Interpreting is still a very niche and poorly understood profession. The highly technical service it offers and the confidentiality it guarantees mean that interpreters don’t usually feature on the front pages of newspapers on a weekly basis – and when they actually do, it’s for all the wrong reasons – but that lack of exposure means the public knows very little about the ins and out of one of the oldest professions around.
It’s unfortunately normal that clients who approach interpreters for the first time can harbour a few misconceptions about the profession. The most common, and my least favourites, are:
- being bilingual automatically makes you an interpreter
- it’s an easy job where you just turn up to the event and translate if you know the two languages
- interpreting is an accessory service and can be booked last if there is any budget surplus.
The fatal one, however, is that one interpreter is enough to cover a whole event. Although this can be true in certain scenarios, more often than not clients will need to book at least two interpreters per language. This, of course, has a considerable impact on the final price of the service, but there are many good reasons why trying to cut corners and hiring just one interpreter can lead to disaster.
Why You Need Two Interpreters for an Event
1. Cognitive Load: Interpretation Leads to Mental Saturation in a Short Time-Span for live translators
Cognitive load is the research term referring to the mental strain that interpreting places on the brain. When working simultaneously, interpreters engage in an endless cycle of listening to the original speech, understanding its meaning, converting it into the target language, and speaking to convey the translation. The speaker, however, never stops until they reach the end of their speech, so the interpreter is constantly talking in language B while listening to language A.
On top of this, interpreters are also checking glossaries, reference documentation, and slides, as well as (silently!) communicating with their partner, who supports them by noting numbers, dates, and useful terms down to ease the cognitive load.
Remote interpreting has added another layer of complexity, requiring interpreters to juggle multiple devices, execute seamless changeovers without visual cues, and operate virtual consoles. This intensifies the mental demand, making the presence of a second interpreter even more critical.
Research has shown that interpreting quality (i.e., accuracy, completeness, and linguistic appropriateness) deteriorates after approximately 30 minutes. In remote settings, the time interval is even shorter due to lower audio quality and non-optimal working conditions.
There is no two ways about it: to ensure high-quality Italian live translation, interpreters must work in pairs.
2. Technology Can Fail – Be Prepared
The year 2020 forced society to rely on technology more than ever, exposing both its merits and its limitations. Issues such as frozen screens, crackling or no audio, pixelated video, dead batteries, and sudden power outages can all disrupt live interpreting services.
Let me share a first-hand experience: during a virtual multilingual event managed by FSL Language Solutions, all eight interpreters (four languages) were connected 20 minutes in advance, yet one of them faced a technical glitch and couldn’t access the interpreting console. It took 30 minutes of troubleshooting before they were finally able to join. If only one interpreter had been booked for that language, the audience would have been left without interpretation.
Technical failures happen in live settings, too, due to unforeseen circumstances such as strikes, extreme weather, or transportation issues. Having at least two Italian interpreters in London booked for your event ensures a fail-safe, guaranteeing the service proceeds smoothly.
3. Interpreting is a Team Effort
A common misconception is that interpreters are walking dictionaries. While they are highly skilled language professionals, they still require preparation to deliver a top-tier performance, meaning your audience remains engaged, the message flows through, and you can reach your goals.
Preparation is a crucial part of any interpreting assignment, and teamwork plays a vital role. Interpreters divide research tasks, create bilingual glossaries, and share useful resources. In the booth, they assist each other by noting down names, numbers, and tricky terminology, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
In remote interpreting, the absence of a physical partner makes the task even harder, which is why hiring a team of live translators who have previously worked together is a winning strategy.
The Bottom Line: Always Book a Team of Two live translators
If you’re organizing an international conference, a live event, or a virtual meeting and need live translators in London, aka interpreters, it’s essential to book at least two professionals per language.
This ensures:
- High-quality service throughout the event
- Technical reliability, even in the face of unexpected issues
- A seamless experience for all participants
Just look at the best practices established by international institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union – often regarded as the gold standard when it comes to interpreting working conditions. If you spy just above MPEs, you’ll see rows upon rows of interpreting booths overlooking the plenary room – if you really squint, you might even spot not two but three interpreters per booth. Interpreting quality is so pivotal for the EU that it books three interpreters so they can alternate with longer breaks and be well rested and raring to go once it’s their turn.
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