The History of Simultaneous Interpreting on Language Outreach History of Simultaneous Interpretation Though modern simultaneous interpretation with its use of sophisticated sound equipment is a relatively new method of providing for communication, it clearly has historical antecedents. At various times interpreters have doubled as missionaries, diplomats, military envoys, business and trade negotiators and mediators. Since French was the universal language of diplomacy and educated discourse, there was little need for high-level interpretation in the nineteenth-century Europe. The situation changed dramatically in 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference, when English was pronounced the second official language of the League of Nations and consecutive interpretation was first used. Simultaneous interpretation was introduced in 1928 at the Sixth Congress of the Comintern in the former Soviet Union. The Picture on this page depicts "Salle de la Reformation" (1867), where the meetings of the Assembly took place from 1920 to 1929. Text adapted from:
The translating brain: cerebral activation patterns during simultaneous interpreting c. The interpreter´s code Interpreters are often working alone and have to make ethical decisions in a split second that affect people’s lives. All of the participants in an interpreted interaction, whether deaf or hearing, are dependent on the interpreters to make the most ethical and appropriate decision possible. In looking across a spectrum of Interpreter Codes, they all mention confidentiality, competency, impartiality and conduct. Some codes go further as described by the Washington State Department of Social Health Services, which mentions accuracy, scope of practice, ethical violations to name but a few. An interpreter’s adoption of and adherence to a Code of Ethics can be a way of ensuring that any decision made can be defended and justified should misunderstandings and allegations of misconduct occur. Internationally there are different ways in which interpreters are accredited and registered to work. [www.nrcpd.org.uk/documents/code_of_conduct/NRCPD_code_of_conduct.pdf] Scheibe, K. and J.
Exercises for simultaneous These exercises and more can be found in Conference Interpreting - A Students'Companion, A Gillies, 2001, (p80-83) and are reproduced with the kind permission of Tertium Krakow). More exercises can be found in the 2004 revised eidtion of this book, Conference Interpreting - A New Students' companion. VI Practice exercises for SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING The exercises below are designed to further skills in specific areas of interpretation technique, some may argue that in doing this we encourage inaccurate interpreting, however, I remind you that the goal here is not accuracy or fidelity but the activation that skill required to perform the exercise (that skill being one of the component parts of interpretation). The exercises I suggest below do not cover all of what might be held to be the component elements of the skill of simultaneous interpreting. Delivery General Knowledge Split attention + Decalage Reformulation Stress management 1 Delivery 1.1 “Cheating”[1]. 2 General Knowledge WHY ?
Patricia vander Elst on the Nuremberg Trials Mikkleson- Consecutive or Simultaneous? byHolly Mikkelson (published in Across the Board, Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association Vol. 5 No. 1, 2010, pp. 4-7) In deciding whether to use the consecutive or the simultaneous mode of interpreting in the judicial setting, interpreters and the users of interpreter services must recognize the impact of these modes on the administration of justice. The most important consideration is the conservation of meaning and the protection of the record. The interpretation provided by certified or otherwise qualified interpreters pursuant to this section shall be in the simultaneous mode for any party to a judicial proceeding instituted by the United States and in the consecutive mode for witnesses, except that the presiding judicial officer, sua sponte or on the motion of a party, may authorize a simultaneous, or consecutive interpretation when such officer determines after a hearing on the record that such interpretation will aid in the efficient administration of justice.
Can interpretation save your brain? Position Statement on Video Relay (VR) Services