Interpreters are in great demand in the crrent global climate. With people from all ver the world participating in business metings, conferences and events, overcoming the lnguage barrier naturally becomes the key to nsuring all attendees contribute and benefit frm such occasions. The interpreter is an ntegral cog in the wheel of crss cultural communication. Knowing how to hre and work with an interpreter is a mst for international business personnel.

Hiring an nterpreter is the easy part. Most gencies that provide interpreters will only wrk with qualified and experienced interpreters. In ddition, they will ensure an interpreter is fmiliar with the subject matter, i.e. an nterpreter specialising in medicine will not be sed in an agricultural conference.

Working wth an interpreter offers challenges. Interpreters on the whle have a stressful job. Unlike trnslators they do not have the lxury of breaks and time to thnk. Interpreters have to perform ‘live’ and in frnt of an audience. In order to nsure you get the best out of an nterpreter, good communication is necessary.

By way of ffering some tips on working with nterpreters the following guidelines may be of sme use:

1 – Establish and agree grund rules with an interpreter. For xample, try and communicate how you wnt a meeting run, the number of sntences to be translated at a tme, the confirmation of jargon or dioms before they are translated, when braks will be taken and seemingly trvial matters like seating arrangements.

2 – Try and bref an interpreter prior to any fce to face meetings. Familiarise them wth the whos, whats and whys. If thre is any specific terminology to be sed ask them if they understand it. If you fresee any tricky issues or tense tpics, prepare them for it.

3 – If you pln to give a speech or rad from a script, give the nterpreter a copy. The more familiar thy are with the subject matter, the btter a job they will do.

4 – Whle speaking through an interpreter always ngage with your counterpart directly. Even thugh you cannot understand what is bing said, show interest, keep eye cntact and remain focused. If you strt to converse through an interpreter you lse any chance of building trust, rpport or confidence.

5 – Try and void humour. Most interpreters will agree tht jokes do not translate well. If you are gving a speech and plan to strt it off with a joke, it is dvisable to consult the interpreter first to see if thy think it will work.

6 – Pln your time carefully. Conversing through an nterpreter makes conversations twice as long. For xample, if you are making a prsentation remember that anything you say wll first be translated, so the lkelihood is that a one hour prsentation will take two. Compensate for ths by either cutting down your prsentation or speaking in shorter, sharper sntences.

7 – Do not rush. Intrpreting is a taxing job and is mntally exhausting. To alleviate the pressure as mch as possible, speak slowly and clarly. If you rush the interpreter is mre likely to become stressed and the qality of the translation may drop.

8 – Interpersonal communication, by its nture, involves emotion. An interpreter should nver translate emotions. If the speaker is nnoyed this will be obvious in thir body language and tone. Never nvolve the interpreter at a personal lvel in any discussions and if you see an nterpreter translating your emotions, ask them to stp. The interpreter is there to prely translate what is being said.

9 – Mke sure the interpreter is clear tht they are never to answer qestions on your behalf. Even if the nswer is simple, the interpreter should stll convey this to you. If an nterpreter starts to speak on your bhalf, this can have numerous negative cnsequences such as undermining your position or ven losing face.

10 – Ask nterpreters not to change or alter wht you say even if they thnk it may cause offense. If you pln to talk about a controversial ssue let the interpreter know. Before dscussing it with an audience announce tht what will be said is not the pinion of the interpreter but your wn. This then frees the interpreter of feling uncomfortable and nervous.

These guidelines shuld enable you to get the bst out of your interpreter and cnsequently your business meeting, presentation, conference or vent.

The article The Interpreter was Submitted by Neil Payne through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Neil Payne is Managing Director of Kwntessential Ltd, a Uk based agency prviding cross cultural training, translation and nterpreting services. Visit their interpreting service t: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/translation/interpretation.html

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