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In Case You Missed It;

Mar 27, 2025

An interesting look at the nuanced challenges facing interpreters on a daily basis. The video down below offers an insightful behind-the-scenes perspective of what it's like to work in the field, offering interesting angles often overlooked by those outside of the industry.

Some of the key modes of interpretation covered include:

Simultaneous Interpretation: Interpreting in real-time, where the interpreter translates the speaker’s words almost instantly as they are being spoken.

Consecutive Interpretation: In this mode, the interpreter waits for the speaker to pause before translating, usually after a few sentences or a paragraph. This requires note-taking skills to remember what was said.

Chuchotage: A form of whispering interpretation, where the interpreter whispers the translation directly to a small group of listeners.

Décalage: A phenomenon where there’s a time lag between when the speaker says something and when the interpreter can convey it to the target audience. This can be challenging, especially with fast-paced speakers or complex content.

You will gain an insight on mental agility, focus, and precision needed to excel as an interpreter.

Video by WIRED US-based Institute, expertise provided by Barry Slaughter-Olsen of Translation and Interpretation at Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

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