In recent weeks, simultaneous interpretation has acquired unusual notoriety due to the introduction of co-official languages in the Congress of Deputies in Spain. This measure has generated a political debate that transcends the borders of this profession, as discreet as it is necessary. And above all, it has raised many questions that should be clarified.
Let's start at the beginning, the people who translate oral speeches are interpreters and their profession is almost as old as the Tower of Babel. In fact, simultaneous interpretation has been used for almost 80 years. It began to be used in the Nuremberg trials after World War II, where it was shown to be the most faithful and effective way to judge people who spoke another language. Since then, the profession has evolved a lot and is used daily in many institutions and in private international meetings in a reliable, neutral and efficient way to allow all people to speak in their native language and thus be able to express themselves correctly and freely. , and be heard through receivers or headphones.
When a person speaks in their native language and is translated by a professional interpreter under optimal working conditions, it can be expected that the translated version communicates exactly the same as the original and transmits both the technical contents and the original communicative intention or emotions.
The interpreters are professionals who are in a constant training process and the contents of each meeting are thoroughly prepared. In addition, they usually form part of a professional association such as AICE, the Association of Conference Interpreters of Spain, which screens the quality, aptitude and attitude of its members and ensures their training and working conditions. As a guarantee of this, all AICE members adhere to the 'AICE Seal of Professional Commitment' that reflects their values of professional ethics, excellence, continuous training and even environmental sustainability.
In addition, since the pandemic, demand for remote simultaneous interpretation has grown greatly, for digital or hybrid meetings, as an effective way to reduce the carbon footprint and save on travel costs for participants and interpreters. ISR has been established as a useful professional practice as long as it is carried out while maintaining optimal technical conditions of sound and internet connection.
The question of whether artificial intelligence can or will be able to perform this service can only be answered with the question of whether someone would be willing to leave in the hands of software the possibility of translating a message so that another person buys our product, signs a binding agreement, perform open-heart surgery on us, or judge our innocence in a trial. The logical answer is no. AI will help interpreters do their jobs more accurately, but communicating human messages and emotions will always require a human head and heart.
