Introduction

Conference interpreting is the act of facilitating communication between people who

speak different languages at conferences and similar events. There are two main types:
simultaneous interpreting and consecutive interpreting.
Simultaneous interpreting happens in real time, with a slight delay. The interpreter listens
to the speaker through a soundproof booth and transmits the interpretation to listeners
wearing headsets. Whispered interpreting and mobile interpreting systems are variations
but are more challenging for the interpreter.
Consecutive interpreting involves waiting for the speaker to finish a section of their speech
before interpreting it. This is often used in informal settings or for speeches where note-
taking is helpful.
Professionalization
The text explains the history and development of conference interpreting.
• Interpreting has been around for a very long time, even dating back to ancient
civilizations.
• Conference interpreting is a modern development but continues the tradition of
facilitating communication across languages.
• After World War II, the need for conference interpreters grew rapidly, leading to the
establishment of schools and professional organizations.
• Simultaneous interpreting became the dominant mode for conferences.
Two important developments that went hand in hand with the growing need for interpreters
and
played important roles in the process of institutionalizing conference interpreting were the
founding
of interpreting schools, first in Geneva and then in Vienna, and the creation of a worldwide
professional organization, the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC).
Role of the AIIC
The AIIC played a significant role in the development of conference interpreting by setting
professional standards, negotiating working conditions for interpreters, and acting as a
quasi-accreditation body.
Here's a table summarizing the AIIC's contributions:
Contribution Description

The AIIC helped shape professional practices and

Setting professional standards in conference interpreting from the beginning.
standards This includes things like working conditions, booth
standards, and training guidelines.

Negotiating working The AIIC negotiated collective agreements with

conditions for international organizations that improved pay and
interpreters working conditions for freelance interpreters.

The AIIC has a peer-endorsement process for

Acting as a quasi-
membership, which helped to ensure the quality of
accreditation body
conference interpreters.

Key terms of the profession

The text introduces two key concepts in conference interpreting: working languages and
relay interpreting.
• Working languages refer to the specific languages an interpreter works with. There
are two categories:
o Active languages (A & B): These are the languages the interpreter translates
into. A is the interpreter's native language or equivalent, and B is a second
strong language they can translate into.
o Passive languages (C): These are the languages the interpreter translates
from. Interpreters typically work from their passive languages into their active
languages.
• Relay interpreting involves using an intermediary language to facilitate interpretation
between two languages the interpreter doesn't directly work with. This is common in
multilingual settings where interpreters might need to rely on a colleague's
interpretation into a language they understand. The text gives examples of relay
interpreting in spoken languages (e.g., European Union meetings) and signed
languages.
The text defines three terms used in conference interpreting for situations with multiple
languages.
• Retour interpreting: Interpreting into a strong second language (instead of the
interpreter's native language) is called retour interpreting. This can be helpful for
relays out of less common languages.
• Pivot: An interpreter with a less common language as a passive language is called a
pivot, as other interpreters rely on them for relays. To avoid overburdening a single
pivot, large conferences use relays through different language families.
• Language regime: This refers to the specific combination of active and passive
languages used at a particular conference.

Conference interpreting in the world

he text describes the conference interpreting market in different regions of the world.
• Europe: Most common market with a mix of freelance and staff interpreters. Major
players are EU institutions and private companies.
• Asia Pacific: Primarily freelance market with clients being companies,
governments, and NGOs. UN agencies rely on interpreters from headquarters due to
limited local supply.
• South America: Almost all freelance interpreters serving private sector clients
(medicine, law, etc.) and large state-owned companies. Spanish and Portuguese are
the main languages.
• Africa: Mostly freelance interpreters working for international organizations (African
Union, UN agencies), regional organizations, and parliaments. Languages used
depend on the organization.
• North America: Mix of freelance and staff interpreters. US government, UN, and
private sector are the main clients. Canada has a large government interpreting
service alongside a growing private market.
• Arab Countries: Mostly freelance interpreters with some staff positions in a few
organizations. Clients include international organizations, governments, NGOs, and
private companies. Arabic and English are the main languages.

European Union
The European Union (EU) is the world's largest employer of conference interpreters due to
its unique emphasis on multilingualism.
• The EU has 24 official languages for its 28 member states.
• To offer interpretation services in all these languages, the EU employs a large team
of interpreters (around 1,000 staff and 3,000 freelance).
• Unlike other international organizations that use a few working languages, the EU
prioritizes interpreting directly from each spoken language (24) into an interpreter's
native language.
• This approach minimizes the need for relay interpreting (using an intermediary
language).
• As a result, EU interpreters typically have a strong understanding of many passive
languages (they translate from) but may not necessarily have a strong second active
language (they translate into).
United Nations
The UN is another major employer of conference interpreters with six official languages
(Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) and two working languages (English,
French).
• Unlike the EU, the UN uses a booth system where interpreters translate from all
other languages into their native language (except for Arabic and Chinese booths).
• This approach requires interpreters to have strong passive skills in multiple
languages (except Arabic and Chinese interpreters).
• The UN headquarters in New York has the largest interpreting service and relies on
freelance interpreters during peak times.
• To work for the UN, interpreters need to pass an exam and have strong skills in
multiple UN languages.

Facts and figures

The text describes trends in conference interpreting based on a survey by the International
Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC).
• Simultaneous interpreting is the most common mode (82% of work days) followed
by simultaneous with whispering/bidule (90.6%).
 • Consecutive interpreting is less common (5.5% of work days) but has increased in
recent years.
• Most conference interpreting happens in traditional settings like conferences and
workshops (83%).
• Interpreting for media, courts, and community settings is less common (10-17% of
work days).
• Signed language interpreting at conferences is growing, and the AIIC now allows
signed language interpreters as members.
• Remote interpreting (interpretation from a different location) is a new and growing
trend (reported by 40% of interpreters).
Professional code of ethics
Conference interpreters adhere to a code of ethics that prioritizes impartiality,
confidentiality, and professional integrity. This code sets a high standard for professional
conduct, but it is less specific about how to achieve these goals compared to codes in
some related fields, such as court interpreting. There is a growing movement among
interpreters and academics to consider the broader ethical implications of their work. This
movement is particularly focused on situations where interpreting can have a significant
impact, such as in war zones or social justice movements. In these contexts, interpreters
are increasingly called upon to consider how their work can influence the events they are
interpreting and the potential consequences of their interpretations.
Training
Conference interpreter training has become more formalized and specialized since the
1920s.
• The field has moved away from on-the-job training towards hundreds of formal
training programs around the world. These programs are increasingly focused on the
postgraduate level, as evidenced by the growing popularity of programs like the
European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI), which offers a standardized
curriculum designed to meet high quality standards.
• There is general agreement among major stakeholders in the field, including the
Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), the European Masters in Conference
Interpreting (EMCI), and national organizations, on the importance of several key
elements in conference interpreter training. These elements include focusing
training at the postgraduate level, using professional conference interpreters as
trainers and program coordinators, administering proper entrance and final exams,
and allowing external jury members on the exam boards to ensure high levels of
quality and transparency.
 • In addition to practical training in interpretation techniques, skills, and knowledge,
the field has also witnessed the development of more theoretically-oriented
academic programs. These programs focus on training researchers in Interpreting
Studies, preparing students for careers in research and academia. A considerable
number of MA and PhD theses are written each year on conference interpreting, and
this upward trend is clearly visible in the growing number of entries in online
bibliographies such as the Conference Interpreting Research Information Network
(CIRIN) Translation Studies Bibliography (TSB) and Translation Studies Abstracts
(TSA).

Conference interpreting as a field of research

Conference interpreting is a major area of study within interpreting studies. Research on
conference interpreting has focused on the following areas:
• What users expect from conference interpreters: Users prioritize faithfulness to the
meaning of the original message. However, researchers question how well these
surveys capture user expectations, since different audience members may have
different priorities.
• The professional image and role perceptions of conference interpreters: There is a
gap between what outsiders expect (interpreters to be word-for-word) and what
interpreters see as their role (conveying intended meaning). Interpreters themselves
may struggle with this tension, wanting to be neutral but also needing to make
decisions about how to deliver the message.
• Overall, the complex and challenging nature of conference interpreting can be both
a difficulty and a satisfaction for interpreters.
Future challenges
The future of conference interpreting presents several challenges:
• Remote interpreting is becoming more common, but standards need to be
developed to ensure quality.
• The dominance of English in conferences may affect demand for interpreters and
the specific languages needed.
• Deregulation could make it harder for interpreters to negotiate good working
conditions with international organizations.
• The rise of national accreditation systems creates a need for international
standards to ensure consistency.