Consecutive Interpretation Services

Interpretation is complex work. This is easily demonstrated by the traditional American party game, “Telephone,” where a phrase is whispered around a circle, and amusement ensues at the typically scrambled outcome. So, you can imagine the complications involved when an important message or precise ideas are being interpreted from one language to another.

When the interpretation must be done on the spot, and with respect to both parties’ different cultures and business etiquette, the layers of complication multiply. Thus, it is critical that companies hire professional interpreters who understand the complexities of the process.

The professional interpreters at Chang-Castillo and Associates (CCA) always embrace this understanding and we make sure your associates get the message you intend.

We only work with native speakers and focus on placing you and your clients with the best match with your speaker, based on region, and subject matter. This ensures the consecutive interpretation remains an accurate, authentic, clear and nuanced communication of the message.

Contact us online, give us a call at +1 (877) 708-0005 or email us at info@chang-castillo.com, to begin discussing your professional interpretation needs.

Chang-Castillo and Associates is the Platinum Standard in Professional Consecutive Interpretation

Consecutive interpretation is most commonly used for small business meetings, or conversations that involve a limited number of people. Chang-Castillo and Associates works around the globe and provides the platinum standard in both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation services.

Interactions involving small discussion groups and business transactions or negotiations are often best executed by using consecutive interpretation. This process allows for a greater level of intimacy.

Examples of when consecutive interpretation is used include:

• Interviews
• Visiting delegations on a site tour
• Staff meetings that include non-English speaking personnel
• Meetings between two heads of state or other government officials
• Business negotiations

• Attorney-client meetings
• Court depositions
• Parent-teacher meetings
• Medical consultations

In a professional setting, where two business professionals, or a business professional and a potential client engage in conversation or negotiation, consecutive translation can be challenging. It looks something like this:

• Person A: Speaks for anywhere from 1-5 minutes in order to express an entire, coherent thought or idea.
• Interpreter: Will have taken notes to capture key points, and then interprets the message from the source language to Person B’s native language (called the target language).
• Person B: Now, it’s Person B’s turn to respond in his/her native language. Person B may be responding or may have another question or require clarification.
• Interpreter: Interprets Person B’s comments/questions/queries back to the source language for Person A.

Finally, the whole process starts again.

This process clearly requires both time and patience to progress smoothly. That’s why it’s so important to hire the right interpreter for the job. The pauses, the note taking, waiting, and listening take time. A good interpreter can help the process feel more seamless.

Key Factors Required for Successful Consecutive Interpretation

There are several key factors you should look for when hiring a firm to handle consecutive interpretation for you, your company or a client.

• Use of native speakers. Fluency is wonderful, but it is not the same as speaking a native language. Consider friends or family who may have lived in the U.S. for decades but still make small grammatical errors or misunderstand colloquialisms and certain turns of phrases. There is no room for this in important political, business, legal or medical consultations where accuracy is key. CCA only hires native speakers to ensure client conversations and information are translated as accurately as possible.
• Expertise in the subject matter. Even a native speaker can struggle to translate complex ideas when speaking about less-familiar subjects. This is certainly true in fields where terminology and phrases may not be known by native speakers without a certain education or expertise in the subject. Here at CCA, we have a range of interpreters, from a myriad of educational and professional backgrounds. This ensures we place clients with an interpreter who understands the core subject or industry.
• A solid interpreting and interpreter note-taking background. Your business or personal success are completely dependent on the accuracy of the interpreter because the wrong word choice, poor phrasing or awkward translations leave the other party feeling dissatisfied and/or lacking the “full picture.” The interpreter you hire also needs to be trained in interpreter note-taking techniques, which is a very technical and complex skill requiring years of training to fully master.The interpreters at Chang-Castillo and Associates must have:
  An advanced degree in the field of Conference Interpretation from a recognized interpretation school;
  Accreditation or certification with one or more of internationally recognized international institutions;
  At least five years of conference interpreting experience and proof of at least 200 days of simultaneous or consecutive conference interpretation level work; and/or
  Membership in AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters) or TAALS (The American Association of Language Specialists), both of which are only available after a thorough peer review process.

When you choose us to provide language services for you, you are guaranteed to enjoy the benefits of serious dedication, training and practice – which makes for fluid and effective interpreter services.

Take advantage of CCA’s Translation and Conference Interpretation Packages

In many cases, our private and corporate clients require more than one translation and/or interpretation service. In addition to consecutive interpretation services, you may require professional translation services to ensure forms, documents and marketing materials are available to your entire target audience. You may also benefit from simultaneous interpretation services and interpretation equipment rental for a large training meeting, upcoming conference or overseas event.

We offer multiple packages that combine our translation and interpretation services. Contact CCA at +1 (877) 708-0005 to learn more about how we can help to share your message in a more global market.