SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING. HISTORICAL EVENTS. ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE

The issue is aimed at describing and defining the interpreting activity in order to present a brief picture of a number of interpreting types in accordance with different criteria. Teaching basic concepts in interpreting plays a significant role in the academic process. There is an increasing tendency to develop potential for legal interpreting. Any problem may arise for lack of knowledge in basic concepts in interpreting. Professional interpreting is a creative process in which the interpreter is capable to listen to a spoken statement in the source language, analyse its contents and segments and reproduce exactly the same message with spoken words in the target language. Consecutive interpreting activity is considered as one of the practical interpreting modes at international conferences, in which simultaneous interpreting mode is controllable.. It seems that consecutive interpreting mode is more applied than simultaneous mode. The reasons are defined partly because of constrained numbers of certified and competent simultaneous interpreters and some recognized technical barriers and dilemmas and also partly due to low numbers of clients' requests for this mode of interpreting. Attention is drawn to historical events in simultaneous interpreting. The work is also aimed at analysing the main stages of simultaneous interpreting development. Highlighting historical events in simultaneous interpreting becomes a necessity nowadays when the cooperation between different countries is developing rapidly. In view of this attention is drawn to the fact that interpreting has played a distinctive role in the relations between people who are living in different regions and have distinct origins since emergence of humankind. The authors indicate the time when Ancient Egyptians developed sighs signifying the term 'interpreter". Significant weight is attached to ancient Greece and Rome where interpreting took place. The way the oppressed and humiliated people were helped through interpreting is considered in the issue. Particular attention is drawn to the role interpreters played in Ancient Greece. They were regarded not only as linguistic mediators among multilingual civilizations but also as a "semi - divine human" who had capability to perform a chain of tasks. The focus is put on the specific valuable characteristics in interpreting activity in Ancient Greece. Particular emphasis is laid on those factors. Particular court proceedings where simultaneous interpreting was applied have been brought sharply into the main focus. The authors draw attention to the professional interpreters training.