From Nuremberg to Distance Interpreting Hubs

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Haris Ghinos, AIIC Consultant interpreter and Managing partner of ELIT Language Services, presented a comprehensive overview of the emerging Distance Interpreting landscape to the members of AIIC’s United Kingdom and Ireland Region on 29 May 2020. 

In his presentation, entitled “From Nuremberg to Distance Interpreting Hubs – via ISO 23155” Haris offered the following key reflections to AIIC colleagues:  

Distance simultaneous interpreting is conference interpreting, only more difficult. Like simultaneous interpreting, distance interpreting (DI) is teamwork. Conference interpreters working in DI must be collocated; solo work from home does not fall within the definition of conference interpreting. 

Distance interpreting has already suffered a good deal of collateral damage, yet it creates many opportunities for conference organisers, freeing them from many operational and financial constraints. It clearly also presents significant environmental benefits. DI will probably drive an expansion in interpreting from and into minority languages.

There are conditions though: conference organisers and Conference Interpreting Service Providers (CISP) must be aware of the differences between conference interpreting and other types of interpreting provided remotely. DI is not for rookies and the technical infrastructure required also comes at a cost. 

Distance interpreting hubs, including interpreter-owned hubs, are a good way to safeguard quality in conference interpreting.