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Different kinds of interpreters
Roughly speaking, there are three kinds of interpreters. The best known are simultaneous interpreters, who render their translation while the speaker is speaking without interruption. If you are certain you need a simultaneous interpreter, then please read more on the simultaneous interpreter page. The logical opposite is the consecutive interpreter. When someone uses a consecutive interpreter, he says one sentence, or part thereof, and allows the interpreter to render his translation thereof first before he continues speaking. If you are certain that you need a consecutive interpreter, then please read more on the consecutive interpreter page. And, to be complete, there are also sign language interpreters, but they are not discussed on this site. Please see the links page for links to sites about that subject. You may have heard about legal or court interpreters, ad hoc interpreters, conference interpreters, tour interpreters or conversation interpreters, but although these names give the impression that there are many different kinds of interpreters, they are all either simultaneous or consecutive interpreters. There is really only one exception: the tour interpreter, or multi-lingual tour guide, who generally does very little interpreting, but derives his name from guiding a tour in a different language than the local language. All other interpreters fall into the categories 'simultaneous' or 'consecutive'. And, to be complete, the word 'interpreter' is also used in the field of information technology, where it means something completely different altogether.
What kind of interpreter do you need?
If you are reading this, you have not surfed on to another page, which means that you may not be certain yet what kind of interpreter you need. To be able to decide that, you can look at several aspects of the event for which you need an interpreter.
Time
A simple way to rule out one possibility is to look at the available time. Although it makes sense in a way, not everyone realises that consecutive interpretation takes twice as much time as simultaneous interpretation. It makes sense, because everything that is being said by the speaker, is consequently being repeated in another language by the interpreter. Have you already divided the time available among the different speakers, based on the time they would normally need for their speech, then you have no choice: you cannot double the time reserved for the event, nor can you cut the time of the speakers down by 50%, so you are forced to use a simultaneous interpreter. In that case, go to the simultaneous interpreter page. If you do have the time needed for consecutive interpretation, you can still choose between simultaneous and consecutive interpretation. Note: You can only choose consecutive interpretation if the speaker and the interpreter can be in one room, and preferably close to one another. Or read on first.
Big audience?
Another consideration is: How big is the audience? If all, or virtually all, of the audience needs a translation, it is easy to choose consecutive interpretation. Everyone needs to hear the translation anyway, so why rent expensive equipment (a booth, headphones, a technician, etc.) when they can simply hear the translation through the same sound system as the words of the speaker? If those in the audience who need a translation are just a small group, it is sometimes possible to let a simultaneous interpreter whisper a translation. See the simultaneous interpreter page.
Sound system?
Your choice also depends a lot on the available sound system. Is there only a simple sound system with one or more microphones and some loudspaekers, then your choice is easily made: consecutive. (It is preferable to make a separate microphone available to the interpreter, working on the same sound system as the one the speaker uses.) But it is possible that you have such a strong preference for simultaneous interpretation, that you will decide to rent a special sound system for the occasion. See the simultaneous interpreting page. However, if there is a possibility to give the interpreter a separate room or space, and a set of headphones, a microphone and a connection to, for instance, a transmitter for sets of headphones worn by the audience, you can choose to use a simultaneous interpreter. At some locations there already are such systems, and even complete interpreter booths: for instance, the Congresgebouw in The Hague has everything you might need in such situations.
Number of languages
Do the speakers need interpretation in more than one language at the same time? In virtually any such situation consecutive interpreting will be impossible, or at least highly undesirable. If the audience does not get confused due to hearing different translations of the same sentence, one after the other, then at least the speaker may very well loose track of where he is going with his own speech, or even loose his patience. Under these circumstances it is best to choose simultaneous interpretation and to be certain to create the right circumstances. Do you only need interpretation into one language, you can still consider choosing consecutive interpretation.
Expenses
This is an unavoidable consideration in the decision-making process. But, unfortunately, it is not such a clear-cut matter as one would expect. It will really take some calculation. If by now you still have not been able to make a choice between consecutive and simultaneous, think of the following financial aspects: consecutive doubles the working time of the interpreter. (See the fees page.) On the other hand, you do not need an expensive booth, a technician and a complex sound system. And since consecutive interpretation is usually less strenuous work than simultaneous interpretation, you might get away with hiring only one interpreter when you would have had to hire two in the case of simultaneous interpretation. (If an interpreter is going to be working for quite some time, he will need a colleague at his side to ensure he gets a break on time. See the simultaneous interpretation page.)
Other considerations
Something that is a completely different consideration altogether, is the question whether consecutive interpretation would disturb the listeners in any way, and whether the fact that there is interpretation should be kept confidential. In some situations it can be decided to keep the use of an interpreter confidential, for example in the case of a marketing research company that does not want the respondents in an enquiry to know that a customer who is listening to a conversation in another room is a foreigner, which could give away information about that customer which should be kept from the respondents). In that case it is impossible to choose consecutive interpretation. Or, to stick with the same example of a marketing research company, there can be a situation in which you decide to inform respondents that there is an interpreter present, but want them to speak as freely as possible. In that situation consecutive interpretation is definitely undesirable: use a sound/video system that will allow your customer and a simultaneous interpreter to be in another room. (See the preparations page. ) Some speakers will not or cannot work with a consecutive interpreter. Whatever reason they may have for that, it is best to give in to their preference and hire a simultaneous interpreter.
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Kind - noun
1a: [...]; 4a: a group united by common traits [...].
(Webster's Dictionary.)
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