How to prepare for language interpretation

It can look like interpreting means a lot of international conferences, negotiations and business trips all over the world. And interpreters do in fact play an important role in providing different language speakers with means of communication. But to communicate like that simply knowing a foreign language isn’t enough.

What makes interpreting possible

The most obvious and vital interpreting requirement is the knowledge of the source and target languages, keen understanding of not only their vocabulary and grammar, but also various idioms, cultural peculiarities and context. An interpreter would also need to have a perfect memory and concentration, be knowledgeable in specific topics; they must follow professional ethics principals and possess excellent communication skills. These factors create a basis for a quality work, providing accuracy, clarity and cultural adequacy of the given information.

Interpreting preparation guarantees its quality

The interpreters’ work field is not only limited by the timeframe of a conference or negotiations.  Their real job takes a lot more time and requires some significant preparations. These are the main steps of the process:

1. Learning more about the topic or the future event for a better understanding of its context. This can include working with articles, glossary and terminology learning.
2. Getting accustomed to the speaker’s manner of speech by listening to the recordings of the previous events. This will help to adjust to their speech rate, accent and presentation habits.
3. Creating the main glossary for both languages will help to quickly find just the right term and avoid awkward silence.
4. Technical preparations and equipment testing, if the interpreting process is going to be simultaneous.
5. Preparing yourself mentally: relax, remember about anti-stress and concentration exercises.

Here in MK:translations we’re certain that interpreting is impossible without professional growth. The languages never stay at the same spot forever. That’s why an interpreter must not only possess basic knowledge, but also keep up with the latest vocabulary and working trends. This skill, paired with a thorough preparation, will ensure the quality of work and the professionalism of a specialist.