Interpreting Services

Interpreting means facilitating verbal or manual communication among multiple parties who don’t speak (or sign) the same language.

Often, an interpreter aims to enable direct communication between professionals (e.g., social workers, healthcare professionals, legal aid) and someone with limited English proficiency (LEP).

To make communication as direct and authentic as possible, the interpreter only relays information in the first person.

Interpreters aim to deliver whole and accurate communication as best as they can, while remaining faithful to the original without adding anything in or missing anything out, distorting or embellishing meaning.

Within the world of interpreting you’ll find 3 core methods used by interpreters:

  • Simultaneous interpreting
  • Consecutive interpreting
  • Sight translation

Simultaneous interpreting, also known as simultaneous translation, is when a professional interpreter listens before relaying what they heard into the target language whilst the original speaker (the source) continues to speak.

Consecutive interpreting is when the interpreter interprets during breaks in the speech of the source language speaker.
Sight translation is the process of communicating a written source text verbally.

Interpreters are able to rapidly relay the speaker’s message and tone as well as the intention of the source text into a new target language with high levels of accuracy. Professional interpreters are adept at rapidly analysing and communicating information between languages. Interpreters respect confidentiality among their clients and adhere to both strict codes of conduct and professional standards of practice. TERRATRA’s interpreter services can be conducted in person or remotely using technology to facilitate multilingual communication by video or phone. This can be in all types of settings, including conference interpreting.

Were you ever in doubt about what an interpreter does as opposed to a translator?

In this clip professional conference interpreter Toby Screech talks about and gives examples reflecting the significant differences between translating and interpreting.

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