Why are there always two or three interpreters in the booth?

Would you like to fly across the ocean with only one pilot? Do you feel safe at the swimming pool, where there is only one lifeguard? That is why…

Interpreting can be very stressful. We speak almost simultaneously with the speaker of a foreign language. The human brain is able to operate in this voltage for no more than 30 minutes. Besides, anything may happen – coughing, a momentary lack of concentration, the need for a breath of fresh air – the internal dimensions of the booth for two are (in mm): height – 1960, width – 1560, depth – 1560).

There may be an electricity failure, or noise in the headphones – all that requires the instant intervention by another person. A good co-interpreter is worth his/her weight in gold. Please note that during the conference, speakers change every 30-90 minutes, whereas interpreters, of whom there are only two (or three), speak for eight hours or longer.