Paris-based professional Interpreter for all types of translation

A.D.T. International provides its services for any linguistic requirements you may have. Established in 1993, it provides translation, interpretation and Desktop Publishing (DTP) services.

Right from when it was established, the company has chosen to work with professional and trustworthy qualified translators and interpreters. It has built up an international network of more than 2,500 translators and interpreters, and works with 400 of them on a regular basis. This is a key strength of A.D.T. International, the translation agency in Paris. Consequently, the company has been present on the translation market in France for 25 years, and is now one of the market’s leading companies and key actors.

The quality and weight of A.D.T. International are such that it completes 30,000 translation and interpretation projects each year. As a translation company, A.D.T. International is therefore one of the best on the market.

The company has been certified ISO 9001:2015 since 1998. This year, we decided to go further in guaranteeing an extra degree of quality for our clients and have been awarded the ISO 17100:2015 standard. These standards represent external recognition of a quality process by an independent and accredited certifying organisation. The aim of having an organised quality process is that our work results in a product in accordance with our clients’ requirements.

What is the objective of the A.D.T. translation company in Paris? Understand you and provide solutions to your needs. Our translation company is more than just a service provider. It’s a bona fide partner for your company’s growth abroad.

The different types of interpretation services

A.D.T. undertakes interpretation assignments in France and abroad, thanks to professional and experienced interpreters in all your business sectors and all language combinations.

Liaison (or whispered) interpretation

This is the style of interpretation that’s the easiest to undertake. It involves orally translating what someone is saying or an explanation in the desired language, when several people are face to face. The interpreter’s role is to translate and enable the parties to have a discussion.

This technique is also called “whispered”. This is when the interpreter stands next to, between or behind the participants, and whispers to them a summary of what is said. It is a method used during events where no more than three people are together who do not understand the language used by all the other participants.

Several elements are necessary for this type of interpretation. In particular, it must be ensured that the participants for whom the whispered translation is being provided and the interpreter be seated near the speaker. The interpreter can therefore easily hear what is being said in the original language. In parallel, it is useful that the small group listening to the interpreter be seated slightly apart in the room so that the other participants are not too distracted by the sound of someone else speaking.

There are certain elements to take into account with liaison interpretation:

• The sound of the interpreter whispering can disturb the other participants.
• A whispered interpretation is a summary of what is said and is not the same as a simultaneous interpretation without technical equipment.
• This type of interpretation must be limited to a maximum of three participants around each interpreter.

Consecutive interpretation

Consecutive interpretation consists of taking notes while the person is speaking and providing an accurate translation afterwards. This is the case for a business meeting or negotiation in particular. The tone of the discussion, the ideas, anecdotes and any light-hearted comments must all therefore be fully transcribed, rigorously and precisely.

Where consecutive interpretation is used, the speaker and interpreter speak one after the other. The interpreter is usually next to the speaker (seated or standing), listens to them and sometimes takes notes. The speaker reflects on something, or says a few sentences, and then hands the microphone to the interpreter who translates what they have said into the other language.

This method is suitable for short events and when they take place with a maximum of two or three languages. It is ideal for press conferences, speeches during gala receptions, presentations during events, brief addresses, etc.

For large events, we recommend providing a microphone for the interpreter’s use. There are no technical requirements for this technique, however the sound quality should be monitored so that the interpreter can clearly hear what the speaker(s) say(s), and the audience can hear what the interpreter says.

There are certain elements to take into account with consecutive interpretation:

• The interpreter needs as much time for the interpretation as the speaker needs to speak. The event therefore needs to plan for double the time it would originally require.
• All participants listen to what is being said first in the original language, then in the translated language. This technique can therefore be hard-going for the audience and particularly during longer events or those with more than two conference languages.
• It is key to warn the speaker if you plan to provide consecutive interpretation of their participation so they can take it into account in planning their presentation and adjust it to frequent interruptions.

Simultaneous or conference interpretation

As the name indicates, the conference interpreter listens, reflects, translates and speaks at the same time as the speaker. Simultaneous interpretation requires extreme concentration, and therefore at least two professionals need to be present in the booth to take it in turns providing the interpretation at the microphone every 20 to 30 minutes.

This technique is based on using technical equipment specifically for simultaneous interpretation. The interpreters are in a sound-proofed booth and listen to the speakers only through their headsets so that any ambient noise does not disturb their concentration. The interpretation is transmitted to the participants via headphones with infrared receptors which give them the possibility of selecting the language they want to listen to.

This is the best method used for all bilingual and multilingual events where time is a constraint, such as international conventions, presentations, seminars...

Technical equipment is needed for simultaneous interpretation. This equipment is made up of mobile booths (with interpreter consoles), a central unit, infrared transmitters, headphones/receivers for the participants, microphones for the speakers, and must always be linked to a powerful public address system.

There are certain elements to take into account with this type of interpretation:

• Enough space must be allowed for the interpretation booths. The dimensions of a booth are 1.60 x 1.60 m or 1.80 x 1.80 m for bigger models. 
• All speakers must use a microphone because the booths are soundproofed and the sound is only transmitted by the technical equipment. The interpreters therefore cannot hear anything if the speaker does not use a microphone.
• One essential aspect of conference interpreters’ work lies in preparing text, which is enabled using reference documents provided by the conference organiser (programme, speeches, PowerPoint presentations, slides, publications, etc.).

How do we choose our interpreters and technicians?

Our interpreters are specialists in their field

We have a large network of 2,500 translators and interpreters who are all specialists in their field. All have interpretation qualifications, and sometimes a second qualification in their specialist field.

When new interpreters apply to the A.D.T. interpretation agency in Paris, we contact other clients they have worked for to find out how satisfied they were with their service. For the first assignment, one of our specialists accompanies the interpreter to confirm their skills and intervene if necessary.

After each assignment, their work is evaluated and given a grade. The project manager can consult the quality of their work by area of expertise.

We recruit our technicians according to specific skills

We choose highly specific technician profiles to ensure impeccable equipment quality.

If the equipment is hired, a technician will go to the venue to install it and manage any technical problems that may arise during the assignment.

We require they have at least a vocational audiovisual or sound qualification and train all our technicians in our specific requirements so they are truly trained and qualified for simultaneous interpretation. Each must follow a 6-month to 1-year apprenticeship period working with an experienced senior technician. They ensure that the apprenticeship is carried out correctly and confirm the technician’s ability to be able to work alone at an event at the end of this period. Updates are regularly organised at manufacturers (BOSCH) to go over equipment upgrades and the techniques needed to use them. A driver’s licence is necessary.