Communication across languages

When it comes to transferring content from one language to another, people usually say “translation.” Strictly speaking, however, translation is only what you do in writing: for instance, turning a text in German into one in English. To help with spoken communication between several languages, you need an interpreter. There are mixed forms between translation and interpreting, too: a German-language document can be rendered orally in English at a notary’s office, and during a video call, it is sometimes useful to summarize a discussion in another language in the chat window.

Translating the spoken word: Interpreting

Simultaneous interpreting
Alexandra Berlina und Pavel Sirotkin beim Simultandolmetschen in einer Kabine

Whenever you don’t want to wait for the interpreter, simultaneous interpreting is the right solution – for conferences, presentations, broadcasts and many more. One booth, two interpreters, headphones for the participants – and you have achieved bilinguality. The speakers do not need to make breaks, and the audience can hear the content immediately in their preferred language, and with several teams you can have simultaneous interpreting into several languages at once. In some situations, simultaneous interpreters can use a mobile interpreting system instead of a booth, or whisper into the listener’s ear (“chuchotage”).

A group is sitting around a table in the Düsseldorf town hall. On the left, the Lord Mayor of Düsseldorf, Dirk Elbers; on the right, the interpreter Pavel Sirotkin

This is how most people imagine interpreting: a group is sitting around the table; a person speaks, then pauses – and the interpreter translates what has been said into another language. Consecutive interpreting, or liaison interpreting, is used for negotiations, business meetings and visits of delegations, when the use of a booth is not possible for technical reasons – or when the circumstances require a more personal approach. This may be the case for a confidential conversation or for a performance where the personality of the speaker and the atmosphere are better served by a visible interpreter.

What interpreting mode do you need? Is simultaneous or consecutive interpreting better suited to the schedule? Do you need a booth or a mobile interpreting system? How to make sure that the right part of the audience hears the interpretation, and the rest is not distracted?

These questions can be rather overwhelming. But if you don’t deal with them in advance, they may come back to bite you. Fortunately, you don’t have to do everything on your own: We are happy to advise you! Get in touch, and we will provide you with a free consultation on the right format and equipment. No strings attached.

Translating the written word: Translation proper

Academic: humanities, social sciences, editing

Thanks to extensive experience in academic translation, we know exactly how to work with scholarly texts. We specialize in the humanities and social sciences – whether it’s a specialist article, monograph, or popular non-fiction book. We also translate and proofread for NGOs and other non-profits. The source languages are German, Russian and English; the target languages German, English (American and British English) and Plain English.

We translate literary texts – especially poems and songs – into German and English. In the field of art and culture, we translate and proofread catalogues and exhibition texts, subtitles and surtitles, interviews and essays. In order to provide barrier-free access to cultural offerings, we also translate into Plain English. Simply send us your text to receive an offer!

Sometimes, creativity is key in translation; sometimes, it is precision. When you draw up a contract, the translation for your partners must be correct in every respect. Operating instructions should be clear, concise and unambiguous – in any language.

We ensure that your texts are translated accurately, be it into German, English or Russian. The easiest way to start is to send us the text directly; we will provide you with a customised quote straight away.

What do a contract text, a newspaper article, and a poem have in common? All three are texts, and all three may need to be translated, but otherwise they are fundamentally different.

That’s why we are a team of two professionals with different specializations. And that’s why we want to know as much as possible about your text – so that we can say whether we are the right people for the translation, how long it will take, and how much it will cost. We’ll send our quote quickly and confidentially; and if you are not quite sure what you need, let us advise you.