A client recently said to a fellow Italian interpreter during a briefing: “Your job is very simple: I speak, you translate what I say into English, and then you do the same with the other person.” If only it were that simple!
Unfortunately for us, interpreting between English and Italian (or any other language, for that matter) is far from just parroting words in a different language and comes with its own sets of challenges. The most notorious things I need to look out for involve sentence structure and tone or register. These are the areas where the real work – and occasional headaches – happen.
The Italian love affair with long sentences
Italians have a real flair for long, winding sentences packed with subordinate clauses. It’s not uncommon to hear someone ramble on, never quite finishing their original point and ending up in a gloriously convoluted stream of consciousness. English, by contrast, is all about short, clear sentences. As an Italian interpreter, this often means juggling several ideas at once and doing a bit of mental gymnastics to deliver something that actually makes sense in English. This isn’t to say that Italians are generally bad speakers – it’s just a different style of presenting ideas, combined with a different sense of what formal language should sound like.
A technique that every interpreter relies on in this cases is chunking, also known as the ‘salami technique’. It’s the art of breaking a long Italian sentence into smaller, digestible segments. Let me give you a made-up example:
“Come ribadiva stamattina anche la collega, il progetto, peraltro co-finanziato dalla Commissione europea, ha incontrato diverse difficoltà tecniche e, nonostante gli sforzi del team, i risultati non sono stati immediati ed è necessario rivedere alcune procedure per garantire che gli obiettivi futuri siano raggiunti.”
Word-for-word in English, it would be cumbersome:
“As the colleague also reiterated this morning, the project, moreover co-financed by the European Commission, has encountered several technical difficulties and, despite the team’s efforts, the results were not immediate, and it is necessary to review some procedures to ensure that future objectives are achieved.”
Chunked and smoothed out, it flows a lot more naturally:
“The project, which is co-financed by the European Commission, has faced several technical difficulties, as the colleague mentioned this morning. Despite the team’s efforts, the results weren’t immediate. We need to review some procedures to make sure future objectives are met.”
Chunking makes it possible to preserve meaning while keeping the English clear and easy to follow. Without it, even a single sentence could turn into a mental traffic jam. It’s a skill that sounds straightforward in theory, but in reality it requires concentration, quick thinking, and a lot of practice.
Tone and register: polite vs. stiff
Tone and register are another constant challenge. Italian professional speech often leans formal, and literal translations can come across as stiff or unnatural.
For example, “La ringrazio infinitamente per la Sua cortese attenzione” literally translates as:
“I infinitely thank you for your courteous attention.”
Accurate? Yes. Natural English? Not really. A smoother version is:
“Thank you very much for your kind attention.”
It’s not just about politeness – tone is closely tied to culture. I once interpreted for a US speaker who said “That sounds wonderful!” in response to something that, frankly, didn’t quite warrant such a jubilant reaction. I thought I was doing a decent job toning down her hallmark American enthusiasm, but towards the end of the meeting, I slipped and let a word-for-word translation through. I could tell immediately that my listeners thought the speaker was overreacting a bit. Moments like that remind me that literal translation can sometimes distort meaning – or at least make the speaker appear more excited than intended.
Another thing to be mindful of is professional titles. In Italy, a “Dottore” isn’t necessarily someone with a PhD – it can also refer to anyone who has completed an undergraduate degree. In English, the equivalent is very different, and using “Doctor” incorrectly can sound odd or even misleading. Sometimes it actually makes more sense to stick with “Mr” or “Ms” to keep the interpretation clear and culturally appropriate. These small adjustments help convey respect without confusing the audience.
English speakers often understate, while Italians can be more expressive, so adjusting tone is a constant balancing act. As an Italian interpreter in London, I often have to tone down formality for English listeners or slightly raise it for Italian listeners, making sure the speaker’s intent comes across naturally.
Reflections
Interpreting between Italian and English isn’t just about swapping words. It’s about navigating sentence structure, tone, and cultural nuance. Chunking and careful attention to register are my bread and butter – they let me deliver interpretations that sound natural, clear and faithful to the speaker’s meaning.
Being an Italian interpreter isn’t for the faint-hearted – but that’s exactly what makes it so rewarding. Every sentence is a mini puzzle, every conversation a tiny cultural bridge. And there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of feeling that you’ve done the speaker justice, conveying their meaning and tone just right.
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I’m an Italian translator and interpreter based in London, helping clients across the UK (and beyond) communicate effectively with their Italian stakeholders. My specialties include simultaneous interpreting at multilingual conferences and events, along with marketing and creative translation. Need help communicating in languages other than Italian? Let’s talk! I can put you in touch with the right people or, better yet, organise the entire interpreting provision for your event, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Make sure you check out Word Of Mouth Translations, the company I co-founded, for your wider-reaching language needs.
