Interpreter Services

Frequently Asked Questions

What is interpreting?

Professional interpreting is a service provided by a trained and qualified professional who is multilingual (understanding and speaking two or more languages fluently). The interpreter acts as a conduit, so to speak, a means of translating and relaying information back-and-forth between two parties or individuals that speak different languages. Interpreting may also include providing cultural insight as well.

A simpler definition would be “a person who translates spoken words from one language to another, on the spot.”

What is simultaneous vs. consecutive interpreting?

These are two different ways of interpreting, or in other words, two different "modes" of interpreting. In consecutive interpreting, the interpreter starts to interpret when the speaker pauses. The speaker must usually speak in shorter phrases or sentences, and can only continue once the interpreter has finished interpreting the previous segment.

Therefore, the interpreting session can take much longer than a "normal" conversation/a conversation in which no interpreter is needed.

Simultaneous interpreting is when the interpreter interprets simultaneously along with (at the same time as) the actively speaking party.

This type of interpreting has the advantage of not taking as much time as consecutive interpreting and not disturbing the normal flow of the source speaker, but it has the disadvantage the human interpreter must do the best he or she can within the time permitted by the pace of source speech.

Why is having a professional interpreter so important?

Perhaps you or your client has a relative, friend, child or someone else they know who may be able to act as an interpreter when needed, however, by hiring a professional interpreter you ensure that the translation being provided is accurate, neutral and kept confidential.

The client may also not be comfortable in discussing sensitive topics with someone who they know in the room, acting as the interpreter.

Professional interpreters have been trained in and are committed to a code of ethics and often have certifications which include in part, background checks and security clearances.

In medical and legal settings, specific terminology, concepts, and procedure are involved and trained, professional interpreters are familiar with them and able to focus on providing a high quality translation/interpreting as opposed to just a family member, friend, or someone else who may be so focused on understanding the situation and message that his/her accuracy when interpreting is adversely affected.

What type of language is Amharic?

Amharic is one of the Ethiopian Semitic languages, which are a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amharas and as a lingua franca by other populations residing in major cities and towns of Ethiopia.

How many languages are spoken in Ethiopia?

Amharic is by no means the only spoken language in Ethiopia, however it does serve as the "official" national language.

In fact, there are 88 individual languages of Ethiopia - 86 are living and 2 are extinct.

According to the 2007 Ethiopian census, the three largest first languages are: Amharic with 21,634,396 speakers or 29.30% of the total population; the Oromo language 24,930,424 speakers or 33.80% of the total population, and Somali 4,609,274 or 6.25% of the total population.