Simultaneous Interpreters for English, Spanish and German

We're here to ensure that you have a successful event! Planning and organization are our specialty! We take care of all the details and see to it that your conventions, seminars, conferences, events, meetings, and workshops run smoothly.

Although our home base is in northern Germany and we typically serve the Bremen, Hamburg, Hanover, Kiel, Lübeck, and Berlin areas, we are happy to go anywhere you need us.

UNISONO Network of Interpreters

Our team is made up of professional simultaneous interpreters, and we are here to assist you with any questions you may have about interpreting.

Helle Fordyce: German, English, Spanish
Fee Engemann: German, Spanish, English
Conrado Portugal: German, Spanish, English
Manuela B. Wille: German, English, Spanish

One-Stop Shopping

What do you need to host a successful event? With many years of experience, we know what it takes and can make sure you have everything you need.

Consultation

We provide you with expert guidance regarding the makeup of the interpreting team needed for any type of situation and can assist with selecting a venue, creating schedules and agendas, briefing speakers, and acquiring the necessary equipment.

Equipment

We partner with a trusted team of tech providers and are uniquely qualified to advise and assist you in obtaining a tailor-made quote for the necessary audio-visual technology.






Teamwork

Great outcomes require teamwork ‒ especially when it comes to conference interpreting. We can put together a group of professionals you can depend on, even if you need languages that our core team doesn’t cover.



Not Just Interpreting! Communicating!

We don’t just interpret for you; we make sure you have the right tools for seamless communication! Whether you need simultaneous, consecutive, whispered, or liaison interpreting – or a written translation, we’ve got you covered.

Our Guarantee

No Hidden Costs

We do not charge hidden fees when we bring in additional language specialists. The fee you pay for each interpreter goes ‒ in full, to that interpreter, ensuring the highest possible quality.

Personal Consultation

When you contact us, you won’t be communicating with a chat bot or dealing with an intermediary. Our language experts will communicate with you directly, so what you see and hear is what you get!

Thorough Preparation

We prepare extremely thoroughly using the documentation you provide so that you can devote your time to other tasks or simply enjoy your event.

Types of Events We Organize and Interpret:

  • Conventions, seminars, conferences
  • Events, meetings, workshops
  • European works council meetings
  • Annual general and shareholder meetings
  • Facility/company tours
  • Video conferences
  • Remote Simultaneous Interpretation or Distance Interpreting according to the standards set by the International Association of Conference Interpreters AIIC

Is your event not on the list? Call and ask; we are here to help!

Memberships

Our Locations

And wherever else you need us!

Hamburg
Berlin
Bremen
Hannover
Kiel
Lübeck

Our Areas of Expertise:

  • Technology and IT
  • Medical, pharmaceutical, science
  • Politics and legal
  • Business and finance
  • Culture and media

Language Connects
We combine expertise in languages and years of training and experience with avid curiosity and a desire to constantly learn and grow – the result is the interpreted word, which becomes a point of connection and is the key to communication.

Interpreting is a complex challenge.

Here are our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about our language services. If you have any other questions, please reach out! Our team here at UNISONO is happy to help.

What is the difference between a translator and an interpreter?

A translator works with written texts, an interpreter with the spoken word. This means that the interpreter translates talks, lectures and discussions into another language while they are being held or are taking place. This can either be simultaneously with the interpreter sitting in a booth or consecutively.

How do I recognise a professional conference interpreter?

There are many titles in the interpreting field: graduate interpreter, conference interpreter, state-qualified interpreter, court interpreter, sworn interpreter, authorised interpreter, state-approved interpreter or simply just interpreter. This is because the occupational title “interpreter” is not legally protected.

 

At UNISONO, we are all professional conference interpreters. We have all completed a university education and have a degree as graduate interpreters (“Diplom-Dolmetscher”) or a comparable international degree. In the course of our studies, we have enjoyed comprehensive training in conference interpreting and can guarantee highest quality. A further indication of professional qualification is membership in an acknowledged professional association. The UNISONO team are members in various national and international professional associations.

What are the different types of interpreting?

We differentiate between simultaneous, consecutive, whispered and liaison interpreting.

  • In simultaneous interpreting, we convert practically instantaneously the spoken word into the other language. Colloquially, this interpreting technique is often wrongly called simultaneous translation or synchronous interpreting.
  • In consecutive interpreting, the speaker talks in sections and we take notes with the aid of which we then interpret what the speaker has said into the other language.
  • Whispered interpreting is a special form of simultaneous interpreting where we whisper the interpretation to one or two listeners. In liaison interpreting, we interpret consecutively into both languages for two or more participants.

When is conference technology required?

For simultaneous interpreting, we require a soundproof booth in which we hear the original sound with the aid of headphones. We speak into a microphone which transmits our interpretation to the headphones of the conference participants. There is therefore little background noise disturbance for the participants in the conference hall. Simultaneous interpreting is also so much less time-consuming than consecutive interpreting.

Why do we need conference documents and background material before the event?

We must understand the content and subjects and familiarise ourselves with the specialised vocabulary in order to be able to provide a good and correct interpretation. Each company and each organisation has its own technical jargon and uses certain, often subject-specific terminology. We make every effort to always use the terms with which the listeners are familiar. With the aid of the conference papers, we can prepare accordingly in advance for the event. We of course guarantee that your documents are treated with strict confidentiality.

Why do we not work alone when interpreting simultaneously?

Simultaneous interpreting calls for a great deal of concentration and this cannot be maintained for long. In order to guarantee consistently high quality, we therefore alternate every 20 – 30 minutes when interpreting simultaneously.

How many interpreters do I need for my event?

This very much depends on the duration of the event and the interpreting technique selected. For example, when simultaneous interpreting is required for up to a period of 5 hours, we work in pairs. If the event is to last longer, a third colleague joins our team. When using whispered, consecutive and liaison interpreting, the individual situation determines whether we work alone or in pairs. It is important that we have enough breaks. Only then, can we guarantee the consistently high quality of our interpreting.

Why do we need interpreters at all?

Everyone can speak English! Today, it is increasingly the case that all participants of an event have to speak in one language. When conference participants are asked to speak English and they are not familiar with all nuances of the language, they have to concentrate more on the terminology used than on the actual content. The participants say only what they can say and not what they want to say. Important information could, under such circumstances, remain unsaid.

What is the AIIC?

The International Association of Conference Interpreters, known under its French abbreviation “AIIC”, is the association in which interpreters from around the world get together to strengthen their professional interests. The members are conference interpreters who work freelance or are staff interpreters in international organisations, governments and in the private sector.
The AIIC is:

The only recognised international association of our profession.
The professional association of conference interpreters which sets the standards worldwide for professional interpreters.
The central contact point for interpreters and interpreters‘ customers as regards specialized knowledge, information, resources and orientation.
The AIIC accepts only competent, experienced interpreters as members. Its members are bound to abide by the association’s Code of Professional Ethics and by certain professional standards. They can thus provide competent and reliable interpreting services of the highest quality.
We at UNISONO are all committed to the standards and Code of Professional Ethics of the AIIC.

How do we calculate our fees?

We work on the basis of daily rates. This may, in the first instance, perhaps sound strange but it does have many advantages for our customers. Not only does our daily rate cover our actual presence at the venue but also the travel time involved on the day of deployment and a thorough technical and terminological preparation of the subject. In general, this time of preparation goes far beyond the actual interpreting time. In our fees, we also differentiate between simultaneous and consecutive interpreting. As we often have longer deployment hours alone when interpreting consecutively, the fees here are slightly higher.

Why do we charge travel expenses?

In order to be able to provide an excellent interpreting service, we must be rested on arrival at the venue. If an event should begin very early in the day or if we have a long journey to the event, we often arrive the evening before the event takes place. In this case, travel expenses and daily allowances are charged in addition to the interpreting fees.

Are we bound to confidentiality?

Of course. In the course of our work, we often come into contact with very sensitive material (e.g. at works council negotiations, board meetings, ministries and authorities). Not only are we bound to absolute confidentiality by the codes of professional conduct of the professional associations, it would also be fatal for us if our confidentiality was ever questioned. You can therefore rely on your documents being entirely safe with us.

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