Reaching a diverse audience through simultaneous translation

Technology has made it easier to connect and reach a global audience through webinars, podcasts, conferences, and virtual meetings. Nevertheless, while addressing such an audience can be exciting, language barriers still stand in the way of efficient information exchange. Thankfully, translation has made it possible to bridge this gap in such meetings, with simultaneous translation standing out as one of the most effective forms of translation.

Simultaneous translation enables a speaker to reach a multi-linguistic audience in their own individual language in real-time. This means that participants can have interactive communication without anyone being left behind. Here are ways that you can use simultaneous translation to reach your diverse audience.

1. Wireless simultaneous translation system

Simultaneous translation systems come in handy in onsite multilingual conferences, presentations, and meetings among other conventions. This system is an interpretation device that comes with a microphone, headset, and transmitter for the interpreter and wireless receivers and headphones for the audience. The speaker speaks into a microphone in his primary language, the interpreters located in isolated booths listen to the speaker through the headset and deliver the translation to another language into a microphone. Each participant in the event selects the language of choice in the simultaneous translation equipment, enabling them to hear the message in that selected language. The advantage of using a wireless simultaneous translation system is that participants can get the message clear as they can read your body language. The system also allows volume adjustments for comfortable hearing.

2. Remote simultaneous interpretation

Virtual meetings have become the in-thing in the recent past. Remote simultaneous interpretation allows you to reach remote participants in different languages in real-time. This happens through a cloud-based platform, which eliminates the need for equipment. All you have to do is speak in your language, and then your voice and image are streamed live through a web browser in your computer to remote interpreters. These interpreters then translate your message from your language to other languages, the speech is then transmitted to your audience through the cloud-based system. In this case, the attendees have to connect to the remote simultaneous interpretation system through their computer or mobile device, then select their desired language.

3. Simultaneous interpretation apps

Your audience can also listen to your event in their own language through simultaneous interpretation apps. All they need to do is to download the app to their mobile devices and access the live stream using a QR code that they can scan or write. This means that you have to communicate well in advance with your target audience, giving them information on the apps that they can find for your event. So schedule your multilingual meeting early enough and ensure that you communicate the details to your participants in good time.

4. Language interpretation feature in online communication tools

Online communication tools are advancing, adding language translation features to their offerings. Zoom for instance has made it possible for people to schedule and host multilingual meetings. It allows you to slot up to 20 interpreters of your own as participants. When you start the session, you enable the interpretation feature. Your interpreters are then able to create their own audio channels for the language they are speaking. Attendees can then select the language that they want to hear, with the option of muting the original language or listening to it at a lower volume. However, this feature is only available in scheduled meetings and not in instant meetings.

5. Simultaneous chat translation

Simultaneous chat translation allows you to reach a multilingual audience through chat on your website or webinar. This helps eliminate awkward gaps in conversations, creating a good impression of yourself or your business to the audience. This way of translation uses instant Google translation for your chats, with the ability to translate the chats in over 50 languages. The system automatically detects the original language and then translates it to the language that the audience has selected. The message is then displayed in both the translated and source language in real-time.

Conclusion

Just as technology is creating a connected world, it has also provided possibilities to connect with people from diverse cultures and languages in languages that each understands. As shown above, there are numerous ways to use simultaneous translation in your virtual or on-site conventions. You can choose to use translation systems, apps, or cloud-based online translation platforms. You can also utilize Google translation for your chats or choose an online communication tool with an interpretation feature.

Author Bio

Aurora Heidrick is an experienced HR Manager with a demonstrated history of helping businesses to deliver people-related processes, vision, and strategy. She helps managing company staff, including coordinating and supporting the recruitment process. She contributed to many websites by writing about different business fields and HR challenges and solutions. She likes to write about these topics to reach out to a greater audience and to share valuable information for people in that industry.