RSI – Remote Simultaneous Interpreting is a great technological invention that plays an important role in translation profession. At the PRIMS conference in London, the members discussed how the interpreters got used to it. The term simultaneousinterpreting in Vietnam is understood as the interpreters using this technology.
INTERPRETERS AND THE INTERVENTION OF TECHNOLOGY
Previously, interpreting meant interpreter interpreted after the speaker. This leads to the duration of the conference is twice times longer and sometimes cause confusion to the listener. To solve this problem, RSI was born.
As a result of development, technology gradually creeps and intervenes more in our daily activities. Not only it helps activities come at ease such as traveling, eating, enjoying music, movies, but it also offer us more sense of convenience, saves more time and brings more experiences. So when technology approaches interpretation, it also brings benefits and improvements.
One of the most important developments that can be mentioned in recent years is Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI) . This remote simultaneous interpreting system instead of being placed in the same room with speakers and guests, interpreters can work from another room, another location,or even from a different country.
RSI OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Opportunity
The most obvious benefits that event organizers can see are: Reduced equipment rental costs, accommodation costs, travel costs. RSI is also capable of helping to make an appointment in the nick of time with people from all over the world.
For interpreters, using RSI enhance their flexibility, reduces stress due to travel a lot because of job specificity.
Other benefits that can be analyzed include:
– Less travel will lessen the discharge of transportation emission into the environment.
– Increase employment opportunities for translators with physical disabilities.
Risks – challenges
The benefits will of course come with challenging risks such as:
– Interruption due to power outage, internet connection, poor image quality.
– Risk of security and privacy due to network security issues
– Lack of generality and passivity in unexpected situations.
Be that as it may, interpreters will not stop learning and improving themselves.
Although the RSI offers such great benefits, the risks that come with it are quite big, so the person who directly receives the influence is the interpreter.
It is impossible not to absorb new things when the 4.0 technology is growing. However, interpreters can’t become too dependent on it. Innovations in the interpretation profession – in particular, the RSI is something every event organizer and manager needs to understand. Sooner or later the RSI will surely change the behavior of the interpretation profession in the future despite the fact that this technology still is far from perfection now.
