News & Articles

Do you really need professionals?
by Manuel Pastor

Sometimes we are asked by conference organisers "What are the benefits of using AIIC conference interpreters? What service do they provide that others do not provide equally well?" and, more importantly, "How much will it cost to use AIIC interpreters?"

The answer is simple: AIIC conference interpreters are professionals. They have the qualifications and experience to provide a professional service and they charge professional fees, just like any dentist or lawyer. Yet, they are often cheaper than interpreters provided by agencies acting as intermediaries.

An important international conference calls for a professional multilingual communication service that allows participants to speak unconstrained in their own languages and within their own cultural contexts, comfortable in the knowledge that language barriers are being overcome for them. It is this - and not simply transposing words as fast as possible - that is the job of the professional conference interpreter.

How can an organiser be sure of getting real professional conference interpreters? Professionalism implies knowledge and expertise acquired over many years of training and practice - precisely those qualities required to become a member of AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters).

There is no easy or instant test in advance of an event. For instance, most conference organisers would be hard put to judge the proficiency of a presumed interpreter in the various different language combinations. (See Language classification.) But a few basic criteria may be used as a checklist.

Training

It is worth checking on the professional qualifications and credentials of the teams of interpreters you plan to use.

There are only a few reputable graduate schools of interpreting in the world that offer training for conference interpreters. Graduate courses lasting from six months to three years, depending on the background of students, provide professional training equivalent to MA level or above. A degree from one of these schools is the minimum professional qualification that any conference interpreter must have today in order to work at the international level. All AIIC interpreters either possess such training or, in the case of senior colleagues who entered the profession over 30 years ago, thousands of days of experience. A second test for AIIC candidates is the stringent peer review system - well-known as a way of checking competence in various professions and in academic publishing - in which they are vetted by senior colleagues, who are also their direct competitors.

Many people believe that if you are bilingual you can interpret ... that's about as true as saying that because you have two hands you must be a concert pianist.

Beware of agencies claiming to run so-called "in-house" training courses for interpreters. These are usually cursory affairs and are no substitute for full training and experience. Similarly, academic achievements, however impressive, are no indication of qualification as an interpreter.

Membership of a Professional Body

Membership of a professional association is indicative of the professional attitude adopted by the interpreter towards his profession.

AIIC is the only worldwide association that sets standards for the profession which are recognised by the United Nations, the European Union and almost all inter-governmental organisations. Membership of AIIC is granted after rigorous vetting, on the basis of linguistic ability, professional competence and integrity. It denotes a high level of language competence, proper training in the techniques of interpreting, experience, a commitment to professionalism and a pledge to abide by AIIC's Code of Ethics. Furthermore, membership of AIIC is the only international certification of interpreting ability. It is, for instance, the only accreditation recognised by the Australian National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) as their highest level for conference interpreters.

Membership of AIIC is the only international recognition of interpreting ability.

Two AIIC interpreters working in Seoul.

Interpreting Experience

Members of AIIC provide services all over the world: to the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, Interpol, the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, governments and Heads of State, as well as to corporate and academic conferences. In the Asia Pacific region, AIIC interpreters often work for UN organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Bank, UNESCO, the UNDP, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the World Tourism Organisation and others. Many organisations based in Europe and elsewhere hold congresses and assemblies in Asia Pacific and use the services of AIIC interpreters. It is worth inquiring whether your interpreters have worked for such organisations lately and have experience in a variety of fields.

Relay Interpreting

In a multilingual conference it is important to minimise the risk of misunderstandings by using interpreters who can understand speakers directly, instead of translating another interpreter's version of the speaker. The latter is technically known as "relay interpreting" and should be avoided whenever possible.

The ability to interpret is a skill many claim but few truly possess.

Most professional interpreters have at least one active language and two passive languages in their combination. However, most Asian-language interpreters have one active mother tongue and a second active foreign language, the latter being English in 90% of the cases. (See Language classification.) It is useful to ascertain whether the interpreters you are being offered can meet the requirements.

Cost

Recruiting the best interpreters directly or through an AIIC consultant interpreter is likely to be cheaper than going through an intermediary (e.g. a translation or tour agency) in addition to providing a guarantee of the team's qualifications. (See Cost of interpretation.)

Finally, when recruiting interpreters, do not be tempted to skimp. Get the best professionals available, as you would, if you needed a doctor or a lawyer. Book well ahead; good interpreters are much in demand. As an experienced conference organiser once said "The most expensive meetings are those ruined by bad interpretation." Remember, better no service at all than poor or unreliable interpretation.