A discussion of chuchotage and boothless simultaneous as marginal and unorthodox interpreting modes

Resumen

This article presents and discusses two types of interpreting procedures described as marginal and unorthodox. Whispered interpreting ([WI] chuchotage) is considered marginal to the extent that, while it is well-established in professional and institutional interpreting settings, scant attention is paid to it in the literature. In contrast, no attention has been paid to boothless simultaneous interpreting (BSI) as a wholly unorthodox procedure, currently restricted to use in activist settings with interpreting provided by volunteers. Such events are useful for novice interpreters to gain hands-on experience and to work together with experienced professionals. Both procedures are discussed in length, presenting the advantages and the disadvantages they represent for the client, the audience and the interpreter, concluding that they constitute interpreting modes in their own right and, as such, require specific attention as an integral part of basic training in order to provide quality interpreting to the satisfaction of all of the parties involved.