Modes of Interpreting and Their Application

This study describes the common application of interpreting modes, as we know there are a number of modes or how an interpretation is being conducted in real condition. The modes application is based on the requirement of the clients who need an interpreter as the mediator of the communication. Based on literary investigation and study; it was discovered that in intra-social communication such as community interpreting (for an asylum seeker, parent-teacher interpreting, medical interpreting, court proceeding, police investigation) the mode of consecutive is applied. Meanwhile, in international conferences, a meeting attended by delegates of states, the mode of simultaneous is applied.

                In regards to Brislin (1976:1),  states that interpreting is an oral translation in which the interpreter as the mediator transfers the oral message of the source language into the target language for the addressee in the target language. While Pochhaker describes that interpreting is a type of translation that is conducted orally and the interpreter interprets the message of source language utterance into the target language with a very limited time lapse. It means that the interpreter has to have a good memory due to the density of the source language message while transferring the message and concentrating at the same for the next incoming message to be transferred. In this condition, the interpreter is faced with divided attention in listening to the source language and speaking in the target language. It means an interpreter should have a good memory and well trained.   

                Pochhacker (2004: 18) states modes of interpreting are divided into simultaneous, consecutive, whisper, and relay. In conferences and Seminars attended by many delegates, the mode of Simultaneous interpreting is applied. Where in simultaneous interpreting the utterance of the source language and the delivery of the interpretation into the target language is done almost at the same time as the speaker of the source language speaks it normal starts four-second after the speaker uttered his/her utterance in the source language. The interpreters are commonly work in teams from a soundproof booth. The participants or the delegates in the conference hear the delivery of the target language from the headsets. Sign language interpretation is also applied simultaneous mode but using sign language as often shown on new on the TV.  

                 Consecutive interpreting is interpreting carried out by the interpreter after the speaker of the source language stops to speak and the interpreter transfers the utterance of the speaker. Normally the speech is separated into sections and the interpreter sits or stands beside the speaker, listening and taking notes while the speaker progress through the delivery of the source language message. In “short consecutive” the interpreter depends on the capacity memory in which each section is not too long to memorize. While in “long consecutive” note-taking is necessary for the source language to support the interpretation of the long passage, this is normally negotiated with the client preceding to the interpretation is carried out, reliant on the topic, its density of the subject and the aims of the interpretation.

Whisper interpreting is carried out by the interpreter to some participants in a conference where only a few participants do not speak the language used by the speaker, and he or she sits beside or next to them and renders the speaker’s speech in a whispering mode.

Relay interpreting is conducted when in an international conference the speakers from many state delegates and each use his or her national language and with several target languages. In this condition, there should be as many as the renditions of the target-language needed the team of interpreters working to deliver the rendition. For example, an Indonesian source message first is rendered to English to a group of interpreters, then it is rendered to Japanese, Thai, Dutch and Korean, German, and others.

     Liaison interpreting is another mode of interpreting which is introduced by Hatim and Mason in 1997, they state that the incoming message allows the interpreter accomplishes the first incoming message which has longer utterances in terms of the delivery of the message are almost similar to simultaneous. This type of interpreting is mostly done in a meeting between two parties such as business interpreting. Parties who are conducting business deals where both of them need an interpreter as the mediator of the communication.

In short, it can be concluded that each mode of interpreting is conducted based on the needs of the clients and how they would like to have the rendition to be carried out and the type of event they have such: parent-teacher meeting, medical interpreting (patient-doctor), business deals, workshops, seminars, and an international conference attended by representatives of states.