SPEED or ACCURACY

[karina]

Dear all,

I am writing a diploma paper and I need a little of your precious time to aid me in this effort!

I would like to learn your opinion on the following:

What would matter more to you as a listener of simultaneous interpretation (e.g. during a conference): SPEED or ACCURACY? (provided you are not familiar with the source language). Would you rather listen to:

1)a smooth and fluent interpretation (however, with some fallacies and misinterpretations of facts); or
2) quite slow and listener-unfriendly interpretation (however, with all attempts of the interpreter to provide maximally close-to-the-original interpretation)?

All you need is to write figure "1" (if you'd rather choose the first of the above versions) or "2" (if you are in favour of the second).

Please, leave your assessment here, or email me ([e-mail]). I will greatly appreciate any comments (both positive and negative! :)

Thanks in advance,
Karina

[kath]

I am of the belief that you should NEVER sacrifice accuracy. AND it should be smooth and fluent.

Forgive me for sticking my 2cents, but a lot depends on what you consider 'close-to-the-original. Specifics of the source language that sound unfamiliar in the target language? Those I would leave out. But once again, never by sacrificing accuracy.

[Game]

In my mind, there is no straight answer to your question. I would say, “It depends”. It depends on how inaccurate the smooth translation is, and how choppy the accurate one. Sorry, I don't have what you are looking for.

[justboris]

1,5

[DarkWolf]

As for me, I would prefer choppy accurate translation.

2 Kath - you are 100% right!
2 Karina - misinterpretations of facts is a death sentence to any interpreter. I would rather do choppy, but accurate translation, rather then fluent, but wrong.

2 Justboris - :)

[Янко из Врощениц]

Давайте смоделируем такую ситуацию: устный перевод при взрывных работах (снос здания, например). Быстрый, "гладенький", но неточный перевод может оставить без жилья половину города, бо взорвется не так как надо и не там где надо. Думаю, что и в других отраслях у переводчика ответственность не меньше. Только это не сразу становится заметно.
Еще вопросы?

[karina]

Thank you guys for your opinions! And if there are more, I will certainly take them into consideration!

Yours,
KL

[Game]

А если неправильно перевести какой-нибудь Safety Meeting at a Nuclear Facility…

[karina]

huh! :)))

[DarkWolf]

Thomahawk Missiles Targeting System - 1 misinterpretation - и нате вам 25 килотонн на голову...

[OVKV]

Пардон, но как вы предсталяете себе медленный, но точный СИНХРОННЫЙ перевод? Я, возможно, чего-то не понимаю, но не приведет ли потеря темпа в поисках оптимального варианта перевода к неизбежному отставанию от докладчика и сответственно, потере информации? Тут вообще вопрос неправильным ребром стоит :-)) имхо...