As a meeting planner, choosing the right vendor can be a daunting task, especially for a service that is not frequently required. Simultaneous interpretation may well be uncharted waters for most, but if you are handling meetings for large corporations, associations, or international organizations, you will, at times, need to provide this service. You can be ready to respond right now by learning the proper terminology, where to find equipment providers, and the questions vendors will ask.
Simultaneous interpretation is facilitating the communication of speech from one language to another in real-time, allowing presentations or conversations to flow naturally, without delay. The interpreted speech is usually heard by using a wireless receiver.
Interpreting is a very complex task. You might be surprised at how demanding it is, in terms of interpreter qualifications and the quantity of equipment needed to deliver the service. But the truth is that accurate communication is the most important aspect of any meeting, and quality interpretation will ensure its success. For the majority of conferences, the following equipment will be required:
Interpretation Booths - Interpretation booths are used to provide sound insulation for the interpreters. They allow them to work in a quiet environment while blocking their voice from distracting the meeting attendees. Inside the booths, the interpreters will receive an audio feed of the floor channel (the current speaker in the meeting) and simultaneously interpret into another language.
Interpreter Consoles - The console is the central working station for interpreters, allowing them to receive, transmit, and control audio. Two interpreters in the same language booth might share one console, but individual microphones are always preferred.
Meeting planners should seek vendors that offer the latest generation of interpreter consoles, as they have features allowing interpreters to perform more efficiently.
Language Distribution - Language distribution provides the audio of the interpreted languages to the meeting attendees who require interpretation. For the majority of conferences, this is done wirelessly. In the world of interpretation there are two technologies used to wirelessly transmit language channels: radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR).
What to Look For
In selecting interpretation equipment, planners should seek out several key offerings:
References – If your client is a large international law firm planning an annual meeting, ask prospecting vendors for a reference that meets the client’s criteria.
Size – This is usually determined by the number of guests and size of the meeting space.
Location – Has the vendor performed work in the country/city/venue?
Client Types – If the vendor has previous experience working with your client’s competition, they might have a better understanding of the meeting layout.
Equipment – Check the following with your prospective vendor: the condition of the equipment used, the make and model, and when the equipment was purchased. Since the meeting attendees will be in physical contact with this equipment (specifically the receivers), you want to make sure they are not using clunky, outdated equipment.
Andrew Murphy, manages conference and interpretation at Conference Rental USA, a lead sub-rental provider for digital conferencing microphones and language interpretation technology. Andrew has worked in the interpretation industry for 5 years and managed events for the 2012 G-20 Summit, the IMF and World Bank Annual and Spring Meetings.