Subject to interpretation

You’re in the midst of planning an important business trip abroad. Perhaps you’re meeting potential clients for the first time. Or you’re going overseas to finally close a deal that has been three years in the making. Whatever the case, you’ll want to consider hiring an interpreter.

Photo: Courtesy of Current Corporation

There are two main types of interpreters. At most face-to-face meetings, you’ll work with what’s called a consecutive interpreter, who will interpret what you say into your host’s language. The interpreter will take notes as you speak and convey your message when you pause. If you’re planning a formal presentation—before a board, for instance—you may need a simultaneous interpreter, who will interpret as you’re speaking. A simultaneous interpreter can be more difficult to locate and is more costly, so you need to plan for it.

The cost of an interpreter varies from market to market and varies depending on the language needed. But should you spend the money to hire an interpreter? Consider the pros and the cons:

1.  Your host offers the services of his/her interpreter: While this can be an inexpensive approach, and one that works well for meet-and-greets, there are several drawbacks. A company-supplied interpreter will generally not have time to review your organization’s materials before the meeting. Your terminology, approach or technology may be completely new—and open to misinterpretation. You will also have no one to confirm what the interpreter has said about you or your company. If you have several in-country meetings to attend, you will have to educate each interpreter, which means more work and greater potential for mixed messaging. Finally, using your host’s interpreter is not a good option if you’re entering into negotiations.

2.  Your host says he/she speaks English, so you won’t need an interpreter: We’re treading into delicate territory. While you don’t want to insult your host, keep in mind that his English language skills may be slightly over-stated. You want to ensure he focuses on the content of your message, rather than trying to interpret it. There’s also the very real possibility that the true decision-makers in the room do not speak English and will miss out on your messaging. If you have only one English-speaker in the room, he may make or break your success based on what he decides to tell his colleagues.

3.  You bring your own interpreter: This is usually your best option. With proper planning, you can ensure your interpreter is well-prepared and understands your business and market objectives. If your host insists on being your interpreter, here is how you may want to handle it. Of course, the first step would be to not get into that predicament. Let your host know early on that you will have your own interpreter. If you are in a jam, however, be tactful and indicate to the host that what you want to present is technical in nature, and that your interpreter is very familiar with your product or service. You may have also pre-paid the interpreter and suggest to the host that his or her value is to work on the business arrangements being discussed. You may want to add that trying to interpret for both sides may result in something being missed or overlooked.

CanadExport spoke with Senior Trade Commissioner Andrew Smith in Manila and Mackie Chase with the Centre for Intercultural Learning at the University of British Columbia to get some insights into how to (and how not to) work with interpreters in global markets. They offered these key tips:

Interpreter dos

• Send the interpreter advance copies of your company materials and meeting agenda.
• Plan a pre-meeting discussion to review your presentation and confirm your expectations.
• Ask the interpreter to avoid offering her own views, answering questions on your behalf or providing additional explanations.
• Adapt your speaking style. Speak slowly with one idea per sentence. Take frequent breaks. An interpreter can only interpret what he hears and remembers.
• Supplement your conversation with translated materials. This will increase your chances of success by ensuring that your message is more widely understood by all players.
• Re-insert key messages into the conversation more than once. Interpretation is not an exact science, so some amount of repetition is a good idea.
• Plan to speak only half the allocated time scheduled for the meeting. Remember that using consecutive interpretation means that everything is being said twice.
• Invite a trade commissioner along for the meeting. In addition to helping you meet your market objectives, he/she will also be able to report what the interpreter said on your behalf, along with reactions from your host.

Interpreter don’ts

• Do not direct your words to the interpreter. Maintain eye contact with your hosts at all times. Remember, you’re trying to nurture a business partnership with them.
• Do not speak at great lengths without pausing. Your message will become too long and difficult to effectively interpret.
• Do not speak in brief phrases. An interpreter needs to hear complete sentences and thoughts before being able to restructure your message for your host.
• Do not use humour, colloquialisms, slang or jargon. The meaning may get lost, misinterpreted—or worse yet—elicit a negative response.

Finally, keep in touch with your interpreter. After all, if you’re looking at the market with a long-term commercial interest, your interpreter will become an important and educated ally.

To locate interpreters in your target market, visit the TCS website, choose a market and click on “Visit information”.

Repinted courtesy of CanadExport, the official e-magazine of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service.