A translator or interpreter is someone who facilitates communication between people speaking different languages. Contrary to popular belief, translation does not mean substituting words from one language with their simple equivalents in another language: it is not about translating words but ideas, as St. Jerome, patron saint of translators, used to say.

Good translators must be fluent not only in their foreign languages but also in their mother tongue. What also matters greatly in this profession is a sense of style. In addition to specialist linguistic skills, translators and interpreters must have a vast general knowledge and a variety of interests. If they do, they will not be confounded by a biblical digression in a speech devoted to modern technology or by a football-mad politician comparing a complex international situation to the antagonism between Liverpool and Manchester United supporters.

Even the most brilliant translator may not necessarily be a good interpreter – and vice versa. Translators can spend hours looking for the correct terminology and the most elegant turn of phrase. They have to be patient and extraordinarily meticulous to be able to focus on long texts and not miss any errors. They are like industrious worker bees, one might say.

Interpreters are a different species. It may seem that interpreters are like parrots – they just repeat the speaker’s words in a different language. However, demands on interpreters are far greater. Interpreting simultaneously in a booth or consecutively before a large audience is a very stressful activity and interpreters must be able to cope with this stress, remembering all the time not only about correct vocabulary, but also about the right intonation, tone and pitch of the voice, and fluent delivery. You can recognise good interpreters also by the way they dress – always appropriately for the occasion.

Interpreting can be divided roughly into consecutive and simultaneous.

In consecutive interpreting, the speaker speaks for a few minutes and then the interpreter delivers the message in the target language, using notes taken during the speech.

Liaison interpreting is a type of consecutive interpreting – the interpreter interprets shorter fragments of the speech, often just single sentences.

This type of interpreting is used during short presentations (with long presentations, it might be too time-consuming), meetings in small groups, negotiations, training sessions, etc.

Simultaneous interpreting requires special equipment: sound-proof booths, microphones, receivers and headsets. The interpreter sits in a booth, listens to a speech and almost simultaneously interprets it into the target language, speaking to a microphone. The audience can listen to the interpretation through special headsets. Interpreters always work in pairs – it is the only way to guarantee good quality. Simultaneous interpreting requires intense concentration, which can be maintained for approximately 30 minutes without any loss in the quality of the interpretation. After this time the other interpreter in the booth must take over. By working in pairs interpreters can also help each other by checking new vocabulary, writing down names or numbers rattled off at a great speed, or take over in emergency situations. This can be compared to flying a plane – and few people would like to be on a plane with just one pilot…

Sometimes a type of simultaneous interpreting called whispered interpreting or chouchotage is used. The interpreter is placed next to or behind the listener and whispers the interpretation into his or her ear. This situation is uncomfortable for both parties: they can be distracted by other conversations and other sounds in the room. In addition, whispering makes the voice tire more easily, which may affect the reception of the interpretation.

Good interpreters are always well-prepared for their assignments, they constantly expand their vocabulary, and work on their voices and delivery. Good translators check their translations several times with respect to terminology and language, making sure there are no errors or awkward phrases. If need be, they are not afraid to consult the author or specialists from a given field. They are thorough and always meet the deadlines.

Specialised translation means not only, for example, legal or financial translation. Specific vocabulary and style will also be required to translate a paper analysing modern stagings of baroque operas or the use of psychology in word-of-mouth marketing.

• You will need two simultaneous interpreters per booth.
• It is worth booking interpreters well ahead of the event, because good interpreters are usually very busy. Listening to unprofessional interpreters for eight hours may undermine all the effort put into organising a conference, even if the food served during lunch is delicious and the conference venue is an impressive brand-new facility.
• Good equipment matters – memories of a brilliant interpretation may be effaced if crackling microphones or headsets irritate the audience.
• Giving your interpreters conference-related information and materials well before the event will have a big impact on the quality of the service provided; it enables the interpreters to prepare better for their assignment. You need not be afraid of revealing confidential information – professional interpreters know that trustworthiness is one of their major assets. The interpretation will be even better if the interpreters receive a list of speakers with titles or functions. As a result, even the tongue-twisting name of an important guest from India or Finland will be pronounced correctly, sparing you unnecessary embarrassment.
• Good time management of the entire event and of the various presentations is another key element of a successful conference. Delays can happen, however, and if they do, it is better to shorten the remaining presentations rather than speed up the delivery. A speech delivered at breakneck speed will be unpleasant not only to the interpreters but also to the audience.
• Even when simultaneous interpreting is used during conference sessions, consecutive interpreting might be needed as well (e.g. during a press conference, interview with the keynote speaker for the local TV station, special dinner etc.).
• The language regime. If the languages used during the conference are Polish, English and German, and there are no interpreters who will interpret from English into German, the so-called relay is used: the speaker uses English, which is interpreted into Polish, and then interpreters from the German booth interpret that Polish into German.

A speaker that:

• speaks, rather than reads complex sentences from a sheet of paper at the speed of light;
• clearly pronounces numbers and names;
• provides the interpreters and event organisers with his or her presentations well in advance;
• when referring to a document, clearly defines the source;
• has a sense of humour, but is aware that some jokes are untranslatable.

Such speakers will be appreciated also by members of the audience who do not rely on interpretation.

CAT (Computer Assisted Translation) software facilitates the work of human translators. Such programmes may suggest appropriate terminology drawing on translations done previously by a human translator. However, the translator must always verify these suggestions against the context. CAT software allows for greater terminological consistency but even the best CATs will not replace an intelligent human being.

Nor can human translators be replaced by the so-called machine translators, which automatically translate entire sentences and are often advertised with the slogan “You will never need to hire a translator again”. You can easily check that they can help you grasp only the (very) general meaning of the text. They should not be used for professional translations, because the scripts they are based on cannot guarantee accuracy.