Simultaneous interpretation, or synchronous interpretation, refers to a way of interpretation where the interpreter orally renders what he/she hears in the source language into the content in the target language synchronously and continuously. It features high efficiency, with an average interval of 3 to 4 seconds (10 plus seconds at most) between the original sentence and interpretation. It consequently guarantees that the speakers' consecutive speech can continue without interruption and facilitates the listeners' comprehension of the speech as a whole. Simultaneous interpretation usually applies to 95% of formal international conferences. As a service with high requirements for providers’ academic and professional capabilities, Simultaneous interpretation requires specialized interpretation equipment, including the main unit, headsets, and interpreter booth.
Simultaneous interpretation has extremely high requirements on interpreters and only specially trained personnel are capable of such jobs. During a simultaneous interpretation process, an interpreter must entirely concentrate on the on-going conference, so the process is extremely stressful and taxing. Usually, two interpreters are arranged to interpret in turns, with each interpreter work in shift of 20 minutes.
For meetings requiring simultaneous interpretation, the following factors should be taken into consideration:
Expenditure: Simultaneous interpretation costs a much higher price than consecutive interpretation. Its service fee consists of the interpreter's remuneration, transport and accommodation expenses, equipment rental fees, and overtime rates.
Background information: For a meeting involving highly professional knowledge, it is recommended that background information about the meeting be sent to the translation company in advance. In this way, the interpreter can get acquainted with relevant technologies and guest information before hand.
Arrangement: Meetings requiring simultaneous interpretation are usually large-scale or international conferences, so the translation companies that handle such tasks must have strong arrangement capabilities and sufficient backup resources, and they must also be highly responsive to emergencies and resilient to risks.
Regarding the use of the two interpretation modes, consecutive interpretation is mostly used in small-scale occasions involving only two working languages, such as diplomatic meetings, bilateral negotiations, visits and investigations, small-scale consultations, reporter interviews, judicial and quasi-judicial procedures, banquet speeches, press conferences, and short seminars. Not requiring additional meeting time, simultaneous interpretation has become the most commonly used mode in meeting interpretation and is widely used in various international occasions. Almost all formal international multilingual conferences and international organizations (such as the United Nations and the European Union) have adopted simultaneous interpretation as a standard interpretation mode.
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