What should an interpreter do if there is a long pause in speech during interpretation?

What should an interpreter do if there is a long pause in speech during interpretation?

• A. Speak over the speaker
• B. Exit the room
• C. Wait for the speaker to resume
• D. Return to conduit interpreting asap

Answer: (D)

When there’s a long pause in the source speech, the priority is to keep the communication smooth and accurate. The best move is to switch back to conduit interpreting as soon as you notice the pause. This keeps the message flowing between languages without forcing you to fill the silence or guess what’s coming next, which could introduce errors. You can then resume direct interpretation promptly when the speaker resumes. Speaking over the speaker would distort or pre-empt the message, waiting forever could stall the session, and exiting ends the communication. Conduit interpreting maintains continuity and readiness for the next portion of the talk.

When there’s a long pause in the source speech, the priority is to keep the communication smooth and accurate. The best move is to switch back to conduit interpreting as soon as you notice the pause. This keeps the message flowing between languages without forcing you to fill the silence or guess what’s coming next, which could introduce errors. You can then resume direct interpretation promptly when the speaker resumes.

Speaking over the speaker would distort or pre-empt the message, waiting forever could stall the session, and exiting ends the communication. Conduit interpreting maintains continuity and readiness for the next portion of the talk.