The obvious response is to facilitate communication between people speaking different languages. While English is the lingua franca of the world, in non-English speaking countries most people do not speak English well enough, especially in business (negotiation) settings.

A language interpreter is essential in business negotiations, and many other situations. Rather, the question should be What advantages do language interpreters bring to the table?

The benefits you can expect hiring language interpreters:

• Express yourself clearly -- Speak in your native language.
  Let the professional interpreters craft your message just as clearly for your audience, in their native language. You get to avoid potentially costly misunderstandings.
• Interpreters are a great resource.
  Interpreters not only facilitate clear communications, they're also culturally fluent and have a solid knowledge of the local environment. This means:
  
  
  • A cultural dictionary. You can be sure you won’t embarrass yourself with cultural snafus. (For example, most people coming to Japan are not aware of the etiquette involved in exchanging business cards - Is there a better way to start off business negotiations on the wrong foot?)
  • A valuable resource. The right interpreter for your interpretation engagement will be able to give you valuable insights, driven by current local events, into your field of expertise. The knowledge professional interpreters bring to the table may even convince you to change strategy to achieve your goals.
• Give yourself a tactical advantage.
  Have you ever wondered why Japanese business folks often use interpreters, even though they are known to speak English fluently? This is because they're using the valuable time while the interpreter is interpreting to formulate their response - they’re enjoying a tactical advantage!

As you can see, there are many advantages in employing professional interpreters in your next business meeting. Contact English Japanese Interpretation Services if you’re meeting in Japan.

About the Author
Ivan Vandermerwe is the CEO of SAECULII YK (Tokyo Japan), the owner of SAECULII Interpretation Company, Japan (Tokyo). Visit SAECULII for the latest professional articles and news on English Japanese interpretation service

Copyright © SAECULII YK. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this article is permitted with inclusion of the "About the Author" reference as is (including text links, japan-interpreters.saeculii.com/), and this copyright information. Articles may not be altered without written permission from SAECULII YK.