In a coordinated interpreting team, approximately how long does each interpreter interpret before switching?

In a coordinated interpreting team, approximately how long does each interpreter interpret before switching?

• A. 5-10 minutes
• B. 10-15 minutes
• C. 15-20 minutes
• D. 30-40 minutes

Answer: (C)

In coordinated interpreting, staying accurate means keeping energy and language processing fresh, so partners rotate before fatigue dulls performance. The usual switch window is about 15–20 minutes. This gives enough content for a natural flow and allows the interpreter to convey meaning clearly and with appropriate signing, while still being short enough to avoid cognitive overload. If the interval were much longer, fatigue would creep in, slowing processing and weakening accuracy. If it were much shorter, the flow could be disrupted and the team wouldn’t gain the benefit of building up context between switches. So, 15–20 minutes is the practical sweet spot for maintaining quality in a relay interpretation.

In coordinated interpreting, staying accurate means keeping energy and language processing fresh, so partners rotate before fatigue dulls performance. The usual switch window is about 15–20 minutes. This gives enough content for a natural flow and allows the interpreter to convey meaning clearly and with appropriate signing, while still being short enough to avoid cognitive overload. If the interval were much longer, fatigue would creep in, slowing processing and weakening accuracy. If it were much shorter, the flow could be disrupted and the team wouldn’t gain the benefit of building up context between switches. So, 15–20 minutes is the practical sweet spot for maintaining quality in a relay interpretation.