How A Simultaneous Interpreter Can Assist With Your Next Event

If you are hosting an event in the near future that will bring in international guests, you might have some issues with communication if some guests speak English but some others do not. If you want to make sure that your event goes off without a hitch, one possible solution would be to hire one or more simultaneous interpreters. Here's how going this route will ensure that your event is a success.

What's a Simultaneous Interpreter Do?

You likely already know what a basic interpreter does, but what is simultaneous interpretation? A simultaneous interpreter is equally comfortable translating from English to a foreign language for one person or group and then translating from that foreign language back to English for a different person or group.

Make Sure Your Presenters Are Feeling Comfortable and Understood

If some of your keynote speakers are from a foreign land, they may feel more comfortable speaking in their native language instead of in English. Having an interpreter on hand for your English-only guests will make sure that everyone understands what the presenter is saying in real-time while allowing the presenter to speak as they normally would in their native tongue.

Enable Questions From the Audience

If your event does indeed have keynote speakers or other people making a presentation to a group or audience, you may want to give the audience the ability to ask questions to the presenter or speaker. If the questions will be asked in English, the simultaneous interpreter can translate the questions for the speaker and then also translate the speaker's answer to the question so the audience can understand.

A Simultaneous Interpreter Can Offer Cleaner Communication

You could also, of course, go the route of just offering multiple interpreters for every language that will be spoken at the event. For example, you could provide a Portuguese to English translator for your Portuguese speaker and then hire another English to Portuguese translator for the audience. 

But bringing in multiple interpreters or translators can lead to a crowded room and more waiting time as both the guests and presenters wait for each translator to finish their interpretation. In this scenario, hiring one simultaneous Portuguese interpreter will allow both sides to go back and forth with just one person providing the interpretation and hopefully streamlining everyone's communication in the process.

Make sure everyone at your next event can understand each other by contacting a firm that provides simultaneous interpreters today.

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