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SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETERS AND PROBLEMS
THEY MIGHT ENCOUNTER
Fazilat Khabibullaeva
Master’s graduate of the Faculty of TESOL at Webster University in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan
E-mail: fazilatkhabibullaeva11@gmail.com
+998911326167
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13747752
Abstract
This work aims at exploring basic concepts about simultaneous interpretation as well as
providing skills required in order to be a good interpreter. It gives a lot of tips to foster
interpretation skill. Moreover, it discusses potential problems an interpreter may encounter
during translation process.
Keywords:
conference interpreting, multilingual communication, ethical conduct,
cultural knowledge, listening skills, vocabulary, stress management, cognitive processing.
1.1 Simultaneous Interpretation in general
Multiple types of multinational conferences and conferences often require simultaneous
interpreting. Although very difficult, it is one of the most common forms of interpreting.
Simultaneous interpreting requires the interpreter to translate what is being said in a time
period that matches the speaker's pace and does not alter the natural flow of the conversation.
Simultaneous interpretation requires the interpreter to interpret what the speaker is saying
while the speaker is speaking. There should be no waiting time between the interpreter and the
receipt of what was said. Short pauses are allowed to process the speaker's words.
Simultaneous interpretation is often used at the United Nations. Simultaneous interpretation
will be provided for the president's speech.
What Is Interpretation?
Language interpreting is the verbal translation of a given speech. An interpreter translates
the words spoken in the source language into the intended target language much like a written
translation. According to Kemin
1
, six types of interpreters are widely used around the world
:
simultaneous interpretation, consecutive interpretation, whispering interpretation, on-site
interpretation, escort interpretation, telephone interpretation (planned), on-demand telephone
interpretation.
The interpreter's job is to successfully convey all the semantic elements of speech,
including tone. The interpreter must also convey the intent of the message the speaker is trying
to convey.
Very Demanding Work
In the world of language services, simultaneous interpreting can be classified as one of
the most demanding. The interpreter must have excellent language skills and above average
two language proficiency. Also, you need to be mentally prepared. Simultaneous interpreting
means correctly interpreting what is being said while introducing the necessary nuances into
the target language. The environment itself can be stressful. Interpreters cannot look up
1
Kemin (2004)
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unfamiliar expressions or terms in dictionaries. This is a good reason to have good knowledge
of the source and target languages. Interpreters must be completely confident in their speaking
skills. This job also requires improvisational flair in the interpreter.
Why is It Important?
Language services, such as B. Interpretation, strive to break down language barriers and
ensure proper understanding and effective communication. Simultaneous interpretation
makes it much easier for participants to quickly understand what the speaker is saying.
Simultaneous interpretation is important for several reasons:
Efficient communication provider because it gives representatives an equal opportunity to
share their knowledge and ideas. Participants can also listen to speeches in their native
language.
This is done in real time so no messages are lost. Participants can easily express their
opinions, thoughts and ideas in commonly used languages.
Multilingual meetings are facilitated because this type of interpretation facilitates proper
and accurate communication. Participants feel free to communicate in their own language
knowing that they can communicate effectively with other delegates.
Simultaneous interpretation avoids the time-consuming task of translating documents and
speeches into all participants' languages.
Accurate service as the interpreter translates the message immediately. Consecutive
interpreting relies on the interpreter's notes and memory to get the message across.
The history of simultaneous interpreting
In the literature on the history of interpreting, simultaneous interpreting tended to be
associated with the development of conference interpreting, particularly with the Nuremberg
Trials after World War II
2
. Undoubtedly, a lot of attention was paid to simultaneous interpreting
at the Nuremberg Trials. Simultaneous interpreting has been experimented with by him at the
ILO (International Labor Organization) and the League of Nations, with limited success of that
scope resistance.
Leading conference interpreters feared the development would damage their reputations
and working conditions
3
. In sign language interpreting, simultaneous interpreting probably
became a common interpreting mode, and perhaps an early standard mode. Spoken language
interpreting has audio interference between the source language and the interpreter's
utterance, whereas sign language interpreting does not. Wolfgang Zieke
4
reported that Laurent
Claire had signed US President James Monroe to the US Senate and Congress as early as 1818,
stating that "While he was signing," Henry Hudson, an American teacher, "spoke the word."
After World War II, simultaneous interpreting was mainly used in international organizations
where rapid interpretation between multiple languages was required and waiting for multiple
consecutive interpretations into multiple languages was not an option. However, it soon
expanded to other settings such as multinational corporations, especially board meetings,
shareholder meetings, briefings, press conferences, international medical, scientific and
technical conferences and seminars, and the media. Television interpreting, for example, has
2
Nan Xue (2007)
3
Weihe Zhong (2001)
4
Wolfgang Zieke (1970)
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become perhaps the most visible (most) form of simultaneous interpreting, in both spoken and
sign language. There is probably very few people in the world who have access to radio or
television who have not encountered numerous simultaneous interpreting opportunities.
Professional organizations of conference interpreters such as AIIC (Association of International
Conference Interpreters, founded in Paris in 1953 and the most prestigious organization that
has shaped much of the professional practice and standards of conference interpreting) are
among the major as a high-level simultaneous interpreter, but conference interpreting is
beneficial in Simultaneous interpreting, although primarily in whisper form, is also used in
courts and various public services. Overall, simultaneous interpreting has become, alongside
the ubiquitous sign language interpreting, the primary mode of interpreting at international
organizations and multilingual conferences of political, economic, scientific, technical, and
other high-level professionals. Consecutive interpreting is strong against conversational
interpreting at level legal conferences and TV programs. During individual business
negotiations, when visiting overseas personalities, and during on-site meetings where it is
difficult to install interpretation equipment.
1.2 The skills and qualities required for being a good interpreter
Interpreting is a highly specialized profession that requires training and practice. A
professional-level interpreter acquires many skills that the average bilingual person does not
have or is not well-honed. Here are five interpreting qualifications to look for when choosing a
quality professional interpreter
5
.
1.
Language skills
Most people don't realize how much knowledge and vocabulary an interpreter needs in
their native language. Michelle Hof
6
, professional conference interpreter and trainer who runs
the blog The Interpreter Diaries, writes:
“As an interpreter, you need to be able to express yourself well in different vocal ranges and
have access to a wide active vocabulary that covers different areas. Just because you grew up
speaking a language doesn't mean you automatically have those skills. I always see early in the
course that students cannot stop talking the same way they talk to their friends at a bar and start
sounding like an interpreter. ”
That is exactly what the native language of the interpreter needs. Her website for the
Association of International Conference Interpreters (AIIC) states that in order to become an
interpreter, she must "have the same level of language comprehension as an educated native
speaker of the same language." increase.
2.
Listen and learn
Mainly there are two ways of interpretation; consecutive and simultaneous interpreting.
Consecutive interpreting is typical of the healthcare industry. You must wait for the speaker to
pause before translating. In this modality, the speaker may speak for several minutes before
pausing, requiring active and active listening, memory retrieval, and note-taking in order to
make an accurate interpretation.
Interpreting requires more brain power than usual. Scientists conducted experiments on
bilingual people and discovered that when people switch between two languages, the brain
5
Lamber, (1995)
6
Michelle Hof (2005)
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uses areas that are not active during normal language use. This suggests that greater
coordination of the dynamic manipulation is required, and that phonological processing is more
difficult when language switching is required.
3
. Ethical conduct
Interpreters may come across confidential and confidential information. Those working
with healthcare providers must understand the highly regulated environment surrounding
patient and consumer privacy. Ethical behavior is more than just remembering what you hear.
The U.S. Court's website states that interpreters are impartial and "convey messages accurately
and idiomatically from the source language to the recipient language without additions,
omissions, or other misleading elements that misrepresent the intended meaning." It is stated
that it must be able to convert interpreters who unethically interpret in medical scenarios can
affect a doctor's ability to save lives. For this reason, interpreters have a great responsibility
and must be dedicated professionals.
4.
Cultural knowledge
Being bicultural is as important as bilingualism for qualified interpreters. Bicultural
individuals naturally absorb the sensitivities and nuances of two cultures and have an innate
ability to mediate between them. Holly Mickelson of the Dr. Monterey Institute for International
Affairs explains:
“In all their work, interpreters must bridge the cultural and conceptual divides that divide
conference participants.”
5
. Expertise
Imagine listening to an academic lecture on aerospace engineering and being asked to
review what you have learned unless you are familiar with how aerodynamics work, you may
find the lecture difficult to understand.
It is also important that the interpreter understands the subject matter of the
conversation he or she has to interpret. In a medical setting, you should be familiar with
common medical terms, issues, and procedures. Interpreters who are confused by their lack of
expertise may find it difficult to understand what is being said.
1.3. Problems of simultaneous interpretation
Simultaneous interpreting is one of the most difficult forms of interpreting with all kinds
of difficulties and disadvantages. As a language student studying to become an interpreter,
simultaneous interpreting is still my biggest weakness. Right now, I find it very difficult, if not
nearly impossible. I am sure there are many interpreters who share this opinion, so this week
I will take a look at some of the factors that make simultaneous interpreting such an
intimidating monster.
No Breaks
There are no breaks in simultaneous interpreting. A speaker starts talking and does not
stop until he or she has completely finished thinking. This means that the interpreter must
maintain the same pace as the speaker throughout the speech. Some speakers recognize that
the interpreter needs time to process and gracefully pace what is being said, but of course this
is not always the case.
This uninterrupted performance is incredibly disappointing for many. The speakers do
not stop, and neither do you. Except for the space between sentences, there is no time to process
the speaker's utterances, and in most cases this space is used up by the time you interpret. In a
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legal or business setting, she/he may speak for 10 minutes or more before the speaker finishes.
Processing and interpreting utterances while preserving the speaker's style, tone, intent, etc. is
a challenge in itself, and it takes an incredible amount of energy and energy to do this for an
extended period of time, such as 10 minutes. Patience is required. It takes constant effort and
training to maintain it and shows how difficult this area is.
High Level of Speech that Must be Transferred to the Target Language
Speaking of special environments, simultaneous interpreting is often done in such places.
Legal environments, business meetings, presentations, etc. are some of the most common
places for simultaneous interpreting, all of which require highly specialized vocabulary and
proficiency.
All of these must be translated accurately into the target language. Combine that with the
fact that there are no pauses, and you get a recipe for serious headaches when speakers drop
strange jargon you have never heard before. It's not like consecutive interpreting where you
have time to ask for clarification and find a solution. You only have a short time to find a suitable
equivalent or replacement. Additionally, some fields, such as the legal field, have very specific
idioms with very specific equivalents. Many of these fields have very real implications for
misinterpretation and put pressure on interpreters to get them right. A lot of preparation at
once!
Listening While Speaking
The most difficult part of simultaneous interpretation for me is listening while speaking.
That is, the ability to process the speaker while interpreting oneself. For me, this is like
breathing in through your mouth and out through your nose. This is completely unintuitive and
frustrating, and requires a huge amount of work just to get started. The biggest problem here
is the fact that both processes require active thinking and, as we all know, multitasking doesn't
work most of the time.
One of these processes has to be simple for simultaneous translation to work. A
simultaneous interpreter consciously has to do one thing in order for him to have the freedom
to do another. As with decals, this takes a lot of work to achieve, but it can be done in the end.
Many of the exercises for improving decal placement apply to this concept as well. For example,
you can shadow certain speech while writing down certain things to teach your brain to focus
on one thing while another is happening. The most important thing to realize is that this does
not come naturally and requires a lot of effort. The sooner you start, the easier it will be!
Conclusion
Simultaneous interpreting is a demanding, challenging, long-term activity that offers
many opportunities. It is not only a theoretical knowledge, but also a skill. Therefore, it can be
fully mastered only with a lot of practice and practice. Students can only become qualified
interpreters by developing perseverance and an awareness of the use of interpreting methods.
Therefore, in order to promote social and economic development and achieve the value of
English talent, the organization should improve the base of English skills and professional skills,
greatly improve the English interpretation skills, and at the same time we need to form an
interpreting team.
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References:
1.
Lamber, S & Moser-Mercer, B. (1995). Bridging the Gap: Empirical research on
simultaneous interpreting. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
2.
Kemin Fang. (2004). Simultaneous Interpreting Principles and Training.
Journal of Beijing
Vocational & Technical Institute of Industry,
7, 72-75.
3.
Nan Xue. (2007). Analysis of the Principles of Simultaneous Interpreting.
Journal of
Shaanxi Normal University
(Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition)1, 277-279.
4.
Weihe Zhong. (2001). Simultaneous Interpreting: Principles and Training.
Chinese
Translators Journal,
5, 39-43.
5.
Weiwei Zhang. (1999). EC Simultaneous Interpretation. Beijing: China Translation &
Publishing Corporation.
6.
Wolfgang Zieke. (1970). Conditioning Your Memory. New York: Sterling Publishing Co.,
Inc.
