MIT-FAQs
Wieso ist es sinnvoll, sich an einen professionellen Übersetzer / Dolmetscher zu wenden? Why a professional translator / interpreter? – In today’s globalised world, the lingua franca - English - is considered a must for anyone. Beyond that, schools and language services offer a flurry of language courses, e.g. from Spanish, French Italian to Turkish, Arabic and Chinese. In addition, there are quite a few people who have grown up bilingually, which seems to be ideal for communicating with other language groups. So you might be wondering why professional translators and interpreters are needed… There are good reasons for that. First of all, it is not enough to know the right words in the other language. Cultural differences, in terms of different legal systems or another perception of what ordinary, every-day things such as houses are, may lead to misunderstandings and the creation of new barriers instead of building bridges. Furthermore, the forms of languages spoken in various regions of the world differ from country to country – be it Spanish, French, English etc. In his/her professional training, the professional translator and / or interpreter familiarises with the history, the culture, the political life, the economy and many other aspects of both, his home country and the country / countries where the foreign language is spoken. This makes him an expert in understanding both cultures, thus, being able to build bridges between language communities and cultures. He is in a position to guarantee that your target group really understands the meaning of what you want to convey to it.
Übersetzen – Translation: the written transmission of a text from a source language (e.g. German) into a target language (e.g. French) performed by a professionally trained translator.
Dolmetschen – Interpreter: the oral transmission of a text or a speech from language A to language B performed by a professionally trained interpreter in various modes (see simultaneous, consecutive, chuchotage/whisper interpreting)
Beratender Dolmetscher – Consultant Professional Interpreter with a profound amount of experience in the organization of international conferences or events, who consults the client on how to get the appropriate technical equipment (see Dolmetschausrüstung / interpreting equipment) and how to organize a professional interpreter team in different languages. A special fee is raised for our consulting services upon negotiation with the client depending on the dimensions & the complexity of the event.
Flüsterdolmetschen – Chuchotage/Whisper Interpreting: by using a small wireless transmitter (see Flüsterkoffer – mobile interpreting equipment, wireless transmitter), the professional interpreter whispers into a microphone attached to the transmitter. The participants may follow the presentations through headphones attached to the receivers.
Korrekturlesen – Proofreading: It is advisable to have any translation proofread by a competent native speaker in order to deliver a high calibre result.
Konferenzdolmetschen – Conference Interpreting: this form of interpreting is subdivided into two categories – 1) consecutive interpreting – 2) simultaneous interpreting. Both are used for international business meetings, for political conferences and other official occasions, such as press conferences.
Simultandolmetschen – Simultaneous Interpreting: the form of conference interpreting used most frequently today. The interpreters sit in a booth wearing headphones through which they listen to the original speech. Through a microphone that is either attached to the headphones or stands on the table in front of the interpreter, the interpreter conveys his/her interpretation to the audience listening through headphones themselves. As three processes take place at the same time in the interpreter’s mind – listening, filtering out the meaning of what is said, translating what is said into the target language appropriately -, this is a highly demanding mode of interpreting. It requires excellent knowledge of both the source and the target language, but also profound knowledge of the technical background (business & economics, political issues, chemistry, environment etc.). As a rule, at least two simultaneous interpreters work together in one booth. Every 20 to 30 minutes, they alternate to maintain the quality of their performance on a high level. The most significant benefit arising from this form of interpreting is the fact that a lot of time is saved compared to the second mode of conference interpreting, i.e. consecutive interpreting.
Konsekutivdolmetschen – Consecutive Interpreting: This form of conference interpreting requires the interpreter to have as much background information as possible – to be able to deliver a good performance. However, no booth is needed here. The consecutive interpreter is placed next to the speaker, noting down the most important aspects of what is being said in the speech. Once the speaker finishes his speech or a section of it, the interpreter transfers the contents into the target language. Today, consecutive interpreting is not used to a great extent any more because of the time-saving aspect of simultaneous interpreting. However, it is at least equally demanding – here, the big challenge is not the simultaneity of the processes compared to simultaneous interpreting, but the interpreter’s ability to memorize things and to convey them appropriately in a cohesive context to the audience.
Beeidigter Übersetzer - Certified Translator: a translator who has passed the state exam or similar examinations (e.g. chamber of commerce, etc.) and acquired the competency to translate legal documents. The qualifications vary depending on the legal regulations applicable in the individual federal German states – however, a decent overview of the legislature of the countries in question is required in general.
Beeidigter Dolmetscher – Legal Court Interpreter: a certified interpreter who has passed the state exam or similar examinations (e.g. chamber of commerce, etc.) and acquired the know-how to interpret in before court. Demands may vary according to jurisdiction and level of difficulty in the individual case. However, simultaneous interpreting know-how is a must in Germany.
Verhandlungsdolmetschen – Liaison Interpreting: the oral transmission from language A to language B performed by an interpreter who listens to the speaker for 2 – 3 minutes, takes notes, if necessary, and then interprets while the speaker pauses. The interpreter shares the same table as the speaker or stands next to the speaker and speaks, either into the same microphone, or a separate microphone. No additional equipment (e.g. see booth) is used. This procedure is customary, for example, in business meetings, negotiations and during press conferences.
Notariatsdolmetschen – Interpreting for Pubic Notaries while a contract is read out in the office of a public notary. Mostly in consecutive interpreting mode, sometimes even simultaneous interpretation.
Gerichts- und Behördendolmetschen – beeidigter Dolmetscher / Übersetzer/ Legal Court Interpreter / Certified Translator: mostly consecutive interpreting for official authorities like courts, marriage offices, public notaries or certified translations of legal documents (official stamp)
Kabine – Booth: an interpreting booth – the work place for simultaneous interpreters - may be assembled on the occasion of an international conference or meeting. An alternative is a fixed booth built in permanently in conference centres or auditoriums of large companies.
Klinikdolmetschen – Medical Interpreting: consecutive or simultaneous interpreting with medical consultations, education seminars, medical equipment demonstrations or teachings in hospitals or during conferences or workshops. Know-how of medical terminology required in the relevant field.
Verbände / Professional Associations for Translators & Interpreters - Links – in Germany the professional associations of AIIC, BDÜ, VKD and VBdU guarantee the adherence to quality, professionalism and the safeguarding of confidential treatment of issues as admission criteria for their members. This is an excellent opportunity for the client to find professional translators and interpreters in the relevant field for the required languages.
Wieso ist es sinnvoll, sich an einen professionellen Übersetzer / Dolmetscher zu wenden? Why a professional translator / interpreter? – In today’s globalised world, the lingua franca - English - is considered a must for anyone. Beyond that, schools and language services offer a flurry of language courses, e.g. from Spanish, French Italian to Turkish, Arabic and Chinese. In addition, there are quite a few people who have grown up bilingually, which seems to be ideal for communicating with other language groups. So you might be wondering why professional translators and interpreters are needed… There are good reasons for that. First of all, it is not enough to know the right words in the other language. Cultural differences, in terms of different legal systems or another perception of what ordinary, every-day things such as houses are, may lead to misunderstandings and the creation of new barriers instead of building bridges. Furthermore, the forms of languages spoken in various regions of the world differ from country to country – be it Spanish, French, English etc. In his/her professional training, the professional translator and / or interpreter familiarises with the history, the culture, the political life, the economy and many other aspects of both, his home country and the country / countries where the foreign language is spoken. This makes him an expert in understanding both cultures, thus, being able to build bridges between language communities and cultures. He is in a position to guarantee that your target group really understands the meaning of what you want to convey to it.
Übersetzen – Translation: the written transmission of a text from a source language (e.g. German) into a target language (e.g. French) performed by a professionally trained translator.
Dolmetschen – Interpreter: the oral transmission of a text or a speech from language A to language B performed by a professionally trained interpreter in various modes (see simultaneous, consecutive, chuchotage/whisper interpreting)
Beratender Dolmetscher – Consultant Professional Interpreter with a profound amount of experience in the organization of international conferences or events, who consults the client on how to get the appropriate technical equipment (see Dolmetschausrüstung / interpreting equipment) and how to organize a professional interpreter team in different languages. A special fee is raised for our consulting services upon negotiation with the client depending on the dimensions & the complexity of the event.
Flüsterdolmetschen – Chuchotage/Whisper Interpreting: by using a small wireless transmitter (see Flüsterkoffer – mobile interpreting equipment, wireless transmitter), the professional interpreter whispers into a microphone attached to the transmitter. The participants may follow the presentations through headphones attached to the receivers.
Korrekturlesen – Proofreading: It is advisable to have any translation proofread by a competent native speaker in order to deliver a high calibre result.
Konferenzdolmetschen – Conference Interpreting: this form of interpreting is subdivided into two categories – 1) consecutive interpreting – 2) simultaneous interpreting. Both are used for international business meetings, for political conferences and other official occasions, such as press conferences.
Simultandolmetschen – Simultaneous Interpreting: the form of conference interpreting used most frequently today. The interpreters sit in a booth wearing headphones through which they listen to the original speech. Through a microphone that is either attached to the headphones or stands on the table in front of the interpreter, the interpreter conveys his/her interpretation to the audience listening through headphones themselves. As three processes take place at the same time in the interpreter’s mind – listening, filtering out the meaning of what is said, translating what is said into the target language appropriately -, this is a highly demanding mode of interpreting. It requires excellent knowledge of both the source and the target language, but also profound knowledge of the technical background (business & economics, political issues, chemistry, environment etc.). As a rule, at least two simultaneous interpreters work together in one booth. Every 20 to 30 minutes, they alternate to maintain the quality of their performance on a high level. The most significant benefit arising from this form of interpreting is the fact that a lot of time is saved compared to the second mode of conference interpreting, i.e. consecutive interpreting.
Konsekutivdolmetschen – Consecutive Interpreting: This form of conference interpreting requires the interpreter to have as much background information as possible – to be able to deliver a good performance. However, no booth is needed here. The consecutive interpreter is placed next to the speaker, noting down the most important aspects of what is being said in the speech. Once the speaker finishes his speech or a section of it, the interpreter transfers the contents into the target language. Today, consecutive interpreting is not used to a great extent any more because of the time-saving aspect of simultaneous interpreting. However, it is at least equally demanding – here, the big challenge is not the simultaneity of the processes compared to simultaneous interpreting, but the interpreter’s ability to memorize things and to convey them appropriately in a cohesive context to the audience.
Beeidigter Übersetzer - Certified Translator: a translator who has passed the state exam or similar examinations (e.g. chamber of commerce, etc.) and acquired the competency to translate legal documents. The qualifications vary depending on the legal regulations applicable in the individual federal German states – however, a decent overview of the legislature of the countries in question is required in general.
Beeidigter Dolmetscher – Legal Court Interpreter: a certified interpreter who has passed the state exam or similar examinations (e.g. chamber of commerce, etc.) and acquired the know-how to interpret in before court. Demands may vary according to jurisdiction and level of difficulty in the individual case. However, simultaneous interpreting know-how is a must in Germany.
Verhandlungsdolmetschen – Liaison Interpreting: the oral transmission from language A to language B performed by an interpreter who listens to the speaker for 2 – 3 minutes, takes notes, if necessary, and then interprets while the speaker pauses. The interpreter shares the same table as the speaker or stands next to the speaker and speaks, either into the same microphone, or a separate microphone. No additional equipment (e.g. see booth) is used. This procedure is customary, for example, in business meetings, negotiations and during press conferences.
Notariatsdolmetschen – Interpreting for Pubic Notaries while a contract is read out in the office of a public notary. Mostly in consecutive interpreting mode, sometimes even simultaneous interpretation.
Gerichts- und Behördendolmetschen – beeidigter Dolmetscher / Übersetzer/ Legal Court Interpreter / Certified Translator: mostly consecutive interpreting for official authorities like courts, marriage offices, public notaries or certified translations of legal documents (official stamp)
Kabine – Booth: an interpreting booth – the work place for simultaneous interpreters - may be assembled on the occasion of an international conference or meeting. An alternative is a fixed booth built in permanently in conference centres or auditoriums of large companies.
Klinikdolmetschen – Medical Interpreting: consecutive or simultaneous interpreting with medical consultations, education seminars, medical equipment demonstrations or teachings in hospitals or during conferences or workshops. Know-how of medical terminology required in the relevant field.
Verbände / Professional Associations for Translators & Interpreters - Links – in Germany the professional associations of AIIC, BDÜ, VKD and VBdU guarantee the adherence to quality, professionalism and the safeguarding of confidential treatment of issues as admission criteria for their members. This is an excellent opportunity for the client to find professional translators and interpreters in the relevant field for the required languages.