Tips on Getting The Most Out of Your Interpreter

Tips on Getting the Most Out of Your Interpreter

June 4, 2018
, , , , Company Activities, Events, Linguistics

Proper etiquette can remove the awkwardness arising from interacting with a business partner or an audience who is unfamiliar with the English language. This is especially true for consecutive interpreting, where the interpreter will be in the room with you. In simultaneous interpreting where translations are received via headphones, you may not be able to view the interpreter. Still, these ideas can help you get your message across more effectively and drive productive conversations.

 

Should the interpreter face you or your client?

 

In an ideal scenario, the interpreter should assume a position where he/she can see you and also face your client/audience when he/she speaks. That being said, it is common for the interpreter to sit opposite his/her client (you) while you converse naturally with the other party. This unobtrusive position is the traditional protocol during diplomatic meetings between the heads of state from two different countries.

Placing the interpreter between you and your client is best avoided; your focus must be on your client. You will want to make eye contact with him/her instead of looking toward the interpreter.

 

The focus is to translate the vocabulary, not the body language

 

Interpreters’ job is to engage with your message, not your non-verbal cues. They will make eye contact with your audience or even your client, but beyond that, stick to delivering your message. If you start addressing your interpreter, he/she may not initiate eye-contact with you as a passive signal to remind you to continue addressing your client.

 

It helps to brief the interpreter in advance

 

Most businesses prefer to keep their language easily comprehensible to eliminate mistakes or misunderstandings in translation. But if your dialogue will include many high-level terms or specialized industry jargon, providing the interpreter with a draft copy of the speech/discussion points will help him/her convey your message better.

An alternative is to go with the flow and allow any issue that crops up during your conversation to ‘fix itself’. For instance, your interpreter can keep translating your sophisticated phrases, and your client can – through your interpreter – request you to clarify something that is not clearly evident. The interpreter may also start taking notes when complications set in.

Pare down long chunks of text

 

Line-by-line interpretations consume a lot of time; as a practical measure, consider skimming your content. Time efficiency apart, excessive verbiage can be overwhelming for your client – and after an hour of back and forth – you may start feeling weary. If you are not discussing legality and expect to converse more casually with your client, a condensed version works best.

What do you think of our tips? Have the experience to share? Start a conversation now!

5 Tips to a Successful Global Event

5 Tips to a Successful Global Event

April 9, 2018
, , , , , , , , , Company Activities, Globalisation and Internationalisation, Uncategorized

Hosting events can be very challenging, even if they are just local ones. An international or global event can be downright scary. There are so many things that you, as the event organizer, need to take into consideration.

But, the good news is that, no matter how scary things might seem, there are always solutions that you can implement to make sure everything goes well. It’s all about making careful and thoughtful decisions.

So, if you’re planning to host a global event in the near future, here are 5 tips that might come in handy.


Choose a Proper Date

 

This is one of the most basic things you need to know before hosting events. Always choose an event data that isn’t going to be a problem. In other words, don’t choose a date that clashes with other important or key events.

For instance, is there a local festival coming up? If yes, make sure your event is held before or after that. Now, you could tie in your event with such local festivities, but that would depend on the context of your event.

As a general rule, it’s always better to choose a distraction-free date.

 

Consider Communication Needs

 

Since this is a global event, you’re obviously going to have attendees coming in from various parts of the globe. Needless to say, communication becomes of critical importance in such scenarios, especially in the literal linguistic sense.

What we are trying to say is, not everybody is going to be able to understand English. So, make sure you determine the requirement for interpreters.

Send out instructions asking attendees and delegates to mention whether they will be needing an interpreter to help them communicate.

Apart from interpreters, you can also leverage visual cues in the form of signboards for simpler needs such as directions, warnings, or instructions etc.


Travel and Accommodation

 

Travel and accommodation also come into focus when dealing with global events. You have people traveling to the host town or city from far away locations. So, make sure their travel and accommodation needs are met. Even if you can’t actually offer these conveniences, make sure you have a team on call that can at least assist your guests in such matters.


Be Culturally Sensitive

 

Of course, you need to be sensitive to other cultures. However, this can be a little difficult to determine sense cultural sensitivity is quite subjective. However, it is better to err on the side of political correctness in these matters.

To be culturally sensitive, the first thing you need to do is to stop assuming that everybody is just like you. People are different and have different needs and perceptions.

So, make sure your event considers all of this. For instance, consider dietary needs. If food is part of the event, make sure you’ve planned a diverse menu so that everybody is able to find something that matches their preference.

Or, consider gestures of greeting. Not all cultures greet by shaking hands.

It is better to avoid things that might seem “racist”; safer to keep things neutral.


Be Thoughtful About Introductions

 

When introducing guests/delegates, make sure you find out what their preferences are. Not everybody is okay with Mr., Miss, or Mrs.


Get Started!

There you have it – a few basic rules that are sure to make your global event work. Of course, there’s a lot more to be covered, but these are enough to put you on the right track. Plus, there are event specific aspects that you might have to take into consideration as well.

So, sit down, research, and brainstorm.