Do you need an interpreter for English, Italian and Spanish for your event, but you don’t know where to start? Do you already know what you are looking for but still have some doubts? Check out this post where I answer ten frequently asked questions about my interpreting services!
1) I am organizing an event and I need an interpreter for English, Italian and Spanish. However, I don’t know exactly what type of interpreting I need. How can I find out which one I need?
There are three main interpreting modes: simultaneous, consecutive and liaison interpreting. Have you never heard about them? Don’t worry. Let me briefly explain what they consist of and for what events they are most suitable.
Simultaneous interpreting is an instantaneous, oral translation of the speaker’s speech into the audience’s language and the audience’s responses into the speaker’s language. The interpreter can either do this remotely or on-site (from an isolated booth that is at the same venue of the event or by using a system called bidule). Simultaneous interpreting is the ideal mode for a congress, conference or lecture.
Consecutive interpreting happens after you speak: the interpreter takes notes of what is said and subsequently translates (at time intervals of approximately 3 or 4 minutes). Consecutive interpreting is the most suitable mode for interviews and workshops.
Last but not least, liaison interpreting (or business interpreting, when it is used at business meetings) is a sort of short consecutive: each turn of speech is translated subsequently, without note-taking. Liaison interpreting is the most appropriate mode for conversations because it is more immediate than consecutive and doesn’t require the same devices as a simultaneous (headsets, microphones, booths, etc.). Some contexts where liaison interpreting may be used are trade shows and exhibitions, business meetings, medical appointments, attorney/client interactions, and meetings at a public services office.
Are you still not sure which type of interpreting you need? Don’t worry, write to me without any commitment and ask for my advice! We’ll choose the most suitable type of interpreting for your event together.
2) How can I contact you quickly?
You can get in touch with me by email (eleonora.monoscalco@gmail.com), by using the form on my website, by WhatsApp or by phone call (+39 320-2663422).
The quickest way to get in touch with me is to send me an e-mail, as I check e-mails very often during the day. However, there is no problem if you prefer to call me. You can call me anytime. If I don’t get back to you straight away, it means I am carrying out another interpretation, I am talking to another client, or I am unavailable at that time. I will call you back within a few hours or a few minutes, depending on the activity I am doing at that time. Alternatively, we can schedule a call together.
3) Why should I rely on you and not another interpreter for English, Italian and Spanish?
Because I offer you not only quality services, but also professionalism, proximity, availability and flexibility. There are plenty of skilled interpreters for English, Italian and Spanish, but not all of them share my values: I am a determined and ambitious, yet humble, empathetic, respectful and honest person. I am extremely reliable and I go the extra mile to ensure that your event will be a success, always preparing thoroughly for any assignment.
Also, I like to look after my clients and reserve some special conditions for them. To give you some examples, if your event lasts 10-15 minutes longer than planned, you will not pay for the extra minutes. If you change the conference topic at the last minute – as stressful as all this can be for me – I adapt quickly to the change and prepare as much as possible. If you write to me several times before the event, I answer as quickly as possible with empathy and helpfulness. If I can do anything to make your life easier – even if it does not strictly fall under my interpreter duties – I will try to accommodate.
So why waste your time and keep looking for an interpreter for English, Italian and Spanish if you have already found my profile? If I haven’t convinced you yet, check out my portfolio and reviews on my website or ask me for a free short interpreting test. 😊
4) Why should I hire two interpreters for a simultaneous interpreting session lasting more than one hour and a half?
The reason is very simple: simultaneous interpreting involves a great deal of cognitive effort and, in order to provide a quality service, our brains need to rest approximately every 30 minutes. Therefore, we take turns with our boothmate. But don’t think that we are wasting our time: far from resting, the interpreter who is not translating helps the other interpreter with the most complicated terminology, names and figures so that nothing is lost in the translation of something so important to you. In addition, he/she remains in constant communication with you at all times and in chats (in the case of a remote event).
5) If I hire you for a simultaneous interpreting session, do you already have your boothmate or do I have to find another interpreter?
The choice is yours! If you already have another interpreter that you would like to hire, I will be happy to interpret with them. If you don’t have one yet, I can suggest one myself, drawing from my network of trusted interpreters for English, Italian and Spanish that I have already worked successfully with!
6) Why do you take notes during consecutive or liaison interpreting?
I take notes during consecutive interpreting to make sure that the message I am going to convey to your audience is as accurate as possible. No matter how good my memory is, I want to reproduce your message without missing any details. I don’t usually take a lot of notes during liaison interpreting, but I do make a note of the numbers and most complicated facts to remember. Don’t worry: when the event is over, I will shred my notes or hand them over to you if you ask me to. I won’t keep any confidential information.
7) Will the interpreting service cost me a lot?
Absolutely not! Think of an interpreting service as an investment: communicating your message to people who do not speak the same language as you do gives you access to new markets, customers, and opportunities. Consider the interpreter as one expense among many: the speakers at your conference, your company’s booth at a trade show, your machinery, your marketing campaign, etc.
I guarantee that I will offer you honest rates that respect my work as well as yours, and that will be tailored to the duration and type of your event. So, rest assured: I will not charge you a single euro/dollar/pound (please insert your currency 😊) more than what a professional interpreting service costs! And, if for some reason you are on a very tight budget, still try to write to me and we will try to find some common ground. If we find it, great! If we don’t find it, no problem: my quote and advice are totally free!
8) If I call you for recurring events, does your rate change?
Yes. For returning clients who hire me more frequently as an interpreter, I usually offer a discount that we agree on together.
9) I can’t afford a professional interpreting service right now. Do you think my cousin who speaks English/Spanish can be my interpreter?
That depends. The answer is the same answer I would give to the following question: Can I take photos on my phone at my wedding instead of hiring a professional photographer? If you just want to get by and make yourself understood, then you can. If you accept that the message may not be accurate and communication may not flow, then the answer is yes: your cousin can do it! However, if you want to be as professional as possible, forget about translation altogether and ensure that the message is not distorted, then the answer is no. In this case, your cousin cannot do it, no matter how fluent he/she is in English or in Spanish.
How important is your event to you? If you are organizing an event that is not too significant and without a budget, you can opt for a non-professional interpreter. However, if you want to make a good impression on your audience, negotiate something, sell your products or look for new clients, I recommend hiring a professional interpreter. And if you need an interpreter for Italian, Spanish and English, I am at your complete disposal.
10) Why do you say you will need several hours of preparation and ask me for materials?
Contrary to popular belief, it is not enough to just know interpreting techniques and how to speak two languages to be an interpreter. For the event to run smoothly, it is essential that you know what you are going to talk about and, if possible, have access to the list of speakers and the titles of their talks. Think of it this way: if your speaker is an expert in a subject and is going to talk to other experts about it to teach them things they didn’t know previously, how can an interpreter understand those concepts in 2-3 seconds while doing a simultaneous translation?
Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to send me the speech beforehand – far from it. I just need to know the specific topic of the conference, the title and the speakers. That said, if you already know that a PowerPoint presentation will be given, a written paper read or a video shown, I recommend providing me with all the available materials in advance. That way, I will be able to study properly and not miss any information during the presentation.
If you do not provide me with any materials, I will still prepare with what is available on the internet. However, if I have to prepare “blindly”, I will not be able to guarantee the same quality as if you send me the materials beforehand. Don’t worry about confidentiality: if you want, we can sign a confidentiality agreement and I will delete any information/material from my computer after the event.
We have come to the end of this post, which I hope has shed some more light on the work of professional interpreters. Would you like to know more? Do you have any doubts or questions? Write to me without obligation and I will be happy to offer you a consultation. Together we will decide if I can help you with my services as an interpreter for English, Italian and Spanish!
