Interpretation (V): consecutive

Good morning!

Consecutive interpretation is an interpretation modality, in which the interpreter listens a speech in the original language and takes notes of what the speaker says. Once the speech have finished, the interpreter translates it to the target language based on his notes.

For this kind of interpretation it is important, not only to understand correctly the original speech, but having a good memory. For reasons of time and speed of the original speech, it is not possible to make notes of everything, but it would be perfect take notes of the main ideas and to remember the minor ones.

In order to take notes it is recommendable to know abbreviations, because we will take less time to note an idea. Even we can invent our own abbreviations. If the speech is about concepts that we can visualise easily, we can use drawings or symbols. However, if the speech is about abstract ideas, it would be advisable to have some symbols previously prepared to remember its meaning. Although if you have time, it will be better to write the word in order to not confuse it later, during the translation.

When I speak about concepts that we can visualise easily, I mean, for example, the environment. Specifically, in the university we have translated speeches about climate change. In the next image, you can see some of my notes.

Some idea of the speech's topic?

Now I show you the meaning of my notes. Obviously there are only main ideas of the speech, that later will be completed with ideas that I don't have written, but I remember.

Every interpreter can use his own notes, because the important thing is that, once the speech have finished, he could understand it to make a correct interpretation. In addition, the notes must be a support, a reminder, and not the opposite. Sometimes we don't understand our own notes (because we have written it quickly or because it is a new concept that we have written fast and then we don't remember it) and that can damage our interpretation. Like other types of interpretation, the consecutive interpretation requires a lot of practice.