Remote interpreting is a common term among interpreters for remote interpreting or interpreting from a distance. In recent years, the terminology has also found its way into the events industry and international companies.
With this type of interpreting, the interpreters are not in the same place as the interlocutors. The interpreter can join the conversation via video or telephone. Telephone interpreting only requires a landline telephone or cell phone, while video interpreting requires an internet-enabled device such as a tablet or laptop.
Interpreting is as old as languages themselves. There is evidence that interpreters were already active in the ancient Egyptian Empire and later also in Rome.
However, the profession of interpreting as we know it today only developed during the 20th century. The reason for this was the advancement of technology. With the help of the mobile phone network and the internet, it became possible to interpret conversations without having to sit opposite the other party. Remote interpreting was born.
Since the coronavirus pandemic, remote interpreting has become increasingly important. Events, meetings and conferences were held online. If there were several people with different native languages in a conversation, there was a risk that language barriers would hinder the conversation. In such cases, a remote interpreter was called in instead of a face-to-face interpreter.
With remote consecutive interpreting, the speech is subsequently translated orally into the target language. The participants in the conversation and the interpreters therefore take turns. The individual contributions can be a few seconds or several minutes long. The remote interpreter listens until the speaker has finished and only then translates what has been said. While listening, the remote interpreter takes notes on what has been said. If they do not understand something clearly, they can ask the speaker to repeat a part.
In remote simultaneous interpreting, on the other hand, the conversation is translated orally almost simultaneously. This type of interpreting is much more strenuous for the interpreter, as he/she must listen, analyze and translate into another language at the same time. Speaker and interpreter speak at the same time. With remote simultaneous interpreting, the interpreter usually starts a few seconds after the speaker.
Remote interpreting can be used in the form of telephone interpreting or video interpreting. This results in a wide range of applications. It can be used wherever two or more people with different mother tongues need to have a conversation and are in different locations. Possible scenarios are:
People who speak little or no German often come to appointments at public authorities, government offices and ministries. It is important to guarantee accessibility for them too. This is possible with the help of remote interpreters. By avoiding linguistic misunderstandings, official work processes can also be accelerated. This leads to greater satisfaction for everyone involved.
In social institutions, an interpreter is often needed quickly and spontaneously. Remote interpreters are the perfect solution for this requirement. They help to overcome linguistic and intercultural difficulties in women’s shelters and refugee homes, for example, but also in schools or during counseling sessions. The conversations there are often about highly emotional and difficult topics. For this reason, all the remote interpreters we use are appropriately qualified.
Many of the women who seek help in women’s shelters or women’s advice centers do not speak German. With the support of remote interpreters, an interpreter can be added to the conversation during telephone and face-to-face counseling sessions.
In order to decide on the right treatment, a diagnosis and an informative discussion are important. People who have a different mother tongue often do not understand the doctor. LingaTel therefore offers specialized remote interpreters to support medical professionals. Remote interpreters are a blessing, especially when rapid medical action is required. They can be added flexibly and spontaneously via the Internet or mobile phone network.
Damage can happen anywhere. It can be particularly complicated when this happens abroad. Damage reports are drawn up in a foreign language and communication with witnesses and officials is only possible to a limited extent due to language barriers. This can easily lead to delays and misunderstandings. With LingaTel`s remote interpreters, work processes can be accelerated and clear communication with foreign authorities and private individuals can be realized.
Regardless of the industry, LingaTel interpreters can be used in any company. This can open doors to new countries and new markets. Interlingual and cultural barriers can be easily bridged. This enables companies to expand their foreign-language customer base and enter international cooperation.
Thanks to the fast and flexible working methods of remote interpreters, business processes can take place without any loss of time.
Whether for online conferences via teams or a conference where all participants are in one room, LingaTel’s interpreters are the right solution in every situation.
You are welcome to contact us at any time on 089 / 189 279 200, kontakt@lingatel.de or use our contact forms.