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 translating and interpreting services in Italy and elsewhere!
1) I am organizing an event and I need Spanish, Italian or English interpreting services, but I don’t know exactly what type of interpreting I need. How can I find out which one best meets my needs?
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 as the event or by using a system called bidule, like the 30-unit radio system that I personally own).
It is the ideal mode for a congress, conference or lecture. You can find out further information by clicking here: simultaneous interpreting.
Consecutive interpreting happens after you speak: the interpreter takes notes of what is said and subsequently translates (at time intervals of approximately 2 or 3 minutes).
It is the most suitable mode for interviews and workshops. You can find out further information by clicking here: consecutive interpreting.
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.
It is the most appropriate mode for conversations because it is more immediate than consecutive and doesn’t require the same devices as a simultaneous.
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. You can find out further information by clicking here: liaison interpreting.
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 choose your English, Italian and Spanish translating and interpreting services and not those of another interpreter?
You’re right to ask, there are many other competent, skilled interpreters offering interpreting and translating services!
Mine are the perfect choice for you because:
- I have 8+ years of experience as a professional interpreter and translator
- I have 40+ positive reviews from clients on LinkedIn, Google Maps, Facebook and in PDF format
- I have 300+ days of conference and liaison interpreting
- I am a Qualified Member of AITI (The Italian Association of Translators and Interpreters), following the successful completion of a peer-reviewed conference interpreting competency exam, and hold an attestation of quality and professional qualification pursuant to Italian Law No. 4/2013 (click here to view it)
- I have lent my voice to several internationally renowned personalities including Noam Chomsky, Steven Hayes and Daniel Everett
- I have interpreted for several top-level clients, including the UN Security Council, Dom Pérignon, Dior and Campari
- I am a Qualified Member of ANITI (The Italian National Association of Translators and Interpreters), which provides, among other benefits, Professional Civil Liability insurance coverage
- I hold an MA from one of the best interpreting schools in Italy (Forlì/Bologna University)
- I carefully prepare for each and every assignment and regularly take care of my continuing professional development by attending new courses and webinars
- Last but not least, 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, I can adapt quickly to this change and prepare myself in the best possible way. I am here to support you every step of the way. If you have any questions leading up to the event, feel free to reach out – I pride myself on responding quickly with care and dedicated support. 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.
Why spend more time searching for an interpreter when you’ve already found the right fit? Let’s start discussing your project today. If I haven’t convinced you yet, check out my portfolio and reviews on my website or ask me for a free call so we can get to know each other better 🙂.
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 translation 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 interpreting services, 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 work alongside them. If you don’t have one yet, I can suggest one myself, drawing from my network of trusted Spanish, English and Italian interpreters with whom I work almost daily with excellent results.
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.
Your privacy is paramount. Upon conclusion of the event, all digital materials are permanently deleted. Any physical notes taken can either be handed directly to you or securely destroyed, ensuring no confidential information is retained.
7) Will your interpreting service cost me a lot?
Absolutely not! Think of interpreting and translating services 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!
Moreover, I am available for interpreting assignments at reduced rates or pro bono in cases that are particularly close to my heart, such as animal welfare and protection, and the rights of medical, psychological, and psychiatric patients. If I am not available in person for the date of your event, I will try to support you with my team of professional colleagues!
8) How are fees structured for ongoing partnerships and frequent bookings?
I value the trust of my returning clients. For those who require frequent translation or interpreting services, I offer customized rate structures tailored to the volume and frequency of our collaboration.
9) I can’t afford a professional interpreting service right now. Do you think my cousin who speaks English/Spanish/Italian can be my interpreter?
That depends on the importance of the conversation. Just as phone photos can’t replace a professional photographer at a wedding, basic communication tools can’t replace a skilled interpreter. If you simply want to be ‘understood,’ you can get by; but if you want to truly connect and succeed, professional expertise is essential.
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 your event to run smoothly, it is essential that I 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 an NDA (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 my interpreting and translating services. 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.
I am ready to help you bridge the language gap. Let’s discuss how my Spanish, English and Italian interpreting services in Italy and elsewhere can be tailored to your needs!
