Much ado about something remote: Stress and performance in remote interpreting

The article describes the aims, methods, conclusions and recommendations of a large-scale experimental study designed to evaluate the feasibility and implications of the use of remote interpreting (RI) in the European Parliament and other large multilingual settings, where the introduction of a growing number of languages requires the extension of existing arrangements. While the study reveals a relatively small impact on either the quality of the interpreting or interpreters’ health and objective measures of stress, it nevertheless points to considerable psychological effects, including an increase in feelings of isolation and alienation. The study recommends greater use of technological support through the possible introduction of individually computerized workstations and a user-friendly working environment.