For conference and legal interpretation, team interpreting not only reduces interpreter fatigue, but also improves accuracy. This is true for consecutive interpretation just as for simultaneous interpretation.
When two or three interpreters work as a team during consecutive interpretation, they alternate at about 30-minute intervals. This significantly relieves interpreter fatigue and greatly improves accuracy.
The team interpreters should share the responsibility for the accuracy of the interpreted messages. When one interpreter is “off”, he or she becomes a “feed interpreter” and assumes a supportive role to the interpreter who is “on” — the active interpreter.
The feed interpreter should remain in close proximity to the active interpreter most of the time and pay attention to the active interpreter’s interpretation. On one hand, the feed interpreter may “feed” the active interpreter with missing information and correct errors as needed. On the other hand, the feed interpreter can learn from the colleague, fine-tune his or her own word choices, and achieve better consistency between the interpreters.
For consecutive conference interpreting, two interpreters alternate as the active interpreter and the feed interpreter.
For deposition interpreting, we have seen clients make different arrangements:
- Hire a single interpreter
- Hire two interpreters, and have them ALTERNATE as the “active interpreter” and the “feed interpreter”
- Hire two interpreters, and assign one interpreter as the “main interpreter,” and the other as the “checking interpreter” throughout — without alteration
- Hire three interpreters, and assign two interpreters to alternate as the “main interpreters,” and the third interpreter as a “checking” interpreter throughout
At depositions, having two or three competent interpreters work collegially can significantly increase the accuracy.
For more information, read our blog What You Don’t Know about Interpretation: How Good Are Court-Certified Interpreters.
Common practice
We strongly recommend clients hire team interpreters for legal interpreting services. Clients should schedule early in order to secure enough qualified interpreters for their needs.
Below are the arrangements of consecutive team interpreting in a variety of scenarios.
Conference Interpretation Services (Consecutive)
| Number of Interpreters | Interpreter Breaks | Speaker Breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Three interpreters (rotate) | The interpreters rotate between 20 minutes of interpreting and 40 minutes of rest | Not required |
| Two interpreters (alternate) | The interpreters alternate between 30 minutes of interpreting and 30 minutes of rest | Not required |
| One interpreter* | For every 45 minutes of interpreting, rest for 15 minutes | For every 45 minutes of talking, break for 15 minutes |
Legal Interpretation Services
(Applies to deposition, witness testimony at trial, mediation, and arbitration)
| Number of Interpreters | Interpreter Breaks | Speaker Breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Three interpreters (2 main interpreters, 1 check interpreter) | The main interpreters alternate between 30 minutes of interpreting and 30 minutes of rest | Not required |
| Two interpreters (alternate) | The interpreters alternate between 30 minutes of interpreting and 30 minutes of rest | Not required |
| Two interpreters (1 main interpreter, 1 check interpreter) | For every 45 minutes of interpreting, the main interpreter rests for 15 minutes | For every 45 minutes of talking, break for 15 minutes |
| One interpreter* | For every 45 minutes of interpreting, rest for 15 minutes | For every 45 minutes of talking, break for 15 minutes |
Pharmaceutical Interpretation Service (FDA Inspections)
| Number of Interpreters | Interpreter Breaks | Speaker Breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Two interpreters per inspector (alternate) | The interpreters alternate between 30 minutes of interpreting and 30 minutes of rest | Not required |
| One interpreter per inspector* | For every 45 minutes of interpreting, rest for 15 minutes | For every 45 minutes of talking, break for 15 minutes |
Business Interpretation Services
| Number of Interpreters | Interpreter Breaks | Speaker Breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Two interpreters (alternate) | The interpreters alternate between 30 minutes of interpreting and 30 minutes of rest | Not required |
| One interpreter* | For every 45 minutes of interpreting, rest for 15 minutes | For every 45 minutes of talking, break for 15 minutes |
*When a single interpreter is used, a 15-minute break is mandated for every 45 minutes of interpreting. If the meeting becomes very intense, a 10-minute break would be required for every 30 minutes of interpreting to alleviate interpreter fatigue. Using a single interpreter is usually NOT considered for highly technical topics or intense settings (such as roundtable meetings).
Tips for clients
We strongly recommend clients hire two interpreters to reduce interpreter fatigue, increase accuracy, and avoid disruptions from breaks. For legal interpretation, and in particular, high-stakes litigation, we recommend clients hire three interpreters. Schedule early so that you can secure enough qualified interpreters.
