Church Interpretation Training and Best Practices
Getting Started
The first step to becoming a successful interpreter is being bilingual. Whether you learned a second language at home, through school, on a mission, or in some other way, you need to continue studying your native language and any language(s) you will be interpreting. Fortunately, many of the ways interpreters develop and practice their skills include techniques that reinforce language learning.
Skills Development
The following interpreter training methods can be modified to fit your level and needs. Do steps 1-5 in your native language first to get a good feel for the exercises. Focus on the parts that are the most challenging to you. Follow the instructions in Step 6 to then repeat steps 1-5 in a target language. Practice often and seek feedback from native speakers, if possible. As you gain mastery over steps 1-6, proceed to steps 7-9. Work with other interpreters as appropriate to receive helpful guidance and mentor less-experienced interpreters.
1. Scripted Mimicking
Practice scripted simultaneous interpreting by listening and reading out loud at the same time. Open an audio recording (e.g. a General Conference talk on the Gospel Library app). Read the script out loud while the speaker gives his or her talk. It might help to have a laptop or other second device (or printed material) to read from.
2. Unscripted Shadowing
Practice unscripted simultaneous interpreting by listening to and repeating what a speaker says without using any form of script. This will create a natural lag between the speaker’s words and your words as you listen to what is said then repeat it out loud.
3. Lag Exercises
Strengthen your interpreting memory through lag exercises. Remember the word(s) you hear then, after a brief pause, repeat the word(s) while the speaker says the next word(s). Do not repeat the word(s) you hear until you hear the next word(s).
Warm-up Exercises
Intermediate Exercises
Advanced Exercises
4. Paraphrase Practice
While applying the principles of the practice methods above, mimic or shadow a talk but this time purposefully lag behind the speaker by several words and say the same message you hear but in slightly different words. Convey the same ideas and meanings as the speaker without using the same words. For example, “My thoughtful mother always told me that I should never tell a lie” could become, “My mother taught me to tell the truth.” Practice paraphrasing while staying as close as you can to the speaker’s meaning. This is a critical skill to develop that will help you save time and get around vocabulary roadblocks while you are interpreting.
5. Add Notetaking
With a notepad and a writing instrument or an electronic device, mimic or shadow a talk while taking notes on key points and data the speaker is conveying.
6. Target Language
Repeat steps 1-5, but in a target language. For step 3 (Lag Exercises), you will need to go to another language page or create your own recordings.
7. Two Languages
Repeat steps 1-5 but interpret from one language into another. For (1) Scripted Mimicking, listen in one language while you follow along reading aloud in another as if you were interpreting for that speaker. For (2) Unscripted Shadowing and (3) Lag Exercises, all your language knowledge and interpreting practice will be put to the test. For these, listen in one language while you interpret into another without a script. As you do steps 1, 2, and 3, paraphrase what the speaker says from time to time as you did in step 4 and take notes as you did in step 5.
8. Consecutive Interpreting
To practice consecutive interpreting, do not speak until you pause the audio playback in steps 1 and 2, then repeat everything you heard. Paraphrase and take notes as you do this, as practiced in steps 4 and 5. Follow the same progression of practicing in your native language, then your target language, then in two languages. Slowly increase the average length of time between pauses.
9. Personal Feedback
Record yourself doing steps 1 and 2 in a target language then listen to the recording and provide yourself constructive feedback. Identify areas for improvement and ask a native speaker to critique your pronunciation and paraphrasing word choices.
Best Practices Handout
Download and print a few copies of this handout for speakers and teachers being interpreted at Church meetings. Become familiar with the handout and its purpose then share it with your leaders and discuss how your ward or branch might best make use of it. It might work well, for example, to have an executive secretary share a list of upcoming speakers so this handout can be given to the assigned speakers.
Messages from Church Leaders
Bishop Gérald Caussé 2023 message to global interpreters
Bishop Keith B. McMullin 2007 message to interpreters
Bishop H. David Burton 2007 message to interpreters
Key Terms
- Translation: The conversion of a textual message in one language to a textual message with equivalent meaning in another language.
- Interpretation: The conversion of a spoken or signed message in one language to a spoken or signed message with equivalent meaning in another language.
- Program Language(s): The main language(s) used in a meeting.
- Source Language (SL): The language in which a message is originally given.
- Target Language (TL): The language into which a message is to be interpreted (or, if written, translated).
- Native Language: The language in which a person has the greatest ease of expression, which is usually the language a person spoke at home while growing up.
- Consecutive Interpretation: Interpretation in which the source language speaker and the interpreter take turns. The speaker says a sentence or two then pauses while the interpreter gives the interpretation in the target language.
- Simultaneous Interpretation: Interpretation in which the source language speaker does not pause and the interpreter speaks at the same time but lags a few words or phrases behind. Simultaneous interpretation almost always includes the use of transmitters for the interpreters and receivers connected to headphones for their target audience.
Helpful Tips
- When practicing, start with speakers who are moderately paced and easy for you to understand.
- Try doing your interpretation practice exercises while you do physical exercise, like going for a walk.
- Ask fellow interpreters how they practice interpreting and share with them what has worked for you.
- Record yourself doing interpretation exercises in your target language then ask a native speaker to critique your pronunciation and word choices.
- Create lag exercises in a target language.
- Focus on meaning more than words as you practice interpreting. While staying true to the message, reword some phrases you hear into your own words.
- Be patient with the process of building interpreter skills and practice often.
- Study the scriptures, General Conference talks, and other Church publications in your target language(s).
- Learn more about the interpretation equipment you use and how to properly care for it.
- Prayerfully ponder why interpretation is important to you, the people around you, and to the Lord’s work.
- Remember the power of the spoken word (See Alma 31). Interpret with faith in Him whose words you are helping to convey.
- This is the Lord’s work. You should prayerfully seek divine assistance as you practice and every time you are called upon to interpret.
Language Settings in Gospel Library
These images show how to change your language setting or playback speed in the Gospel Library app using an iPhone:
Language
Playback
Approved Church Terms and Reference Materials in Different Languages
Church Terms in Other Languages:
- Church Translated Materials (including LDS version of Spanish Bible)