Have you ever tried to communicate with someone you just couldn’t understand? Even if one of both of you have knowledge of each other’s language and can say a few words or phrases, it can be incredibly hard to get your point across. This is where language interpretation services can come in handy and possibly even save lives.
There are plenty of times in life that an interpreter is a necessity. In extreme circumstances, such as medical or legal emergencies, having an interpreter is necessary to ensure a person is well taken care of and getting the help they need. Even in non-emergency situations, having interpretation services available is ideal for many companies to have, especially in customer service-based situations.
Interpreting conversation in real-time
The main way language interpretation services can help businesses and people in general is through speaking in real-time to another person in the language they speak. There are a few key interpretation services which cover different speaking scenarios that you or your business may come across.
Conversational interpretation can happen consecutively or simultaneously. Consecutive interpretation is helpful when the exact words being said need to be translated into another language. This is key when gathering information possibly for police or legal reasons or to gain specific knowledge. Consecutive interpretation involves the speaker pausing after a few words or sentences for the interpreter to speak.
Simultaneous interpretation happens, well, simultaneously! As one person is speaking in their mother tongue (possibly even over a phone or via video), the interpreter would speak at the same time with only a slight time lag, interpreting word-for-word as best they can without pausing.
These two methods are helpful in many situations, but there are other ways language interpretation services can be helpful. Escort interpretation involves the interpreter moving from place to place with the person, ensuring they are understood in both formal and informal settings while spending time in a place where their language is not widely spoken.
Interpreting written word
The written word needs to be interpreted aloud often. This can happen for the casual traveler, but also for important companies that are attempting to do business internationally. Sight interpretation involves an interpreter quickly translating something in their head before reading aloud what is written in front of them. This could be during an important business meeting or perhaps to read documents that are sent from abroad. The different languages that need to be interpreted both conversationally and from written word are vast. Any business owner who is venturing internationally likely understands the many times an interpreter can be beneficial and all of the many languages that need to be considered. Communicating effectively can already be tough in your own language, so imagine trying to get your point across in another language that you barely understand and cannot read or write. Interpretation services can help people in this difficult situation, so they can be understood and feel comfortable knowing what is going on around them.