Two-way interpretation mediating a conversation between parties who do not share a language. Standard in solicitor-client meetings, medical appointments, immigration interviews, and bilateral business.
Liaison interpreting is two-way consecutive interpreting between a small number of parties who do not share a language. The interpreter mediates the conversation: each speaker takes a turn, the interpreter renders their contribution into the target language, the other party responds, and the cycle repeats. It is the standard format for any small-group encounter where a conversation needs to flow naturally and both parties need to be heard fully.
Interpreters trained to preserve the formal register of one party and the conversational register of the other simultaneously, switching turn by turn. Not a generic two-way summary.
NDAs and professional privilege awareness built into the brief. Interpreters who understand the legal-privilege implications of solicitor-client meetings and the duty of confidentiality the client expects.
Medical liaison interpreters with informed-consent vocabulary, symptom-description nuance, and the patient-safety register clinical consultations require. Not generalist linguists upgraded for the day.
DBS-cleared for UK NHS and education work, sworn-listed for courts and notaries, and NDA-signed by default for corporate liaison. Credentials confirmed before the booking is held.
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Google review (INTL) , a year ago
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Google review (SL) , a year ago
“They offer great and reasonable prices for sworn translations. Thank you for your help in translating my documents for my legal process.”
Google review (SL) , 6 months ago
Consecutive is typically one-direction (a speaker addresses an audience, the interpreter renders). Liaison is two-way: a conversation between two or more parties, with the interpreter switching between languages turn by turn. The cognitive shape is different and not every consecutive interpreter is comfortable in liaison mode.
Sometimes, but not always. Legal and medical registers are demanding in different ways, and the credential requirements differ (sworn-listing for courts, DBS-clearance for NHS). For most assignments we route to specialists, and only generalists for genuinely low-stakes business settings.
Up to four or five participants liaison works well. Beyond that the conversation dynamic shifts and a different format is usually better: whispered for a single non-native participant in a larger group, or simultaneous with a portable bidule kit for several non-native participants.
Other On-Site Interpreting Formats
Tell us the venue, language pair, format, and timing for your Liaison Interpreting assignment. We will confirm interpreter availability and logistics as quickly as possible.
