Blog & Resources

Simultaneous and Consecutive Interpreting

SIMULTANEOUS

How does it work?

• Real-time interpreting, with only a few seconds of lag
• No need to plan for extra time
• Two interpreters are needed to allow for rest breaks to maintain the quality of interpretation; it is mentally taxing to listen and interpret at the same time, and studies show that quality decreases after 20-30 minutes without a break

Participants

• Group of individuals (3 or more)
• Multiple speakers of the same language are present, in addition to individuals who do not speak that language

Example:

• A family therapy session: bilingual family members may speak to the provider in English, and LEP family members need to know what is being said in real time; family members may converse with one another in Spanish and the provider needs to know what is going on in real-time.
• Several English-speaking staff, a bilingual child, and the Russian-speaking parents of the child at an IEP meeting
• Several Vietnamese speakers at a conference presented in English
• Individuals who are not able to participate in turn-taking, and whose utterances must be interpreted in real-time, are present

Example:

• Some mental health patients

Turn-taking

• Interjections are more likely
• Speakers of the same language respond to each other without waiting for the interpreter to interpret into the other language
• Group is too large for interpreter to manage turn-taking

Settings

• Trainings
• Conferences
• Meetings
• Family counseling sessions

Supplies Needed

• Headsets and microphones, especially in the conference setting (in small-group settings, these may not be necessary)
• Detailed information about the appointment, as well as materials such as slideshows, should be provided to the interpreter ahead of time, particularly for specialized topics
• The interpreter may use a pen and paper to make note of names and numbers.

CONSECUTIVE

How does it work?

• Each speaker’s utterances are interpreted after they finish speaking
• Extra time needed
• One interpreter can generally cover a consecutive appointment because the interpreter is able to alternate between listening and speaking.

Participants

• 1:1 or a limited number of participants

Example:

• A patient and a provider for an annual checkup
• A parent-teacher meeting where only the teacher and parents are present

Turn-taking

• Participants wait for the interpreter to finish interpreting into their language to respond
• Turn-taking is natural because without waiting for the interpreter the parties won’t understand each other
• For longer utterances, some pauses to allow for interpretation and check for comprehension from the other party
• If more than 2 people are present, the group is small enough that the interpreter is able to manage the flow of communication, asking parties to pause if necessary and preventing interjections

Settings

• Physical exams
• Imaging
• 1:1 counseling

Equipment Needed

• Interpreters may use pen and paper to take notes in order to accurately interpret longer utterances.
• Basic information about the nature of the appointment should be communicated to the interpreter ahead of time, particularly if it is a specialized appointment

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