Foreign Language Translation and Interpreters Tips

Every interpreter we assign is a professional and has extensive experience working under difficult conditions. But a little TLC can provide big dividends. Here are a few tricks of the trade.

After hiring the best interpreter, the second most important thing is to brief him. Lawyers preparing for a big case will hire interpreters days in advance to master the subject matter and to practice their presentation. A draft of your speech, a copy of the PowerPoint presentation, even a company brochure delivered an hour before the event can make a big difference in the quality of the interpretation.

When using a consecutive interpreter, you can improve communication by pausing often enough to allow your interpreter and your listener to follow the flow of your ideas. Look at your listener as you speak and listen, but watch your interpreter out of the corner of your eye so you can pick up her signals. If you have a few minutes, compare notes and warm up with an interpreter, before you are on the spot.

It always takes the simultaneous interpreter a bit longer to translate into another language, especially when working from English. English meaning is usually loaded in the middle of a sentence, while other languages, such as German and Japanese, carry most of their meaning at the end of the sentence. That makes it harder for interpreters to get all your points across if you are talking fast.

Jokes usually don't translate well, (vet with interpreter beforehand). Baseball or football cultural references may be lost on a foreign audience.

While professional interpreters should be studiously neutral, they can be a useful source of information in a debriefing.

Sometimes bad things happen. If you are unsatisfied with an interpreter for any reason, call us so we can replace the interpreter as soon as possible.


Multilingual Studio
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Production Services Include:
Cultural analysis:
Before translation and localization begins, production experts who know your audience, flag cultural conflicts.

Camera Ready Interpreters:
On-site or by phone, on-camera or off, live or feed, simultaneous or consecutive, assigned by experience and field of expertise.

Bilingual directors, editors and production assistants:
Professionals for on-site work in most major languages. Transcription in most languages, or translation straight from audio from any recording format.