GUIDELINES

FOR WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH INTERPRETERS AT

BUSINESS MEETINGS

When planning for business meetings where one or more participants need interpreting services to participate fully in the discussions, it is important for the client to ensure the following:

•  Logistics: The meeting room is arranged so that all participants speaking at the meeting can see and hear each other

•  Terminology: The client provides to the interpreter names of participants, job titles, corporate terminology, acronyms and an agenda in sufficient time, so that interpreters may brief themselves beforehand and perform more smoothly during the meeting

•  Speaking: When referring to a particular document, quote the specific reference / paragraph number first, then pause to allow participants to find the reference. When quoting figures speak slowly and distinctly and repeat the figures, if necessary. Explain less well known acronyms the first time they are used in your meeting. If you intend to read anything out please make sure that the interpreter has a copy. At all times, please remember that speaking is better than reading.

• Hours: The start and finish time of the meeting is agreed by the organisers and that the interpreters are contracted for these hours (one day = not more than 7 hours plus 1hr lunch)

•  Breaks: The usual breaks are allowed for lunch, coffee and tea, during an 8 hour day. To enable consistent professional performance, the meeting is planned with regular short breaks at 45m (max 1 hour) intervals

•  Overtime: If unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances arise, where interpreters are asked to work beyond the hours contracted, overtime may be negotiated with interpreters. If they agree to undertake such work, this is charged at an hourly rate (to be negotiated) and it is understood that the interpreter will work to the best of his or her ability, in such extended hours

•  Questions: The Chairperson repeats any questions, as appropriate, before answering them, to ensure that everyone has heard the question - participants and interpreters

•  Speaker: When making a presentation, the speaker faces the room and not the presentation screen

•  Pacing: Speakers pace their contributions, to allow for interpretation

• Interventions: All participants and interpreters may raise their hand and make comments or requests relating to hearing, seeing or understanding anything during the meeting

•  Awareness: All participants are made aware of these guidelines

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The first pillar of quality in professional interpreting settings is to ensure professional working conditions. There is nothing more frustrating to a good interpreter than to be prevented from delivering quality interpretation due to the non-provision of texts, bad sound, poor visibility, or other inadequate working conditions.

The second pillar of quality in professional interpreting is diligent and thorough preparation by the interpreter. Thorough preparation takes time and effort, but it is crucial for the delivery of high quality interpretation. This is why it is so important to provide interpreters with details of the subject and terminology in advance of the meeting.

GUIDELINES

FOR SPEAKERS AT CONFERENCES

• If you have a written text or notes for your speech, whether or not you intend following them closely, please hand a copy to the interpreters. Interpreters do not simply rely on words, they interpret the meaning and should therefore familiarize themselves with your subject and terminology. You are free to depart from your text or add to it as you go along. Interpreters are bound by professional secrecy, and the content of your document will remain confidential at all times and will be returned to you on request.

•  If your paper is technical, please give the interpreters any terminology you may have or any background papers on the same subject

•  Organizing a briefing with the interpreters would be beneficial. Likewise, meeting the speakers would be useful in order to clarify specific points which will help improve performance.

•  If you wish to show a film, slides or transparencies, please make sure that the interpreters receive the script or a copy of the transparencies. It would be helpful if the interpreters had copies of the projected text in front of them.

•  When reading from a script one tends to speed up which means that the audience will find it difficult to follow and, as a result, parts of your message will be lost. If you have not spoken at meetings with interpretation before, it may be advisable to pace your delivery beforehand. Ideally, you should allow 3 minutes per page of 40 lines.

•  Please do not speak too close to the microphone as this creates interference and avoid leaving your receiver set close to the microphone when you speak to prevent feed-back whistling. The technician will be able to advise you on this.

•  If you need to move away from your seat, i.e. to point at a slide or transparency projection, please use a neck or lapel microphone. Without a microphone the interpreters cannot hear you, however loud you speak.

•  If you are speaking from the rostrum or a lectern and want to reply to questions from the floor, please make sure you have a receiver set with you to follow the questions as they are interpreted.