Esit Traducciones blog
Interpreting in pandemic
New and great possibilities
Many years ago it was already possible to interpret from afar, for example, by telephone. An interpretation could also be transmitted far from a place, either by radio or television, and even not so far by closed circuit television (CCTV). It can be called in different ways, such as distance interpretation, remote interpretation, and now, even online interpretation, although there is also remote and offline or asynchronous interpretation.
There have been online communication platforms that allow teleconferences for some time now, but their use was limited. Since the first outbreak of COVID-19, online conferences became dramatically necessary and have taken giant steps in the number of users and technological platforms to carry it.
However, initially these platforms had not developed the necessary functionality for conference interpreting. Simultaneous interpreters were then forced to work with two separate platforms, two sets of headphones, and two different devices at the same time! meanwhile, they were doing their already difficult task of listening and understanding a message in one language, translating it into another language in mind, and saying it immediately in the target language with only about five words of difference behind the speaker.
It must be said that technologists fortunately took very little time to develop interpretation functionality in online conference platforms and we have several platforms today, such as the ubiquitous zoom platform and other more specialized ones like Interprefy or Kudo, which have been a breakthrough in the world of international meetings and conferences and that have made life easier for conference interpreters.
Nowadays, you can organize international conferences with thousands of attendees, dazzling speakers, excellent interpreters, exchanges in plenary sessions and work groups, workshops and poster rooms, as well as small groups for networking without anyone having to travel to achieve it. Undoubtedly, the world of international conferences has grown exponentially thanks to these new developments. Simultaneous interpreters have also been able to continue offering their much-needed services for international communication, only now they do so in a decentralized way and for the entire world.
Understanding between nations, international business, advancement of science and technology, and progress of civil society will all be greatly enhanced by the work of technology, conference organizers, and simultaneous interpreters from around the world.