Deciphering Consecutive Interpreters

Language is a powerful tool in business, simply because spoken words are the most effective way to communicate with business partners from all corners of the globe.

But what if there is a language barrier between two business parties? How does one remedy such as situation? The answer lies in the skills of Consecutive Interpreters.

What Are Consecutive Interpreters?

Consecutive Interpreters are one of the two main sub-classifications of interpreters, the other type being the simultaneous interpreter.

As opposed to a simultaneous interpreter, who speaks and translates words in unison with the speaker, a consecutive interpreter conducts the interpretation process after the each complete sentence or phrase, when the speaker takes a short pause to allow the interpreter to repeat the entire sentence in a different language.

The downside of this type of interpretation is the fact that it usually takes up more time, but as an advantage, it has a greater level of accuracy for a more complete communication process.

This is because the interpreter has enough time to repeat the entire sentence word per word, unlike in simultaneous interpretation where the interpreter often needs to “shortcut” phrases and words in order to keep up with the speaker.

This shortening of words sometimes leads to the loss of a phrase’s or a sentence’s true meaning, especially since two very different languages can also have significantly varying sentence structures and grammar rules.

Therefore, if a party sees accuracy as the most important element of the translation, then consecutive interpretation is the way to go.

Choosing Consecutive Interpreters

When in the market for a good consecutive interpreter, one should keep in mind a key factor in choosing a translation agency.

And that is to work only with top notch translation agencies, for the reason that dealing with a top rated translation agency gives you the assurance that you’ll be provided with nothing less than the highest quality of interpretation services.