An interpreter for a business meeting

An interpreter who is invited to a meeting must prepare for it in advance.

Preparation is an invisible work that promotes the success of large and small meetings, thanks to which translators are always heard, but often do not see.

Preparation is important, whether it is working face-to-face with people in the hospital or immigration service, or in the cabin at the back of the conference room. But before you look at the reason and method of preparation, let’s look at a couple of things.

First, the translation of any kind is not just the knowledge of languages. Knowledge of languages is just a prerequisite for work, which is to convey what the speaker says. As part of this communication process, language is nothing more than raw materials waiting to be formed in a finished product – a message. And in order to successfully accomplish the task, translators should have a complete understanding of the subject and context with which they work.

From this it follows that the translation does not consist in finding the equivalents of words in another language. To form a finished product that exceeds the sum of its parts, it is necessary to use a lot of resources – knowledge, contextualization, rapid analysis, cohesion, subtlety of expression, correct terminology, etc.

And this brings us back to the preparation, because this is the stage at which all these elements are worked out. Compare this to the study that the biographer does before sitting down to write a biography.

It’s not just about performances

It’s clear, but if you’re looking for professionals who know how to communicate, beware of those who do not ask or do not know what to ask! Let’s see what is behind the requests and, perhaps, we will clarify some common misunderstandings. Firstly, the word “documents”, when used by an interpreter, has to do with much more than the material typical for the upcoming meeting. Secondly, there is a wide range of useful documents that can be easily accessed. Finally, translators really want to be prepared – this is part of the job description. They know that both general experience and specific subject knowledge play a fundamental role in what they do.

What your translators can use

So, here are some tips on how to satisfy these requests for documents and reap the benefits of preparing an interpreter for the meeting.

The agenda may not seem so big, but it is filled with information. It shows how the meeting is organized – schedule, presentations / presentations, discussions and breakout sessions, etc. Add a summary of speakers and a list of participants (individuals and organizations), and this will help the translator even better.

Protocols, position documents, even general information about your organization will show what the company is. Your translators will get information about the areas discussed, take information about the procedures and find out how the conversations at your company’s meetings take place.

Any reference materials provided to participants, especially information about the purpose of the meeting, should be available to your language specialists. This will help them to concentrate and understand what can be talked about during the meeting.

Your site and the websites of any partner groups will be extremely useful and, perhaps, should have been mentioned first. In the end, the site may well be a place where all the information mentioned above is available. The interpreter for the meeting will be prepared as much as possible, thanks to the analysis of the websites of all participants.

Direct contact between people is sometimes forgotten in our high-tech world, but this should not be. Maximize communication by minimizing the distance between your organization and translators. It is advisable to have one contact person on each side.

Briefing before the meeting can be useful for both parties, especially if the topic is highly specialized. If there are concerns about the confidentiality of the material, do not worry, professionals are bound by absolute confidentiality before, during and after the job.

Careful preparation helps translators cope with surprises, and not only during speeches, but also during discussions, questions and answers.

It’s all about communication. Translators receive results from knowledge gained and backed up through methodological training, for use and good performance, which is another way of saying that they are proud to help people communicate. When the interpreter comes to the meeting aware of the intricacies and nuances of all participants in the meeting, then the meeting is held at the highest level. For such a result, try to provide all available information about the participants and discussed directions and you can be calm, the meeting will be held as well as possible, and the translator will perform his work perfectly.

An interpreter for a business meeting обновлено: October 13, 2017 автором: azurit