Why are there two interpreters in the booth during simultaneous interpreting? It is something many clients notice, but may not fully understand. At Congrestolken, professional interpreters work as a team to maintain concentration, accuracy and continuity throughout a meeting.
The demands of simultaneous interpreting
Simultaneous interpreting is one of the most cognitively demanding forms of professional language work.
Interpreters must listen to the speaker, analyse the message, understand its meaning and context, find the appropriate formulation in another language and speak—all almost simultaneously.
They may also be processing specialist terminology, figures, names, accents, dense presentations or speakers who talk particularly quickly.
Maintaining that level of concentration continuously is not realistic. That is why simultaneous interpreters work in turns, usually changing approximately every 20 to 30 minutes.
What does the second interpreter do?
The interpreter who is not speaking is not simply waiting for their next turn.
They remain actively involved by:
- following the speaker and the interpretation;
- noting names, terminology and figures;
- consulting preparation materials;
- anticipating difficult passages;
- helping with information that appears on slides;
- stepping in if their colleague needs immediate support.
This collaboration is often invisible to the people listening through their headsets, but it is an essential part of quality assurance inside the booth.
Two interpreters, one continuous conversation
Changing interpreters should not interrupt the meeting. Colleagues prepare together, share terminology and remain aware of what has already been discussed.
When one interpreter takes over, the other continues to provide support. This allows the team to maintain accuracy and consistency throughout the programme.
For the participants, the communication should continue without any noticeable interruption.
Professional interpreting is a team effort
For conferences involving multiple languages, the cooperation extends beyond each individual booth. The team leader coordinates preparation, shares relevant information and acts as the point of contact for the organiser.
This becomes particularly important when programmes change, new documents arrive or unexpected terminology is introduced during the event.
Professional simultaneous interpreting is therefore never an individual performance.
It is a carefully coordinated team effort in which both interpreters remain actively responsible for the quality and continuity of the communication.
This story is part of 50 Stories in 50 Weeks, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Congrestolken.
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