Question 1

What languages do you translate?

Accepted Answer

We provide interpreters for the 6 UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) and many other languages, including German, Italian, Portuguese and others.   Technically, we can provide an interpreter for any language pair you can think of. But keep in mind that while intepreters for some language pairs are easiliy available in the UAE, others may need to be brought in from abroad or employed remotely when bringing an interpreter from abroad for a couple of hours is not economical.

Question 2

Why do I need two simultaneous translators and not just one?

Accepted Answer

Simultaneous intepretation is one of the most challenging tasks a human brain can be tasked with. Simultaneous interpreters actually perform three processes at the same time: 1) listening, 2) interpreting, and 3) speaking, without any pauses in between. This requires the degree of concentration and brain strain not known to most humans. Thus the interpreters ALWAYS work in pairs, in 20-30 minute shifts. When one intepreter is interpreting, the other one is resting, preparting for his/her shift.

Question 3

Why not just use consecutive translators to translate after the speaker?

Accepted Answer

Consecutive interpretation is used for small meetings and negotiations, when time or interaction is not of the essense, or when a more personal contact is required. Remember, that with consecutive interpretation everything said in the room will have to be repeated in the target language, which means that the meeting will take at least twice the time. Also, those in the audience that do not need interpretation may lose interest during the interpretation and disengage from the event.

Question 4

How early should I book an interpreter before the event?

Accepted Answer

As early as practically possible. Keep in mind that if you try to hire an interpreter in times of peak demand, when there are a lot of events going on in the UAE at the same time, you may end up realizing there is no one available locally. Thus it is highly recommended to book your interpreters well in advance, typically 2-4 weeks before the event.

Question 5

How much does simultaneous interpretation cost?

Accepted Answer

The rate depends on the language and varies greatly - from AED 2,000 to AED 6,000 per interpreter per day, depending on the language pair and whether the interpreters for this language pair are easily available on the UAE conference market. Such factors as seasonality also influence interpretation rates. Please inquire directly to obtain a quote.

Question 6

Can I hire a simultaneous interpreter by the hour?

Accepted Answer

In most cases simultaneous interpreters do not have hourly rates and usually use daily and half-daily rates. This is because regadless of the duration of the event, the interpreter will have to prepare just as thoroughly and spend just as much time getting to the venue and back, which may mean hours in the UAE. What's more, taking a job even for a couple of hours means that the intepreter is very unlikely to be able to take another job on the same day.

Question 7

Do much does it cost to rent simultaneous interpretation equipment?

Accepted Answer

Each event is unique, and the ultimate price of renting the equipment will depend on a number of variables, including the number of languages, the number of participants, the size of the conference room and even the wall covers and whether there are a lot of windows in the room. Please click the PRICING tab above to receive an instant quote of how much you should expect to pay. Contact us to determine the optimal technical configuration of the equipment and issue a tailored price proposal.

Question 8

How many translation booths do I need for an event?

Accepted Answer

This depends on the number of languages. As a rule, we would set up one booth per language pair. So if you have Arabic and English at your event, you would normally require one booth. If you have Arabic, English and French, you would need two booths - 1 booth for Arabic-English and 1 booth for English-French.

Question 9

How long do you need to set up the equipment?

Accepted Answer

The set up time depends on the complexity of the setup and can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. We always recommend doing the setup on the day/night before the date of the event.

Question 10

Will the price change if we rent the equipment for just a few hours?

Accepted Answer

The equipment can only be rented on a daily basis, because for each event we will need to perform the same scope of works regardless of the duration, including delivery, setup and testing, operation and removal. Furthermore, the setup is done on the eve of the event, and the equipment and the crew cannot be remobilized for a different event on the same day.

Question 11

What if we lose a headset or two?

Accepted Answer

It is the client's responsibility to return the equipment back to us in the quantity and in the condition it was rented, and reimburse any lost units according to the specified rates. Losses rarely occur during small events, but they sometimes happen during large events. To avoid losses some of our customers only issue headsets to participants in exchange for an ID, which is returned to the participant when the headset is returned.

Question 12

How does online intepretation work?

Accepted Answer

Online interpretation can be provided using:   (a) videoconferencing software with built-in interpretation functionality, such as Zoom; or (b) videoconferencing software with no translation function PLUS separate software for interpretation, which runs in parallel with the VC software - for example, Skype + Speakus.   The participants have the option to listen to the "floor" (the channel where all presentations or discussions take place), or to one of the interpretation channels.

Question 13

How do I arrange simultaneous interpretation in Zoom?

Accepted Answer

Only specific Zoom license types have the interpretation functionality, and unless you organize events with interpretation very frequently, the cost of such a license and the skills necessary to host and manage a multi-lingual meeting may appear prohibitive.   We hold the necessary licenses for all major videconferencing and interpretation software packages, including Zoom, and take care of all main aspects of a successful onoine event with interpretation: hosting, interpreters, and management.

Question 14

What are the technical requirements for online translation?

Accepted Answer

The requirements for participants are pretty much the same as for any regular videoconference - they must have a decent Internet connection.   For interpreters though the requirements are much higher - they must work from a silent booth or studio, they must use special high-quality noise-cancelling microphones and earphones, and their Internet connection must be at least 20 mbps. We ensure our interpreters follow these strict requirements to make your online event a success.

Question 15

What is the coverage radius of the system?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the system, the coverage radius is between 50 and 100 meters.

Question 16

Is there a limit on how many listeners we can connect?

Accepted Answer

Technically there is no limit. Tour Guide systems are radio-based, and everyone with a receiver within the reception radius will be able to hear the tour guide.

Question 17

Can we have several languages in the same group?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our systems support up to 34 channels, and you can have this many languages. All participants will receive identical receivers, and all they have to do is select a separate channel for the desired language, e.g. 1 for Arabic, 2 for English etc.

Question 18

Can we use this system for translation?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. To use the system for interpretation, the speaker will use one transmitter on one channel, and the interpreter would use the other transmitter on the other channel. The participants would be able to select the channel they want to listen to - either the original speech of the guide, or the translation of the interpreter.

Question 19

Are your staff vaccinated?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all our staff our fully vaccinated against VOCID-19.

Question 20

What are your standard precautions?

Accepted Answer

All equipment, including translation receivers, headsets, translation booths and interpreter units come fully sanitized. All staff wear masks and gloves as mandated by the applicable UAE government regulations.

Question 21

Do you offer any additional precaution measures?

Accepted Answer

As a value-added service we provide participant packs which include a receiver + headphones pre-sanitized and pre-packed in individual plastic bags.    We can also offer disposable earphones or disposable ear cusions for headphones.

Email: info@soundxb.com

WhatsApp: +971 58 536 7425

|

Home / FAQ

If you don't find the answer you are looking for, Contact Us!

© 2010-2021 SounDXB. All RIghts Reserved.