Gap filler phrases

Written By Chris Guichot de Fortis

A few examples of phrases in English to fill gaps and even out the interpreter’s delivery, notably in relay mode

It is generally accepted that silences of 2-3 seconds are acceptable in the booth, so long as the interpreter's voice and delivery are correctly pitched so as to instill confidence in his/her audience. However, there are times when phrases that fill gaps of longer than 3 seconds are needed.

Gap filler phrases can be especially useful when a speaker is too slow (yes, that rare beast does exist - and it can be as bad an experience as when a speaker is too fast!). You may also need them when you are in relay mode and must wait for your relay giver to listen, extract meaning, and then deliver the message to their audience and to you - after which YOU then listen and extract meaning before delivering the message to YOUR audience…

The important thing is for these gap filler phrases to be learned, practised, and then delivered, without requiring mental effort. The goal is definitely not to add a further intellectual burden which might militate against quality interpretation!

The phrases cited below are simply examples, and you can create thousands more in the same vein. The idea is to use these short phrases singly or in a series, in modular fashion, and to be able to return immediately to the speaker/relay provider as soon as further source material for interpretation is available.

"… ladies and gentlemen…"

"...distinguished delegates…"

"...my dear friends/colleagues…"

"...and (of course) the assembly will appreciate that…"

"...it is probably fair to say that…"

"...as I have said…"

"...as I was saying…."

"...why do I maintain this? Let me explain…"

"...my reasoning (here) is as follows…"

"...how can I (best) put this?:…"

"…and here we come to the heart of the matter/the nub of the problem…"

"...there, indeed, is the rub…"

"...and now I would like to turn to another matter…"

"...to reiterate my earlier comments…"

"...but I am unsure in what terms to put/couch my argument…"

"...I dare say…"

"...this is, of course; self-evident, but…."

"...I make so bold as to say…"

"...the experts present will no doubt correct me if I err…"

"...I am (of course) far from being an expert in such matters, but…"

"...it will come as no surprise to you to learn that…."

"...you are of course aware that…"

"...and the point at issue can be summarised as follows…"

"...I think it is fair to say that…"

"…at this juncture…"

"...at this point in the proceedings…"

"...so here we have it…"

"...so to speak…"

"...as it were…"

"…I think I might say without fear of contradiction….."

"….if my memory serves me aright…"

Use the next few phrases to finish sentences when the speaker fails to do so, or when you have missed the end of a sentence:

"…is a topic the importance of which it would be difficult to overestimate."

"…is a most thorny topic."

"….is a matter/topic/problem which it would be unwise to neglect."

Use the following if you have actually got it wrong, and require an elegant U-turn!

"…is something about which I/we/my country/may capital/my delegation feels very strongly."** "This position has its merits (of course), but I feel (on the contrary) that….."

"This is (self-evidently) a valid stance, but my own position is as follows…."

"This is a well-reasoned position, but it is (more than) possible to maintain the contrary:…"

Chris Guichot de Fortis

Christopher Guichot de Fortis (A-EN, B-FR, C-ES) M.A. (Cantab); PDLS; BACI; M.A. in Conference Interpretation (University of Bath); AIIC, has had an eclectic life.

At 18 he briefly played professional tennis, then began competing as an amateur rally driver. His obtained BA and MA degrees from St. John’s College, Cambridge, going on to serve 9 years in the British police.

In 1988 he began a staff interpreting career at NATO Headquarters, becoming a Senior Interpreter (servicing inter alia 400 committees at all levels, and countless Ministerial and 14 HOSG Summit meetings) and running NATO’s recruitment tests and practice programme for 10 years. He has now retired.

He has also organized volunteer interpreting teams for several NGOs, trained and worked for 15 years as an ambulance paramedic, and founded a refugee social and legal service, “l’Olivier 1996”. 

He has taught, examined and lectured at over a dozen interpreting schools in Belgium, France, the USA, the UK, the Czech Republic, Germany and Mexico, has taught for AIIC in France and Germany, and currently chairs the Belgian AIIC Network of Trainers (BANT). For several years he was also a member of the Geneva International Model United Nations teaching team. More recently, he has spoken at the TerpSummit for the past 3 years. He began teaching on the CCIC in 1991, and has been its co-director since 2002.

Since he retired from NATO, he freelances and spends much of his time training Master’s students and providing specialized and targeted individual CPD coaching to (primarily) young interpreters in many countries.

He continues to run and develop the “L’Olivier 1996” registered charity, and to compete regularly and successfully in regional and international level motorsport rallies.

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