An invitation to conference : what is conference interpreting?

Abstract

Congresses, symposia and international meetings of every kind can only run smoothly with the assistance of conference interpreters, who are often an indispensable link in the modern world of communication. The Legal Committee of the Association Internationale des Interprétes de Conférence (AIIC) has drawn up the following definition of the term 'conference interpreter': A conference interpreter renders verbally in one language a statement spoken in another lan gua ge at a formal or informal meeting or in a conference-like situation. Professional conference interpretation may be consecutive or simultaneous regardless of the len gthandior complexity of the original statement. Jhis type of definition is an attempt to draw a distinction between conference interpreters and others who may interpret' from time to time, such as multi-lingual secretaries, guides, hostesses and the like, who often have an important role as linguistic intermediaries. They do not, however, operate in planned multilingual meetings with the status of conference interpreters and with alí the obligations arising therefrom. In other words, they are not accountable in the same way as a conference interpreter, to the speaker or to the audience, for what they say.