From the Event of the European Union for Women that took place in the Old Parliament House, in 2017.

Consecutive interpreting

Consecutive interpreting is when the interpreter listens to the source-language speaker and after a sentence or a part of the speech reproduces the speech in the target language for the audience. In this system, an interpreter is not tasked to memorize words, but to recreate the meaning of the information from the speaker.

The interpreter is usually standing or sitting close to the speaker, uses a pad and pen to take notes and the microphone (if there is one) only once the speaker has finished and it is his turn to speak.

When to use a consecutive interpreter?

If you need an interpreter for a very short period of time or for one-on-one conversations, you may use consecutive interpreting.

You may use consecutive interpreting in case of

  • interviews
  • small or larger meetings when the speaker speaks for a short time
  • medical consultations
  • client-attorney meetings
  • generally one-on-one conversations or
  • meetings where the speakers speak for a short time

The benefits of consecutive interpreting

The most important benefit of consecutive interpreting is that no special equipment is required (interpreting booth, special sound system, headphones for the audience and technician), which is both costly, takes up space and thus needs additional planning.

Limitations of consecutive interpreting

However, its very serious limitation is time: as the speaker and the interpreter speak consecutively, the time required is actually double.
This is why it is normally used when the duration of your event is short.
An exception to this is court interpreting.

From the Event of the European Union for Women in the Old Greek Parliament, in 2017.

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