Lourdes De Rioja

International Interpreting Services

Note-taking in simultaneous interpretation

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When you think of writing things down in simultaneous we usually think of writing down numbers or terms for our booth partner. But that is just one of the reasons to keep a pen and pad handy while working in simultaneous. 

So what can we usefully note down when working in simultaneous? 

1. Notes for your colleague

1.1 Numbers, dates, names

1.2 Terminology

Write them on a piece of paper in between the two of you, where the colleague can see it but is not disturbed by your writing it down.

– write big and clearly

– indicate (eg. with your finger) the note

– cross out each thing you’ve written down once it has gone by

Don’t 

– Don’t distract the colleague to show them what you’ve written, they’re busy!

– use symbols or abbreviations (that aren’t absolutely obvious)

– write down anything that you’re not sure of (or get it wrong)

2. Notes for yourself

2.1 Numbers, dates 1 

We often do numbers consecutively in simultaneous – we stop speaking, listen, write the number down and then read it out. 

It’s a technique many use but that has its limits when there are lots of numbers.

2.2 Numbers, dates 2 

It’s useful to keep numbers and dates visible on the page for future reference (later in the same speech or later in the same debate).

2.3 Names

– having a written version can help you work out what name really is (Egg not Hague)

– it’s quicker to read a name than to either reproduce it phonetically or try to “translate” the SL pronunciation of a name into TL pronunciation of the same name

– it’s useful to keep names visible on the page for future reference (later in the same speech or later in the same debate)

– also having a note means that you will pronounce the name consistently the next time it comes up

2.4 Long words

As with names it’s quicker and easier to read a long expression than to process it and/or fetch it from memory. So write them down and keep them visible.

eg. quantitative easing

For particularly difficult words you can even make the syllables or parts of the word clear to aid pronunciation

epi  demi  ological

ethylene    propylene     diene 

2.5 Grammatical agreements

Some grammatical or lexical items require agreement later in the sentence. If so then it’s useful to note the determining item to remind you later what you need to base agreement on. This reduces cognitive load.

– if

It’s not a great idea to start a sentence with “if” but if you have to, then jot it down on the page so that when the second clause comes you can start with a clear “then”, making the structure clear to your listener (and even yourself).

– lists

Sometimes a list might start “we suggest: ”. In English each list item now has to be an (-ing) form eg. we suggest applying…. For lists it’s useful to note either the “suggest” or the “-ing” so you get all subsequent items correct.

eg. We suggest applying for residence permit at your local government office; making sure that all your employment papers are in good order and not dated more than 3 months previous to the application; and perhaps also consulting an immigration lawyer.

This is particularly useful when the grammar is different in the other language. In French for example you might use proposer as the translation of suggest. However proposer requires de plus the infinitive

eg. nous proposons de faire or de and a noun as object nous proposons l’implementation de.

NB there is often a short pause before a list starts in English that will signal it to you. Alternatively as soon as you hear the second item in a list you write down your DETERMINING element, eg. – ING

2.6 The structure of the speech

If the speaker announces that they will make a number of points, or enumerates longish points as they go along it’s helpful to take a short note of that to give you an overview of the speech you are interpreting.

eg.

1. EU

2. past

3. flows

Similarly digressions can be indicated by noting the item that immediately preceded the digresssion plus an indication of the digression (eg. brackets or NB)

immigration  (      )

2.7 Context

Keeping a note of comparative information over the course of a speech, or who has said on the main issue over the course of a debate can be an extremely useful way of keeping an eye on the context in which each subsequent remark is made.

eg. 

FR      112m euro

DE      300m euro

UK      75m euro

or

S & D   against

EPP      for but… amendment 6

ECR      for

Greens against

Notes in Simultaneous, Andy Gillies 2020

https://www.routledge.com/authors/i7998-andrew-gillies

https://interpretertrainingresources.eu/

My simultaneous kit: FR-EN

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Dear conference interpreting students,

Upon Lourdes de Rioja’s request, I have listened to Phil Smith’s interpretation of President Macron’s address at the UN and would like to share with you a few – hopefully inspiring – comments.

You will see that some of them have also been picked up by Phil Smith himself in his second video where he comments his own performance just after completing it. This is certainly not a coincidence.

First of all, P. Smith elicits trust. He is composed. His voice is deep. His pace regular. As a customer/listener, I feel he is in control. He is in control of his production both as regards content and form. When he briefly pauses, it is to think about what has just been said, what is meant by it and how to express it so as to be understood by his audience (see for example towards the end of the video when Macron refers to “la conférence interlibyenne” and Phil Smith speaks of “a reconciliation conference that brings together all parties of Libya” ). There is no panic in his voice, no backtracking. 

A rendition to be aimed for made possible by his experience, his understanding of French, his excellent command of his mother tongue and as he rightly points out, his knowledge of geopolitics and international current affairs. As a student or young graduate, you will obviously not be able to rely on experience, but you can prepare, prepare, prepare before each assignment and for that preparation to be useful, develop your general knowledge day in day out. Do also voice coaching, learn how to breathe, and develop your stamina by gradually extending the length of your interpreting exercises.

Be prepared also means organising your working environment so that you have everything you need within easy reach: pen & paper (Phil Smith’s “safety blanket”), your glossaries (hard and soft copies), the agenda, background and meeting documents duly organised, water, etc…

And then stay focused and, as Phil says, “keep going”, even if you have missed an acronym or a name.

Last but not least, communicate. Do not forget to talk to your audience the way Macron is talking to his (“the French speakers”). Even in English, you can use your hands if it helps, look at how Phil uses his. Nobody sees him or would see him in his booth if he were interpreting live in New York, but it helps him and reinforces his (Macron’s) message.

Keeping these few pieces of advice in mind, time has come for you to have a go!

The original speech is available following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21u0sWAG7bg

Analysis by Sarah Bordes, ISIT Academic Director, Conference Interpreting

https://www.isitinternational.com/programs-management-communication-translation/conference-interpreting-multilingual-expertise/

Consecutive demo: DE-EN

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The speech: 

  • A nice, well-structured speech, on a well-known everyday topic
  • A pretty long and pretty fast speaker with very clear elocution

The interpretation:

  • Excellent communication: the interpreter looks at the camera and only looks briefly at his notes to make sure he hasn’t forgotten anything important. 
  • Excellent pace which – as indicated in the feedback video– requires a lot of practice to be kept throughout a long speech/series of speeches.

Dear students, dear would be interpreters,

What lessons can you take home from this consecutive demonstration which you can use in your own practice with fellow students?

As a speaker:

First of all, write your speech the way you would take notes to interpret consecutively. This way, you will neither be tempted to read your speech out nor will you forget part of what you meant to say. Moreover, this will be an excellent way to practice your own note-taking technique and test the feasibility/level of difficulty of your speech

Second, look at your audience. Communicate. There again, practising being a good speaker will do a a lot to help you become a good interpreter.

As an interpreter,

  • As you are probably aware, the way you take notes is personal, because the way your memory works is a very personal thing and your background knowledge is not the same as that of colleagues or fellow students. Let’s however see what we can learn from this demo in terms of note-taking technique.
  • What to note: Ridesharing, traffic jams in large cities and Uber practices are familiar topics. You can easily rely on your memory if you listen to the speaker, note the key information and the links between the information or ideas expressed (i.e.. Information, data, argument, opinion). Beware:  better writing too little but clearly than being incapable of reading back your notes because you have tried to “write everything” as the speaker was speaking at full speed. 
  • How much to note with what time lag: Do not write too much. Listen and keep up with the speaker so that when figures come up, you are ready to note them down as well as what they relate to which is just as essential as the figures themselves. Always remember: figures alone are of no use. They have to come together with units (is the speaker referring to millions or billions?) and objects (dollars or euros? sales or profit margin, etc).
  • In what language: Notes can be taken in the source of language (time saved while you are noting and you have to deal with a fast speaker). They can also be taken in the target language with the advantage that you will already be processing the information and the way you are going to convey it which may in turn help you communicate in a more fluid manner when you move to the next stage, i.e. interpreting. The notes can also be taken in a combination of both source and target languages or even in a third language if it comes in handy to you or in a combination of the above + symbols (conventional and recurrent symbols as well as ad hoc symbols devised for the specific speech or topic of the conference you are working in – see comments made by both speaker and interpreter in the feedback video). 
  • Use of flexible arrows: as you can notice Michael Sommers uses arrows on a number of occasions. Those arrows are a time-saver. They make it possible to retrieve a word or a piece of information that has already been mentioned previously by the speaker without needing to write them down again.
  • Use of margins: it is a point that is mentioned by Alexander Drechsel in the feedback video. Margins can be used to specify whose opinion is stated (“I”; “We”, etc). Margins can also be used to structure the information as you can see in the case of the 3 advantages of Ride Sharing Apps presented by the speaker and noted neatly and clearly by the interpreter in the left part of his pad, in a virtual margin : 1); 2); 3). Please observe that if Michael Somers uses virtual margins, his lines separating ideas are very real.

In conclusion, wonderful material to practice keeping in mind, inter alia, the few above guidelines. Over to you!

Analysis by Sarah Bordes, ISIT Academic Director, Conference Interpreting

https://www.isitinternational.com/programs-management-communication-translation/conference-interpreting-multilingual-expertise/

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