A B C languages

• A – The interpreter’s native language (or another language strictly equivalent to a native language), into which the interpreter works from all her or his other languages.
• B – A language other than the interpreter’s native language, of which he or she has a perfect command and into which he or she works from one or more of his or her other languages.
• C – Languages of which the interpreter has a complete understanding and from which he or she works.
  

Active/ passive languages
Active languages are those languages into which the interpreter works. Passive languages are those languages of which the interpreter has complete understanding and from which s/he interprets.

Ad hoc interpreting
Spoken translation between two languages in informal conversations between two or more people. Used, for example in business meetings, for phone calls, during site visits and social events.

Bidule or Tour guide system
A portable device used to reproduce the functioning of the simultaneous interpreting technical system usually found in booths. This kind of portable devices might be used only provided that some conditions are respected:

• short meetings (max 2-3 hours),
• limited number of participants,
• 2 transmission channels: one from interpreters to participants, the other from speakers' microphones to interpreters' earphones,
• compliance with IEC 914 standards.

Booths for simultaneous interpreting
The booths used for simultaneous interpreting have to be compliant with the ISO 4043 standards for fixed booths and ISO 2603 standards for mobile booths. Interpreter's booths are designed to allow:

• acoustic separation between different languages spoken simultaneously,
• good visual and audio communication between the interpreters and the participants in the meeting,
• a comfortable working environment enabling interpreters to maintain the intense effort of concentration required by their work,
• a robust and light structure, easy to handle and transport for mobile booths.

Booths - quality and health
The work environment where simultaneous interpreters spend most of their time. Booths' technical conditions are important because they have repercussions on interpreters' health.

• Ventilation: Under the best of conditions, an SI booth is still a small, closed space occupied throughout the day by 2 or 3 people. They need a good supply of fresh air to remain mentally alert and avoid prolonged exposure to high levels of CO2 which can lead to fatigue, respiratory and other problems.
• Lighting: Interpreters often work with written texts and jot down notes to help a colleague. If the light in the booth is bad, the result is eye strain and headaches.
• Sound: It's one thing just to sit and listen to a speaker through a bad sound system, and quite another to listen to both the speaker and your own voice--and interpret. Poor sound quality is another cause of fatigue and headaches.

Chuchotage or whispered interpreting
A kind of simultaneous interpreting, whereby the interpreter sits close to the listener and whispers the translation without technical aids.

Conference interpreter
A conference interpreter is a professional language and communication expert who works in multilingual meetings and renders a message from one language into another, naturally and fluently, adopting the delivery, tone and convictions of the speaker. The work of a conference interpreter is an oral intellectual exercise which is quite distinct from written translation and requires different training and qualifications. Interpreters’ work is subject to constant, immediate and very public scrutiny.

Confidentiality
Confidentiality is one of the fundamental principles followed by professional interpreters to comply with professional secrecy and to protect their own reputation towards clients.

Consultant interpreters
Whereas most freelance interpreters do not recruit teams of colleagues themselves, some do, and they are usually called after the consulting function they provide. Some of them work in association with partners and have set up companies or cooperatives. Being interpreters themselves, they know how to compose quality teams, and are able to advice the Client on the best tools and solutions for each different event that needs interpreting services.

Court interpreter
Interpreter with special subject knowledge, providing interpretation during legal proceedings. Requirements regarding accreditation and certification for court interpreting vary from country to country.

Jours chômés or Non-working days
The term usually used in its French form, "jours chômés", or "non-working days" in English, is used to refer to one or more days in which the interpreter does not work, but which are part of a contract and therefore entitle the interpreter to payment. This system is used in particular when the same recruiting organisation needs the interpreter for several successive sessions separated by one or more non-working days.

Localisation
The process of adapting a product (software, websites, etc.) to a specific target, i.e. to the language, cultural norms, standards, laws and requirements of the target country.

Mother-tongue or Native language
One’s native language. Often used as an indicator of a translator or interpreter’s ability to translate into a particular language. Because a person who has lived in another country for many years (or from childhood) may be more fluent in their acquired language than they are in their original mother-tongue, the terms "language of habitual use", "dominant language" and "native language" are also used.

Native-speaker competence
Oral and written command of a language equivalent to that of a person who not only learned the language as a child and has continued to use it as his/her language of habitual use, but who also has had specific language training.

Plain English
A form of English that is clear, concise, direct, and natural. Plain English is advocated by an increasing number of people as a style of language that should be used by authors of technical texts, such as user manuals, legal documents, articles and speeches.

Preparatory material for interpreters
Interpreters work in a wide range of specialist fields. To ensure optimal quality, the interpreter depends upon close cooperation with the Client, as every interpreting assignment necessitates extensive preparation. It is in the best interests of the Client to provide the interpreters with the most complete documentation possible, well in advance of the event, since this allows each interpreter in the team to study the materials and the subject matter of the conference in depth and in detail. The preparatory material may contain:

• conference programme, agenda
• presentations, papers, abstracts
• scripts if the texts are to be read aloud
• relevant reports
• minutes or publications of earlier meetings and events
• corporate profiles (annual reports, corporate history, company brochures, etc.)
• product catalogues
• competitive environment
• relevant legislation (national and international laws, EU legislation)
• relevant websites and links
• relevant and industrial standards
• subject-related publications
• list of conference participants, speakers and a short description of their career biographies
• documents referred to in the papers or which may come up during discussions: drafts, expert opinions, correspondence, statistics, etc.
• in-house terminology data bases
  

Simultaneous interpreting
In simultaneous mode, the interpreter sits in a booth with a clear view of the meeting room and the speaker and listens to and simultaneously interprets the speech into a target language. Simultaneous interpreting requires a booth (fixed or mobile) that meets ISO standards of acoustic isolation, dimensions, air quality and accessibility as well as appropriate equipment.

Source language
Language in which the text to be translated is written.

Source text
The text to be translated.

Subsistence allowance
A subsistence allowance is intended to cover the expenses incurred by an interpreter working away from his/her professional address. It may consist of a flat-rate amount (per diem, per noctem) paid per day or may involve an arrangement whereby the conference organiser pays all or part of the interpreter's accommodation and board.

Sworn translator
A translator who has taken an oath and can therefore produce certified translations.

Target language
Language into which a text is to be translated.

Target text
The translation, i.e. the result of the translation process.

Voice-over
Commentary in a film, television programme, video, or commercial spoken by an unseen narrator. Foreign-language voice-over consists of two parts: translating the narrative, whereby timing (coordinating the voice with the film sequence) is an important consideration; recording the voice-over, which may be performed by a linguist with special training or by an actor.

Word count
A standard measure of the size of a text. Translation projects, for example, are often priced on a per-word basis.