translation equipment

Translation Equipment (or to use its more correct names: simultaneous interpreting equipment or simultaneous interpretation equipment) is used in conferences and meetings to convey the voice of an interpreter to the listeners. You've probably seen pictures of the United Nations where the delegates each have a little earpiece – that's translation equipment. Specifically, that's the earpiece attached to the receiver.

Here's how it works:

At the back of the room (or in an adjacent room) a team of interpreters sits in a sound-dampening booth, listening to the presenter through headphones. They do the hard part: they simultaneously listen and interpret what they hear into another language. Their voice is picked up by a microphone, which distributes the sound through an interpreter console to a transmitter.

The transmitter acts like a miniature radio station – it sends a signal out to the room. Each listener then hears the interpreter's voice on a small receiver, through an earpiece. Some transmitters are infrared – they use invisible light waves to distribute the signal throughout the room. The main use of infrared equipment is in top-secret conferences such as government and UN meetings, where even the slightest chance of eavesdropping cannot be tolerated. Since light cannot pass through opaque walls, infrared interpreting equipment is considered absolutely private (as long as you remember to close the drapes!)

The other main kind of translation equipment is FM radio-based. Here, a low-power radio signal on a specific frequency is broadcast through the room.

If more than one language is being interpreted, then each one is on a separate frequency or channel, and the listeners select the language they want to hear on their receiver.

Some tips for making sure your simultaneous interpretation goes smoothly:

1) Make sure your interpreters can see the people who are speaking – position them so they have a good view of the stage or podium, or set up video monitors for them instead.

2) Put the booths on risers if you can –- this helps to make sure their view is not obstructed by the audience.

3) Use a full booth whenever your budget will allow –- it makes life easier for both the interpreters and the audience.

4) Don't try to get by without a technician! Good interpreting technicians are a crucial ingredient in the success of your meeting. We have found that regular AV technicians and well-meaning volunteers cannot take the place of an interpretation technician without thorough training.

5) Choose a company that specializes in translation equipment. More generalized translation agencies will often purchase a small amount of translation equipment, but they often don't have the expertise and experience to do a good job in a wide variety of events.

If you need simultaneous interpreting, here is a great source for next conference: Translation Equipment

Chris Redish owns A Bridge Between Nations, a full-service Translation Company which leases and sells Translation Equipment in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Orlando, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Washington DC, Chicago and New York and all major U.S. cities. He would be happy to provide you with a free translation estimate for your next conference: 1-888-556-3887
 

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translation companies phoenix

translation company phoenix

conference interpreting

Possibly the best plan should be to call a company that specializes in supplying simultaneous interpreters and equipment for simultaneous interpreting at conferences. Even though the term simultaneous translation is frequently used, as it happens, that is a misnomer. Translation means "written" form, whereas interpretation refers to the spoken word.

It's important to be sure you request simultaneous interpretation, instead of consecutive interpretation. Simultaneous interpreting allows the business meeting to carry on at full speed. The audience members will each wear a small headphone or ear piece that allows them to hear the interpreter's voice while the meeting is going on. Consecutive interpretation, on the other hand, slows the meeting down to half speed, because the speaker must temporarily halt after each sentence in order for the interpreter to translate.

The interpreting company you connect with will ask you questions about your event:

– What are the languages?

– What's the subject matter?

– What number of listeners will each language have?

– How many audience members will be in the room?

– Who will the audience be?

Let the potential interpreting service provider ask you the questions – it's a good way to make sure that they know what they are doing. Many translation companies specialize in other areas of language work — find one that specializes in conference interpreting. Be as specific and thorough as you can in your answers.

Make sure this agency will be providing seasoned conference interpreters. There are lots of types of interpreting. Many interpreters who are excellent at, for example, court interpreting, are substandard conference interpreters.

The interpreters need to be informed about your subject matter. A medical interpreter can probably explain the insides of a person, but may just be clueless about the insides of a computer. Each subject area, especially a technical one, has its own inherent jargon that may be bewildering to interpreters unfamiliar with that unique arena.

Conference interpreters almost always work as a team of two people per language (or occasionally, three per language in high-stress settings). Don't attempt to scrimp by hiring a single interpreter, it frequently backfires — an interpreter who's willing to work solo at an all-day conference is probably not very experienced. Remember, your guests may have spent thousands of dollars to be at your event. You would like them to be able to understand and enjoy it, so next time they'll come back with their friends.

It might be wise to receive estimates from several firms, but it's not a good idea to make the decision strictly on price. Interpreters aren't like boxes of cornflakes — each interpreter is different. Each interpreter carries a unique set of strengths and weaknesses.

Matching interpreters to clients is an art that takes years of practice. Choose a firm which you trust to make the best decision on your behalf.

Chris Redish owns A Bridge Between Nations, a Conference Interpreting company which leases and sells Translation Equipment in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Orlando, Dallas and all major U.S. cities. He would be happy to provide you with a free translation estimate for your next conference: 1-888-556-3887
 

conference interpreting phoenix

translation equipment  translation equipment las vegas

Millions of people are attracted to Las Vegas each year, whether in town for business, to gamble, see a show, or to just plain have fun.  But did you know that Las Vegas is also one of the largest destination spots for conventions and conferences in the country?

Meeting space in Las Vegas can be as small as a 200-foot hotel room, or as huge as the one-million-square-foot exhibition hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Facilities are modern, high-tech and up-to-date.  Hotel ballroom size can easily be configured and re-configured with movable walls to act as partitions.  

If you are planning a major and/or international function in Las Vegas, have you considered the need for simultaneous interpreting? Meeting planners usually tend to forget that not all participants are proficient in English and may need translation assistance onsite. Sometimes organizers don’t find this out until it’s too late, after the meeting has begun, and company embarrassment is the result.

Simultaneous interpreting is a great service in that it allows the translation to happen in real time. Interpreters hear the speaker via a set of headsets and transmit their translation (on a special frequency) to unique radios that audience members wear. Thus, the conference runs at natural speed and foreign listeners are only seconds behind the rest of the audience in comprehension. This is the ideal situation since there is no disruption of the meeting.

The translation company you select will ask you questions about your event:

– What are the languages being used?
– What is the subject matter?
– How many listeners will each language have?
– How many people will be in the room total (or how big is the room)?
– Who will the audience be?

Let the prospective supplier ask you the questions – it’s a good way to make sure they know what they are doing. Many companies specialize in other areas of language work – try to find one that specializes in CONFERENCE interpreting. And be as specific and detailed as you can in your answers. 

Be sure the company will be providing experienced conference interpreters. There are many styles of interpreting. Many interpreters who are excellent at, for example, court interpreting, are poor conference interpreters.

The interpreters must also be familiar with your subject matter. A medical interpreter may be able to explain the insides of a person, but  might be clueless about the insides of a computer.

Conference interpreters almost always work as a team of two people per language (or occasionally, three per language in high-stress environments). Don’t try to skimp by hiring a solo interpreter, it nearly always backfires — an interpreter who is willing to work solo at an all-day meeting is probably not very experienced and just wants the job. Remember, your attendees may have spent thousands of dollars to be at your event. You want them to be able to understand and enjoy it, so next time they’ll come back with their friends and associates.

It’s a good idea to get quotes from multiple companies, but it’s not a good idea to make the decision purely on price. Interpreters are not like boxes of cornflakes –- each interpreter is different.  Each interpreter has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Matching interpreters to customers is an art that takes many years of practice. Choose an experieince company that you trust to make the best decision for you.

Here is just such a company: Conference Interpreting Las Vegas

About the Author

Chris Redish owns A Bridge Between Nations, a Las Vegas Conference Interpreting company which operates worldwide and all across the U.S. He would be happy to provide you with a free translation estimate for your next conference.

conference interpreting

conference interpreting phoenix

conference interpreting

Tips on Hiring a Conference Interpreting Company

Translation services are becoming widely popular these days. It is required by both private enterprises and government agencies. As business operations become multinationals, there is always a chance that you are confronted with the problem of language barrier. As you expand your market into virgin territories you have to deal with alien cultures and languages. There may be chores of documents that require to be translated into English or from your language to the language your clients or customer speaks. That is why you need the service of a language translator. Some may question the need for translation especially when there are automated computers or online programs that can translate major foreign languages into English. But language translation is not that simple. Computer programs cannot give accurate translation. The system merely translates by randomly picking words that are pre-programmed. As such, the intended meaning may not be conveyed by the translated document. Literal translation is not true translation. There are so many dynamic words and phrases that lose meaning when translated literally. Only an expert translator can do justice by translating with the right intent, right tone, and correct grammar. The documents that they translate are many. Apart from physical documents such as newspaper and magazine write-ups, annual reports, product labels, manuals, instructional materials, and marketing collateral, they can also translate digital and other documents including materials on CDs, subtitles, and voiceovers.

A language translation company also offers language interpretation. Many people use the terms translation and interpretation interchangeably. But technically speaking both the terms are different. Interpretation is oral whereas translation is written. So when someone expresses the meaning orally, he is actually interpreting and not translating. You may require services of language interpreters during meetings and conferences involving foreign clients and officials. Such a job requires high languages skills and deep experience. Simultaneous interpretation especially only is an expert’s job.

A translation service provider also employs medical and legal translators. Medical translation is especially helpful when you deal with foreign healthcare seekers. Such a translator makes sure that there is no communication gap between you and your patients.

Simultaneous interpretation is the kind of interpretation where the interpreter listens to a message in the source language and interprets it simultaneously. Thus, listeners may listen to the text in either language since the source as well as the interpretation is being rendered at the same time.

To enable such a process, interpreters need a number of state-of-the-art equipment, namely:

Booths Push and talk microphones FM receivers and transmitters Control units and consoles for interpreters Wireless receivers Headsets for the audience Other audio visual tools

Besides these, specific clients may have specific requirements. For instance, a highly confidential meeting may require infrared receivers and transmitters. In case of a tour, portable transmitters and receivers are required. For large scale meetings, clients may require interpretation equipment that can accommodate a number of languages at the same time. Thus, it is not possible to have a standardized set of requirements when it comes to interpretation equipment.

Many people who need the services of an interpreter also require interpretation equipment on rental. Whether a company requires pieces of equipment for very large international conferences and conventions or for smaller meetings, a reputed interpretation service will be able to provide all the support they need. For example, a large convention or educational meeting would require full size booths for the interpreters and headphones for the audience. Since the audience may be a large group of people, the number of individual headsets is also quite high. On the other hand, in case of a small meeting, a more cost effective solution would be appropriate. The company may suggest the use of portable systems that contain wireless receivers and transmitters.

As far as companies are concerned, there are options for owning or renting interpretation systems. Most clients prefer to take interpretation equipment on a rental basis. In such cases, the interpretation equipment rental company can provide all the necessary equipment and can walk you through the proper installation of such equipment. But, they would require a rough estimate of the number of attendees and the precise requirements of the client. In many cases, the company will even help clients select the right pieces of equipment for their meeting. Client specific service helps to reduce costs while improving the quality of service significantly.

Before you select an interpretation service, it is important to check whether the company owns their own interpretation equipment. Some companies may hire equipment from a third party. But the quality of such pieces of equipment may not always be reliable. Interpreting booths, microphones, headsets and receivers have to be in mint condition and qualified technicians must be at hand to offer advice on the precise setup that will result in optimal results. Such a service is vital for a stress-free onsite experience.

In the end, the interpretation experience is a sum total of various factors. The versatility of the interpreters, the quality of the equipment and your management skills play their parts to bring the whole thing together.

Conference interpreters work at conferences or large meetings that have non-English-speaking participants. Although their job can involve international business and diplomacy, conference interpreters work for any organization that deals with foreign language speakers.

Conference interpreting requires top-notch interpreters who generally have the ability to interpret from at least two second languages into their native language — for example, a native English speaker may interpret from Spanish and German into English. For some full-time positions, such as those with the United Nations, this qualification is mandatory.

Forms of Interpreting Services

Simultaneous Interpretation is performed at the time of (simultaneous to), the presentation. Usually rendered in a large conference setting, this type of interpreting service typically requires the use of special interpreting equipment.

Consecutive Interpreting is usually performed in smaller settings than conferences and allows the speaker to present a few sentences before pausing so the interpreter may render the interpretation into the other language.

Language interpreting carried out at conferences is often simultaneous; however, at some meetings with a small number of attendees, consecutive interpreting may be used. Usually, interpreters sit in soundproof booths, listening to the speakers through headphones and interpreting what is said into a microphone. The interpreted speech is then relayed to the listener through headsets. When interpreting is needed for only one or two people, the interpreter generally sits behind or next to the attendee and whispers an oral translation of the proceedings.

Whether your subject matter is legal, software, technology, engineering, manufacturing or medical related, make sure your translation services agency provides interpreters who will match your requirements and your specific needs.