Interpreting in English at Atenao
Interpreting in English means rendering a spoken message from French into English while preserving the tone, intent, and nuances of the original speech. There are two main varieties of English used in interpreting: British English and American English, each with its own accents, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions.
Unlike French, which tends to be more structured and formal, English is often more direct, concise, and contextual. This means that interpreting in English calls for strong responsiveness and an excellent command of cultural registers. Interpreters often have to navigate indirect phrasing, subtle humor, and the frequent use of abbreviations in professional contexts.
Economically, English remains the dominant language of international business and is used in more than 80% of multilingual meetings within global companies. It is also the primary language in diplomacy, science, technology, and international law. Interpreting in English is therefore essential for conferences, negotiations, and diplomatic missions. It requires precision, quick analysis, and the ability to adapt between two distinct linguistic cultures.
Different types of interpreting in English
There are several forms of interpreting in English, each suited to a specific context. Simultaneous interpreting involves translating in real time while the speaker talks, usually from a booth. It is ideal for international conferences but demands a high level of concentration. Consecutive interpreting is based on note-taking: the interpreter listens to a section of speech and then reproduces it. This method works well for formal speeches and interviews.
Liaison interpreting is more informal and facilitates direct exchanges between two individuals, such as during medical consultations or business meetings. It requires a strong memory and a deep understanding of both cultures. In legal settings, court interpreting is strictly regulated and requires specialized legal knowledge. Remote interpreting, conducted by phone or video call, has become common in webinars and public services. Although it reduces non-verbal communication, it offers greater flexibility.
Each type of interpreting requires solid preparation, fluency in both languages, and the ability to adjust to various registers, accents, and cultural contexts.
Our references
The FloodResilienCity project
The Loiret General Council selected Atenao to provide English interpretation for presentations held as part of the European INTERREG FloodResilienCity project. The theme focused on risk assessment within a comprehensive “all risks” analysis aimed at:
- Coordinating the council’s organizational, preventive, protective, response, and recovery actions
- Providing crisis managers with accurate information on threats and helping them avoid domino effects
- Prioritizing protection goals and translating them into operational programs
- Adapting action plans to local needs, with the option to scale them up to the regional or even national level
For the event, Atenao provided a coordinator on site, two British-born French-English interpreters alternating every 20 to 30 minutes, and technical equipment including microphones and headsets for the 30 participants.
45th Angoulême Comic Book Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival and the Institut français chose Atenao for simultaneous interpretation at conferences focused on Arabic comics and the international influence of French comics. For this edition, two interpreters and one technician were on site to ensure interpreting in English for a cosmopolitan audience and international speakers.
Equipment included a translation booth, interpreter’s desk, digital radiators, and infrared receivers.
French to English interpreting at the Petit Palais
The Petit Palais, built for the 1900 World’s Fair and now home to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, hosted a scientific symposium on the sculptor Jules Dalou. Organized in partnership with the University of Paris Ouest Nanterre, this study day brought together around 100 researchers, curators, and academics.
Atenao provided simultaneous interpreting in English throughout the event, which included talks and a discussion on recent research, the exhibition, and the published catalogue.
English interpretation for PriceMinister
PriceMinister, the online shopping platform, entrusted Atenao with English-French simultaneous interpreting for its Campus events, featuring Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet, co-founder and CEO of PriceMinister, and Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten. Atenao provided one French-English interpreter, two technicians via its partner GL Events, and six whispering booths with transmitters, microphones, and headsets for the 160 participants.
Dean’s Forum – Mines ParisTech
Founded in 2012 by École des Ponts ParisTech and the University of Tokyo, the Dean’s Forum brings together top engineering schools such as MINES ParisTech, École Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, and global universities like MIT, UC Berkeley, ETH Zurich, KTH, Cambridge, Oxford, and Imperial College London. Atenao provided interpreting in English for conferences, roundtables, and expert presentations during this annual international forum dedicated to education, research, and innovation.