Challenges and Skills in Online Simultaneous Interpreting: A Case Study from Algeria
Article Sidebar
Published:
Dec 10, 2025
Keywords:
Online Interpreting, Remote Interpreting, Interpreters’ Skills, Focus Group Discussion, Multilingual Communication
Main Article Content
Abstract
As multilingual communication becomes more demanding in the 21st century, remote technologies and devices have become a part of interpreting and other multilingual tasks. As a result, in addition to the complexity of the interpreting mission, remote interpreters face additional obstacles and have to improve an additional range of skills in order to perform their tasks. This article aims at discussing the nature of simultaneous online interpreting as a subset of remote interpreting and attempts to illustrate a non-exhaustive series of hurdles faced by the author through multiple experiments involving multilingual market research focus group discussion sessions in three Algerian cities from December 2020 to March 2023. The experiments revealed that the level of complexity varies depending on the type of remote setting, with online interpreters' assignments requiring more attention and effort. To succeed, these interpreters need to draw on both hard and soft skills.
Article Details
How to Cite
FASLA, A. B. (2025). Challenges and Skills in Online Simultaneous Interpreting: A Case Study from Algeria. ALTRALANG Journal, 7(2), 386-398. https://doi.org/10.52919/altralang.v7i2.597
Section
Articles
LICENSE: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license
1.png)
References
• Abutalebi, J., & Green, D. (2007). Bilingual language production: The neurocognition of language representation and control. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 20(3), 242–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroling.2006.10.003
• Amato, A., Spinolo, N., & Rodríguez, M. J. G. (2018). Handbook of remote interpreting. Bologna: University of Bologna, Department of Interpretation and Translation. amsacta. unibo. it/5955.
• Angelelli, C. V. (2003). The interpersonal role of the interpreter in cross-cultural communication: Survey of conference, court, community and medical interpreters in the u.s., Canada and Mexico. In L. Brunette, G. Bastin, I. Hemlin, & H. Clarke (Eds.), The Critical Link 3: Interpreters in the Community (pp. 289-302). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
• Braun, S & Taylor, J. (2012). Video-mediated interpreting: An overview of current practice and research. In Videoconference and Remote Interpreting in Criminal Proceedings, Publisher: Intersentia
• Braun, S. (2015b). Videoconference interpreting, in: Pochhacker, F. (ed.) Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies. 346-348 Routledge.
• Braun. S. (2006). Multimedia communication technologies and their impact on interpreting, in M. Carroll, H. Gerzymisch-Arbogast and S. Nauert (eds.), Audiovisual Translation Scenarios. Proceedings of the Marie Curie Euroconferences MuTra: Audiovisual Translation Scenarios Copenhagen,http://www.euroconferences.info/proceedings/2006_Proceedings/2006_proceedings.html
• Christoffels, I., Groot, A., & Kroll, J. (2006). Memory and language skills in simultaneous interpreting: Expertise and language proficiency. Scholarly Publications. https://scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl/handle/1887/14197
• Corpas Pastor & Gaber, M. (2020). Remote interpreting in public service settings: technology, perceptions and practice. Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5941107.
• de Boe, E. (2022). Remote Interpreting in Healthcare Settings. Oxford, United Kingdom: Peter Lang Verlag. https://www.peterlang.com/document/1297185
• Düşek, G., & Ayhan, A. B. (2014). A study on problem solving skills of the children from broken family and full parents family attending regional primary boarding school. Procedia - Social and Behavioural Sciences, 152, 137–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.170
• Eeuwijk, P. & Angehrn, Z. (2017). How to conduct a focus group discussion (FGD). Methodological Manual.
• Fan, J., & Smith, A. P. (2019). Mental workload and other causes of different types of fatigue in rail staff. In Communications in computer and information science (pp. 147–159). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14273-5_9
• Gaber, M. and Corpas Pastor, G. (2020). Las tecnologías de interpretación a distancia en los servicios públicos: uso e impacto, in Postigo Pinazo, E. (ed.) Interpreting in a Changing World: New Scenarios, Technologies, Training Challenges and Vulnerable Groups: La interpretación en un mundo cambiante: nuevos escenarios, tecnologías, retos formativos y grupos vulnerables. Berlin: Peter Lang.
• Horváth, I. ( 2012). Interpreter behaviour A psychological approach. Prime Rate Kft.
• K, Radhika. (2022). Leadership skills: Fundamental in leading to progression of workforce and https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357825685_Workforce_Planning_Indispensable_in_leading_to_Up-gradation_of_the_overall_Structure_of_the_Organizations
• Kelly, N. (2007). Telephone interpreting: A comprehensive guide to the profession.
• Kurz, I. (2003). Physiological stress during simultaneous interpreting: A comparison of experts and novices. In The Interpreters' Newsletter. (pp. 51-67), Vol 12, Edizioni Università di Trieste.
• Lin, L. (2013). Multiple dimensions of multitasking phenomenon. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 9(1), 37–49. https://doi.org/10.4018/jthi.2013010103
• Loiseau, N., & Luchner, C. D. (2021). A, B and C decoded: understanding interpreters’ language combinations in terms of language proficiency. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 15(4), 468–489. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399x.2021.1911193
• Mangham, I. L. (1986). In search of competence. Journal of General Management, 12(2), 5–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/030630708601200201
• Morgan, D.L., Spanish, M.T. Focus groups: A new tool for qualitative research. Qual Sociol 7, 253–270 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00987314.
• Moser-Mercer, B. (2005). Remote interpreting: Issues of multi-sensory integration in a multilingual task. Meta Journal Des Traducteurs, 50(2), 727 738. https://doi.org/10.7202/011014ar
• Moser-Mercer, B. Remote interpreting: Assessment of human factors and performance parameters. (2003). Joint Project International Télécommunication Union (ITU)-Ecole De Traduction Et D’Interprétation, Université De Genève (ETI) 1. https://aiic.net/page/1125/remote-interpreting-assessment-of-human-factors-and-performance-parameters/lang/1
• Onyshchak, H., Koval, L., Vazhenina, O., Bakhov, I., Povoroznyuk, R., & Devitska, A. (2021). Cognitive and neurolinguistic aspects of interpreting. BRAIN BROAD RESEARCH IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE, 12(4), 224–237. https://doi.org/10.18662/brain/12.4/246
• Taleb-Ibrahimi, K. (1998). De la créativité au quotidien, le comportement langagier des locuteurs algériens. In J. Billiez, De la didactique des langues à la didactique du plurilinguisme (pp 291-298). Université de Grenoble 3, pp. 291-298.
• Tripepi Winteringham, S. The usefulness of ICTs in interpreting practice, in: The Interpreters' Newsletter, 15 (2010), pp. 87-99
• Amato, A., Spinolo, N., & Rodríguez, M. J. G. (2018). Handbook of remote interpreting. Bologna: University of Bologna, Department of Interpretation and Translation. amsacta. unibo. it/5955.
• Angelelli, C. V. (2003). The interpersonal role of the interpreter in cross-cultural communication: Survey of conference, court, community and medical interpreters in the u.s., Canada and Mexico. In L. Brunette, G. Bastin, I. Hemlin, & H. Clarke (Eds.), The Critical Link 3: Interpreters in the Community (pp. 289-302). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
• Braun, S & Taylor, J. (2012). Video-mediated interpreting: An overview of current practice and research. In Videoconference and Remote Interpreting in Criminal Proceedings, Publisher: Intersentia
• Braun, S. (2015b). Videoconference interpreting, in: Pochhacker, F. (ed.) Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies. 346-348 Routledge.
• Braun. S. (2006). Multimedia communication technologies and their impact on interpreting, in M. Carroll, H. Gerzymisch-Arbogast and S. Nauert (eds.), Audiovisual Translation Scenarios. Proceedings of the Marie Curie Euroconferences MuTra: Audiovisual Translation Scenarios Copenhagen,http://www.euroconferences.info/proceedings/2006_Proceedings/2006_proceedings.html
• Christoffels, I., Groot, A., & Kroll, J. (2006). Memory and language skills in simultaneous interpreting: Expertise and language proficiency. Scholarly Publications. https://scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl/handle/1887/14197
• Corpas Pastor & Gaber, M. (2020). Remote interpreting in public service settings: technology, perceptions and practice. Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5941107.
• de Boe, E. (2022). Remote Interpreting in Healthcare Settings. Oxford, United Kingdom: Peter Lang Verlag. https://www.peterlang.com/document/1297185
• Düşek, G., & Ayhan, A. B. (2014). A study on problem solving skills of the children from broken family and full parents family attending regional primary boarding school. Procedia - Social and Behavioural Sciences, 152, 137–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.170
• Eeuwijk, P. & Angehrn, Z. (2017). How to conduct a focus group discussion (FGD). Methodological Manual.
• Fan, J., & Smith, A. P. (2019). Mental workload and other causes of different types of fatigue in rail staff. In Communications in computer and information science (pp. 147–159). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14273-5_9
• Gaber, M. and Corpas Pastor, G. (2020). Las tecnologías de interpretación a distancia en los servicios públicos: uso e impacto, in Postigo Pinazo, E. (ed.) Interpreting in a Changing World: New Scenarios, Technologies, Training Challenges and Vulnerable Groups: La interpretación en un mundo cambiante: nuevos escenarios, tecnologías, retos formativos y grupos vulnerables. Berlin: Peter Lang.
• Horváth, I. ( 2012). Interpreter behaviour A psychological approach. Prime Rate Kft.
• K, Radhika. (2022). Leadership skills: Fundamental in leading to progression of workforce and https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357825685_Workforce_Planning_Indispensable_in_leading_to_Up-gradation_of_the_overall_Structure_of_the_Organizations
• Kelly, N. (2007). Telephone interpreting: A comprehensive guide to the profession.
• Kurz, I. (2003). Physiological stress during simultaneous interpreting: A comparison of experts and novices. In The Interpreters' Newsletter. (pp. 51-67), Vol 12, Edizioni Università di Trieste.
• Lin, L. (2013). Multiple dimensions of multitasking phenomenon. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 9(1), 37–49. https://doi.org/10.4018/jthi.2013010103
• Loiseau, N., & Luchner, C. D. (2021). A, B and C decoded: understanding interpreters’ language combinations in terms of language proficiency. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 15(4), 468–489. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399x.2021.1911193
• Mangham, I. L. (1986). In search of competence. Journal of General Management, 12(2), 5–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/030630708601200201
• Morgan, D.L., Spanish, M.T. Focus groups: A new tool for qualitative research. Qual Sociol 7, 253–270 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00987314.
• Moser-Mercer, B. (2005). Remote interpreting: Issues of multi-sensory integration in a multilingual task. Meta Journal Des Traducteurs, 50(2), 727 738. https://doi.org/10.7202/011014ar
• Moser-Mercer, B. Remote interpreting: Assessment of human factors and performance parameters. (2003). Joint Project International Télécommunication Union (ITU)-Ecole De Traduction Et D’Interprétation, Université De Genève (ETI) 1. https://aiic.net/page/1125/remote-interpreting-assessment-of-human-factors-and-performance-parameters/lang/1
• Onyshchak, H., Koval, L., Vazhenina, O., Bakhov, I., Povoroznyuk, R., & Devitska, A. (2021). Cognitive and neurolinguistic aspects of interpreting. BRAIN BROAD RESEARCH IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE, 12(4), 224–237. https://doi.org/10.18662/brain/12.4/246
• Taleb-Ibrahimi, K. (1998). De la créativité au quotidien, le comportement langagier des locuteurs algériens. In J. Billiez, De la didactique des langues à la didactique du plurilinguisme (pp 291-298). Université de Grenoble 3, pp. 291-298.
• Tripepi Winteringham, S. The usefulness of ICTs in interpreting practice, in: The Interpreters' Newsletter, 15 (2010), pp. 87-99