What you need to do for the interpretation of the press conference to be really smooth and professional
Interpreting a press conference could also be considered a sub-genre of consecutive interpreting. However, since due to the importance of such events, and therefore, the pressure on the interpreter, I have dedicated a separate chapter to this topic. At such events, the interpreter is positioned near, preferably next to the individual holding the press conference and interprets what is being said to the audience from this position in units consisting of a few sentences to longer trains of thought going on for several minutes during which the interpreter may need to take notes. Since the interpreter also becomes a visible and audible speaker during these types of interpretations, it is important to dress smartly and not to be prone to stage fright.
What do you need to pay attention to when a press conference is held with the help of an interpreter:
1. Once the date of the press conference has been set, it is worthwhile arranging interpretation as soon as possible, because the diaries of good interpreters fill quickly.
2. Although using the same interpreter and/or an interpreter that is familiar with the topic in highly specialised areas is definitely an advantage; however, it is also worthwhile knowing that a routine interpreter used to "being on stage" is capable of interpreting almost any particular topic. Of course, the interpreter needs some background information and truly needs to have the routine and experience.
3. Once you have the interpreter, the following things need to be clarified and information provided to the interpreter preferably as earliest possible before the event.
a) What is the topic and programme of the press conference?
b) Who are the speakers, where are they from and what is their position? (Important when introducing speakers.) The names of institutions and positions are often so complex that it is definitely an advantage for the interpreter to know these in advance.
c) How should the event be interpreted? Standing or sitting at a table? Seeing the interpreter is either not, or only with difficulty able to take notes while standing, in the case of the former the speaker should preferably limit what she/he says to shorter passages consisting of a few sentences which are immediately interpreted after.
d) Lectures, presentations, speeches, etc. – I do not think I need to go into the details of the importance of this point. An interpreter needs input to be able to produce sufficient output. Although interpreting is like a blind fall and anything can happen anytime, if the interpreter knows in advance that, for example, the word colostrum will be used at the press conference, she/he will be able to prepare for this. (By the way, do you know what this word means? If you don’t, don’t worry, I didn’t either a few years ago. Otherwise, colostrum is the form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals which differs in both texture and composition to ordinary milk.) Otherwise, the interpreter will have to improvise, which may go both ways.
e) Who the contact person will be at the venue on behalf of the contracting party and what her/his the telephone number is (if this person is not the same as the one with whom the contract was negotiated).
f) Is the event being recorded/filmed at the venue? This needs to be clarified for reasons pertaining to copyright, because, the interpreter is entitled to the interpretation as a product and if anyone wants to use this text beyond the “here and now”, this needs to be negotiated with the interpreter by paying for copyright surrender in certain cases. Naturally, this does not apply to journalists taking notes of what is being interpreted. However, if the interpreter will also be featured on television, copyright issues may need to be considered.
g) If films are screened which need to be interpreted (possibly summarised), the interpreter needs to be ensured the opportunity to watch these beforehand.
5. On the day of the press conference: don't forget that sometimes the interpreter will be talking long hours and needs to drink. Interpreters need to preferably be provided mineral water throughout the duration of the press conference.
6. In order for everything to go smoothly, the interpreter should sit next to the person holding the press conference, except if there are foreigners on stage (regardless of whether they speak or not). In the latter case, the interpreter should sit next to the foreign speakers/representatives, yet close to the Hungarian speaker. Because in this case the interpreter will be interpreting what the Hungarian speaker says to foreign guests (or questions from the audience) by whispering in their ear. And when the foreign speaker is given the floor, the interpreter continues to interpret what she/he says by switching to consecutive interpreting, i.e., with a delay by always waiting for what the foreign speaker has to say. In an alternative scenario, i.e., when the interpreter is not sitting near the speakers, far less information may be channelled to the interpreter owing to the general background noise characteristic during such events or possibly due to the poor acoustics of the room. I don't think I have to go into why this is bad. (One time at a press conference the organisers wanted to get me to sit behind the foreign speakers and participants, presumably so the interpreter would not "interfere" in the scene. Beyond how this would have been extremely annoying for the audience, since a voice would have mediated the information presented in a foreign language to them without the audience seeing who is actually speaking, there would have even been a greater risk: I may not have understood everything, not to speak of the crucial role of metacommunication in such a situation. It goes without saying that I talked them out of this.)
7. If the room is amplified, it is worthwhile to somehow ensure that everything can also be heard well on the stage. The sound the speakers hear may be significantly distorted in a large echoing room, which may also negatively influence interpreting. And ensuring a microphone for the audience to pose questions is also important in large halls/rooms. If a microphone is not provided, not only the interpreter, but possibly also the speaker won't hear the question directed at her/him.
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