This is the official website of Interpreter Elef Vakalis. Simultaneous Cabin interpretation, and person to person consecutive interpretation. Specialization in German, Greek, French and English. High quality written translations into Greek and/or & into Cambodian - Khmer also. Collaboration with various international organizations and several multinationals corporations.

source : http://www.elef.gr/en/presentation.html

In case you wish, I can help build interpretation teams and organize interpretation audio material / equipment in Europe on a long term or case by case cooperation base.

2012 member at following professional organizations: SFT, inttra.net, CBTIP, ATA & Ceticap 

Clinical studies & follow up / of field studies
Administration approvals / procedures for new drugs
Commercial presentations of medical equipments
Instruction manuals (General electric)
Ipsen Pharma
PR presentations
Testimed
Lilly

Interpreting

As a member of several interpretation networks I can offer a range of interpreting services, whether you need a conference interpreted simultaneously or a business meeting interpreted consecutively. We have the right interpreter in our team for you. Our Interpreters are specialized in all areas, including public sector interpreting and multinational events such as conferences. As with our translation service, if you need an Interpreter with specialist knowledge then we get you one most of the time.

Interpreting can be invaluable when your company is holding business meetings or conferences which can affect your image and turn over for years to come. Especially with foreign suppliers, buyers, competitors or specialists. Being able to communicate clearly will go a long way in securing you that competitive advantage and not just an important deal. If you are initiating contact with a international audience, foreign companies or organize an event we can be there for you from the very beginning.

The best interpreters can think and react very quickly, delivering the message with the right expressions, emphasis and accuracy. All our interpreters are highly qualified and screened by their peers on reputation, so that you can be sure we provide accurate interpreting. As with our translation services all our projects are controlled using decades of experience for oral translation services.

Interpreting is a high pressure, high profile world, which is quite different from written translation. We make sure that every live performance by our interpreters goes ahead without a hitch. Every interpreting project is unique and different. Even if we are cooperating with some clients since over twenty years. We will use our experience, soft skills, listened and tailor a solution exactly to your requirements, using the most suitable elements of our interpreting services.

Some say it is a consulting interpreters job to provide advice. Others say project managers offer a consultancy service and provide advice on interpreting issues. How ever you call it is is based on a comprehensive understanding of the needs, challenges, scope and audience targeted. Coordinators are essential if many interpreters are required for a large conference and as they conduct "Simultaneous Interpreting"the coordinator is a support function for organizing presentations, and all other back office functions proven to be needed. So one has to liaise between the client and interpreters to provide lots of background information and discuss travel arrangements.

Interpreting can be done in a number of different ways, each of which suits a different kind of situation. Main forms are :

Ad-Hoc Interpreting : also known as "Liaison Interpreting", is suitable for small meetings such as a solicitor's appointment, visit of a production site or medical visits where the interpreter reacts to the given situation. It is interpreting in a mainly informal setting, perhaps at an informal meeting, commercial trade fair, a social function or perhaps as a chaperon for someone visiting a country whose language they do not speak. The French Ministery of Foreign Affaires Quai d'Orsay had a special unit called APAP. Replaced 2012 by Campus France. This type of interpreting is usually on a one-to-one basis and is only suited to very small groups of people. Ad-Hoc interpreting is any assignment where the subject matter is unprepared, such as in interviews and diplomatic visits. Latest need actually Consecutive Interpreting.

Consecutive Interpreting means that the interpreter listens to a section of speech then either summarizes, (often called "chunking"), or relays verbatim. It is generally used for meetings, presentations, training courses, technicians, operators and engineers for example need to be trained on new equipment sold for example by a german company, one-to-one meetings and small groups. Interpreters work from memory and brief note taking when performing consecutive interpreting. This technique is not shorthand. Consecutive interpreting is common in formal situations where interpreting takes place after each sentence, paragraph or after a short speech is given. This is common in court proceedings, depositions, examinations under oath (EUOs), small conferences or group discussions. But you loose half of the time. Since 50% of the time the speaker expresses his / her ideas, and 50% of the time the interpreter translates. Simultaneous interpretation saves a lot of time and is much more efficient for direct exchange. No wonder it is widely used for training, EWC, negotiations and other settings as listed bellow.

Whispered Simultaneous Interpreting (also known as "Chuchotage"), in-audience real-time interpreting for an individual or two people who require interpretation into their mother tongue. Done at a whisper, with the interpreter sat amongst the target audience. A second interpreter is needed to turn swifts every half an hour.

Simultaneous Interpreting (also known as "Conference Interpreting"), behind-the-scenes, or in the room, is real-time interpreting used for conferences, large meetings, media launches, live TV broadcasts, meetings with unions, depositions, legal proceedings like Concorde which lasted months in Versailles next to Paris and high-level official talks. It is common at the EU, UN, National Parlement, Senat, and large multinational meetings where proceedings are interpreted with a few seconds usually 2-3 second delay, the interpreter attempts to relay the meaning in real time. As it involves intense concentration levels, interpreters work in teams of 2 or 3, alternating every 20 to 30 minutes or so. Interpretation is performed normally in sound-proofed booths. Some times interpretation booths are build up just for the duration of the event. The interpreter translates into the target language while simultaneously listening to and comprehending the next sentence. As such, simultaneous interpreting is an extremely demanding method of interpreting. This type of interpreting service requires interpreters working in teams due to the mental fatigue experienced by the concentration required for this work. International standards apply. Interpreters speak into a microphone and the delegates listen through headsets. Smaller events do not require a booth but rather a portable mic and headsets. The choose of the technical solution such as HF or FM or infrared techniques depend on the nature and location of the event. For large conferences we can get you in touch and even provide as well audio equipment as well an interpreting team leader to act as a contact between the interpreters and the client.

Durnig the Nurnberg trial the firs equipment were telephone booths converted to conference interpretation booths, the in the 1950 we got telephone interpretation, followed by VRi Video Remote interpretation mainly for juridical and legal use, and since about a decade SRi Simultaneous Remote interptation was tested, used and accepted by the EU and Aiic.

Relay Interpreting occurs when, for example, the audience requires an Greek into Czech translation and there are no interpreters working between these two languages. In this case, the Greek interpreting team translates say into French or English, which the Czech team hears through headphones and renders into Czech.

Client considerations:

a) Always be clear about why you are hiring an interpreter. Will interpreters serve any purpose beyond straight language translation? You may need someone with a particular knowledge of an industry sector or you may need someone with negotiation skills.

b) Always give as much background information and documentation on the situation the interpreters will find themselves in. What outcomes do you expect? Are there any potential issues or problems such as difficult personalities or sensitive issues?

c) Plan ahead. When will you need the interpreter? Try and give both you and them time. You may want to meet with them first to discuss the day or meeting. Will they be needed for a whole day or week or longer event?

d) Supply background documentation including the agenda for the event, the text of presentations - in draft or final form - and any general material, such as minutes of previous meetings, technical press releases, technical documents and company reports etc.

e) stay alive do not read your presentation, keep oral language and eye contact with the audience. Otherwise, why not just send them the presentation?

f) breath one two three seconds before answering the questions. Remember there is a delay from one language to the other. This makes you seem more a professional thinker. Observe professional speakers when they pause in order to emphasize underline or provoke an reaction in their audience.

Interpreters are in great demand in the current global climate. International intercultural communication is a field of specialists. With people from all over the world participating in business meetings, conferences and events, overcoming the language barrier naturally becomes the key to ensuring all attendees contribute and benefit from such occasions. The interpreter is an integral cog in the wheel of cross cultural communication. Knowing how to hire and work with an interpreter is a must for international business personnel. Interpreters do care if you care for them and consider everybody part of a team. You prepare your speech, time it, so do they need to know if you use jokes please say them ahead to interpreters. Otherwise just a part of the audience will laugh and maybe some others a few seconds later because the interpreter will say: the speaker said a joke I can not translate, please laugh in order not to offend him / her.

Working with an interpreter offers challenges. Interpreters on the whole have a stressful job. Unlike translators they do not have the luxury of breaks and time to think. Interpreters have to perform 'live' and in front of an audience. In order to ensure you get the best out of an interpreter, good communication is necessary.

What information do I need to give you in order to plan an event with interpretation?

Initially we will need the following information to book your interpreter:


Date:
Start / Finish Times:


Place:


Attendees:


Nature of meeting:


Any specific terminology/abbreviations that will be used:


Languages that will be used:

inspired by translation street web site two thousand eight. 

My languages are English German French Greek