Glossary of terms
In our trade we use a good many expressions that some people may find rather enigmatic. The explanations listed below will help the customers to grasp their meanings properly:
1. Consecutive interpreting is a process in which the speaker utters a sentence, a paragraph or a longer segment of speech and the interpreter repeats it translated into the target language. This mode of interpreting is used primarily at the "across-the-table" negotiations, press conferences and similar events. It is not well suited for symposiums or seminars where longer lectures are delivered in one piece - the reasons are twofold:
- the whole event would take twice the time that the speaker alone might need;
- switching between languages may soon be found distractive by the audience.
Should a conference or a symposium be interpreted in the consecutive manner for longer than half a day, you will need two interpreters taking turns.
2. Simultaneous interpreting (from a booth) is the right choice for conferences, workshops and similar events where the speaker uses a microphone and the interpreter speaks with just a slight delay into another mike in the target language. The listeners are free to choose whether they wish to hear the speech as it is delivered or translated into a conference language of their preference.
When on a job, the interpreter is sitting in a sound-proofed booth so as not to disturb colleagues. Each booth should be staffed by no less than two interpreters.
3. Simultaneous interpreting (simple) could be preferable at events with just a limited number of participants. In such a case the booth can be dispensed with and the interpreter will use what is known as the "whispering set" - a wireless device with earphones.
Since the interpreters are not hidden behind a pane of glass and their voices may be disturbing, the conference thus interpreted will inevitably suffer, and the same can be said about the quality of translation, as the interpreters may have problems with concentration.
4. Plain translation will be delivered to the customer printed, on a diskette / CD, in e-mail, etc.
5. Certified (forensic) translation produced by a sworn translator authorized to use the "round seal" is a translation required for official purposes.
In this case the original document has to be inseparably attached to the text of translation and the file thus created has to be accompanied by so-called Translator's Statement, duly sealed & stamped. Such translations will be accepted as binding instruments by government administration agencies, courts of law, registries of births, deaths and marriages, etc.
The certified translations can also be inseparably attached to copies of the original documents authenticated by notaries public and by some other institutions such as municipal authorities, post offices and others). This is advisable particularly for birth certificates, school-leaving certificates and similar documents. Sometimes it is enough to fasten the translation to an ordinary copy of the document and, when submitting the file thus created to an institution, to allow the institution to inspect the original.
The certified translation cannot, therefore, be made "remotely", but after a preliminary agreement the process can be expedited by scanning the original document and delivering the scan to us immediately by e-mail. In such a case we will be able to start translating without any delay and the original may reach us later by regular post. No sooner than we have the original, we will join it with the certified translation, enclose the Translator's Statement and return it to you instantaneously.
6. Standard page (SP) is a page of text consisting of 1800 characters with spaces. If you want your documents to have the actual page equivalent to one SP, set the number of lines to 30, their spacing to 1.5, and the number of characters in a line to 60. The concept of SP has been introduced to avoid a situation, in which the volume of text on a page would depend on the size of font and line spacing. Our prices are thus always quoted and calculated for a standard page of translation in the target language. The number of characters with spaces can be found in MS Word under Properties. Alternatively, you may copy the text to the "Check the Volume of Your Text" box available on our homepage and you will immediately see the approximate number of SP in your document.
7. Website - Does your website offer only the Czech language while you would like to have also its English, German, French and/or Hungarian versions? Or do you have no website at all yet, you wish to have one and need some assistance? We will be glad to help you.
8. Half-day of interpreting is a period longer than 1 hour but shorter than 4 hours of interpreting.
9 One day of interpreting is a time span longer than 4 hours, but no longer than 8 hours of interpreting.