is saying and transmit it within a few seconds, without time to reflect, while he continues to listen, since the sender does not wait and continues to speak, so the interpreter must transmit the message while continuing to listen to the rest of the speech.

This type of interpretation style is used in television interviews or in congresses and meetings of organizations such as the European Parliament or the UN, because they are events in which the time you have is highly valued and, through the simultaneous interpretation, it is possible to minimize the time of translation of the messages that are transmit.

 

What is consecutive translation?

 

The consecutive translation is different, since in this discipline the interpreter waits for the sender to finish transmitting the message, or at least part of it, to transmit it to the receivers. Issuers usually divide their speech into not too long blocks and wait for the interpreter to retransmit the message to the target language to continue.

This type of process is followed in press conferences, JUDICIAL PROCESSES or other types of events where the rush is not as many as on television, for example. The advantage of consecutive interpretation is that the interpreter has a little more time to digest the message and can take notes before transmitting it to the receivers, so the quality and precision of the message is usually very high.

The ability of the professional to take notes must be exceptional, since writing can take a long time, and in the interpretation that time does not have one, so the techniques of capturing information on paper are very different from taking notes to use.

 

More differences and importance of the interpreter in the process

 

Another of the most notable differences between these two types of interpretation is found in the work space where each of them is carried out.

Simultaneous translation is usually carried out in a booth from where to interpret and transmit the message to the receivers, who normally wear helmets to listen to the interpreter. This type of work means that the sound is clean and does not have interference, but it is true that it requires more technical equipment than consecutive interpretation.

In remote simultaneous interpretation, the quality of work will depend, above all, on the quality of the sound received through the platform used.

In the case of consecutive translation, the interpreter usually accompanies the speaker and being by his side, so the rapport between the two is usually more fluid and, in case the interpreter wants to make sure that he is transmitting the message perfectly, he can consult the speaker.

In Nuadda we have a Network of interpreters with extensive experience In corporate meetings, medical, scientific, financial or technological events, so any request or need can be resolved with our team, do not hesitate to contact us.