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cfm/page1669 Budding Interpreter FAQ Everything you always wanted to know about conference interpreters but did not know whom to ask! By AIIC-New Interpreters Networ !V"#A$ %: &hat 'o conference interpreters 'o( %: &hat 'oes it ta e to )ecome a conference interpreter( %: &hat are the main 'ifferences )etween interpreters an' trans*ators( %: +o interpreters parrot( %: Are interpreters ma'e or )orn( %: ,ow -isi)*e are interpreters( %: Are interpreters pri-y to secrets )efore they ma e it into the me'ia( %: &hat *ang.ages sho.*' I *earn/ an' where sho.*' I train( %: &hat a)o.t genera* e'.cation( %: &i** the profession s.r-i-e All-English( %: &i** machines rep*ace interpreters(

Q:

hat do conference interpreters do!

P.t s.ccinct*y/ conference interpreters ma e m.*ti*ing.a* comm.nication possi)*e. 0hey m.st *earn how to listen actively to what is )eing sai' in the so.rce *ang.age/ ie:

1.**y .n'erstan' the message In the appropriate conte2t 3n any specific s.)4ect

0heir s i** *ies in transposing what is )eing sai' into their own !target$ *ang.age whi*st eeping to the origina* meaning 5 tone/ intention an' sty*e 5 of the spea er. Q: hat does it take to become a conference interpreter!

"ersonality# training and a professional attitude$ Any)o'y inten'ing to train as an interpreter nee's a c*ear aptitude/ an in%uiring mind an' steady nerves. It goes witho.t saying that goo' *ang.age s i**s an' wi'e-ranging genera* now*e'ge are f.n'amenta* re6.irements. &o.*'-)e interpreters m.st )e a)*e to .n'erstan' an' process information 6.ic *y/ ha-e great powers of concentration/ the a)i*ity to react prompt*y an' ca*m*y to a changing sit.ation/ physica* stamina an' strong ner-es/ a p*easant -oice an' e2ce**ent p.)*ic-spea ing s i**s. 0hey m.st a*so com)ine inte**ect.a* c.riosity with tact an' 'ip*omacy.

0hose with the re6.isite s i**s nee' to .n'ergo specia*ise' training in the metho's an' techni6.es of interpretation. 1ina**y/ interpreters m.st )e intellectually rigorous. 0hey nee' a c*ear sense of what constit.tes goo' professiona* )eha-io.r as enshrine' in the f.n'amenta* r.*es go-erning the profession !confi'entia*ity/ professiona* stan'ar's/ etc.$ 0he reasons for this are:

0o ens.re %uality of performance 0o protect health an' e2ten' wor ing *ife 0o )e recognised by their peers An'/ .*timate*y/ to inspire trust in c*ients. hat are the main differences between interpreters and translators!

Q:

&ranslators work with the written word. 0hey genera**y ha-e *itt*e contact with a.thors an' their a.'ience/ ).t ha-e more time to pro'.ce a written trans*ation. 0o the trans*ators7 cre'it/ their o.tp.t is there to stay. It may )e p.)*ishe'/ rea' again o-er time/ .se' an' re-.se' an' occasiona**y may )ecome a stan'ar' reference. Interpreters work with speech an' ha-e to fin' the )est wor'ing prompt*y/ as they are part of a comm.nication process 'irecte' at a live audience. Q: 'o interpreters parrot! Interpretation is a** a)o.t understanding what the speaker means in the conte2t of a partic.*ar meeting and communicating it to a live audience whi*st ta ing into acco.nt *ang.age an' c.*t.ra* 'ifferences. &or'-for-wor' trans*ation of any type pro'.ces poor res.*ts. 0his is partic.*ar*y tr.e for interpretation/ where rea* professiona*s wi** constant*y )e *oo ing for the meaning that *ies )eneath the wor's. &he interpreter(s ma)im is think before you speak$ Q: Are interpreters made or born! It ta es training/ practice/ a professiona* attit.'e an' eno.gh 'etermination to stay the co.rse for a career as a professiona* interpreter. Ac%uaintance with many foreign languages and cultures is simply not enough. Before yo. can )egin to wor as a professiona* yo. m.st master interpretation metho's an' techni6.es )y atten'ing an appropriate .ni-ersity-*e-e* co.rse. 8o. 'o not necessari*y ha-e to )e )ro.ght .p spea ing many *ang.ages to )ecome an interpreter. Nowa'ays most of those who )ecome interpreters ha-e ac6.ire' their foreign *ang.ages/ ).t to a -ery high *e-e* of proficiency. Q: *ow visible are interpreters! Professiona* interpreters accomp*ish their e2acting tas with discretion. I'ea**y/ 'e*egates sho.*' comm.nicate so effecti-e*y that they 'on9t notice the *ang.age )arrier. Q: Are interpreters privy to secrets before they make it into the media!

0his can happen ).t professiona* interpreters a*ways eep what they ha-e *earne' to themse*-es. "rofessional secrecy is at the very heart of the AII+ code of professional ethics. Q: hat languages should I learn# and where should I train!

In theory internationa* conferences an' meetings co.*' )e he*' in any *ang.age/ ).t some are in greater .se than others. A*tho.gh it is 'iffic.*t to pre'ict which *ang.ages are - or wi** )e - .sef.* to a conference interpreter in a gi-en mar et/ 'eman' wi** a*ways )e higher for some of the more widely spoken languages. 1or instance/ anyone hoping to wor as a conference interpreter c*ear*y nee's to ha-e !acti-e or passi-e$ "ng*ish in their *ang.age com)ination. ,owe-er/ gi-en the 'epth an' )rea'th of *ang.age proficiency re6.ire' to wor in this profession/ there are clear limits on the number of languages any conference interpreter can master . It is therefore a'-isa)*e to concentrate on one9s mother tong.e as we** as on the *ang.ages for which one fee*s an inc*ination/ pro-i'e' that there is a mar et for them. ork opportunities vary from country to country. :ome co.ntries host ma4or internationa* instit.tions whi*st others 'epen' on *oca* ).sinesses or go-ernment agencies to pro-i'e wor . A*tho.gh there is no a)so*.te answer to the 6.estion of which *ang.ages to *earn/ *ang.ages .se' in conferences wi** in'icate those in 'eman'. AIIC )e*ie-es that interpreter training has to concentrate on *ang.age com)inations for which there is/ or wi** )e/ a 'eman'. 8o. sho.*' )e aware that:

&horough mastery of the mother tongue is crucial to the 6.a*ity of the interpreter9s wor ; this can sometimes )e forgotten in the 'ri-e to *earn foreign *ang.ages. 0he professiona*9s 'eep an' thoro.gh now*e'ge of *ang.ages re6.ires lifelong commitment and study.

Interpreters genera**y nee' a university degree and a subse%uent post,graduate %ualification in conference interpreting techni%ues. 0he first 'egree nee' not necessari*y )e in *ang.ages/ ).t anyone consi'ering a career in interpreting c*ear*y nee's to ha-e attaine' a high *e-e* of *ang.age now*e'ge. 1or most/ that means a first 'egree in mo'ern *ang.ages. C*ear*y/ a 'egree in a comp*ete*y 'ifferent s.)4ect fo**owe' )y a post-gra'.ate co.rse in conference interpreting may pro-e an e2ce**ent com)ination/ pro-i'e' the can'i'ate has the re6.ire' *ang.age s i**s. "-ery fie*' of now*e'ge can come in .sef.* in the conference wor*'. Q: hat about general education!

Conference interpreters wor for a wi'e -ariety of c*ients an' a.'iences at many meetings on s.)4ects ranging from economics an' finance to *aw/ po*itics/ science/ I0/ theo*ogy/ sports/ an' me'icine/ 4.st to name a few. A*tho.gh e2perts in interc.*t.ra* comm.nication/ interpreters cannot )e e2perts on e-ery s.)4ect. An interpreter7s main asset is an en6.iring min' an' the enth.siasm an' wi**ingness to *earn e-ery 'ay.

"reparation is the ey to processing any type of speech an' 'ea*ing with a** in's of spea ers. Not on*y m.st interpreters .n'erstan' what the spea er is saying/ ).t they m.st a*so )e a)*e to transpose the meaning into the target *ang.age. Interpreters nee' to eep a)reast of internationa* e-ents an' enhance their genera* now*e'ge contin.o.s*y. Professiona*s wi** )ecome the pro-er)ia* <snappers-.p of .nconsi'ere' trif*es=/ as yo. ne-er now when a n.gget of information might come in han'y. Q: ill the profession survive -All,English-!

It is .p to conference organisers to choose which *ang.ages wi** )e interprete' from an' into. 0heir choice may )e g.i'e' )y po*itica* consi'erations !e.g. "> *ang.ages or the officia* *ang.ages of the :wiss Confe'eration$/ )y 'ip*omatic consi'erations !e.g. the *ang.age of the host co.ntry in a''ition to other internationa* *ang.ages$/ )y e2pe'iency reasons !e.g. "ng*ish p*.s the nationa* *ang.age for me'ica* conferences/$ or e-en )y tra'ition. #reater .se is )eing ma'e of "ng*ish at internationa* meetings/ )eca.se an increasing n.m)er of peop*e ha-e *earne' the *ang.age an' are a)*e to .se it. 0his 'oes not mean/ howe-er/ that they .se "ng*ish proper*y or ha-e a perfect comman' of a** its n.ances/ or e-en that they fee* at ease spea ing the *ang.age. ?any peop*e ha-e rea*ise' that spea ing an' *istening to a foreign *ang.age - e-en in a technica* area one is -ery fami*iar with - can )e -ery tiring/ an' that .sing professiona*/ we**-prepare' conference interpreters enhances comm.nication. @ang.age is ine2trica)*y *in e' to c.*t.ra* heritage/ so e-eryone can 'raw on reso.rces in their own *ang.age that are 'enie' them in a foreign *ang.age. It is with this in min' that AIIC has 'rawn .p its 'ec*aration on *ang.age 'i-ersity. 0here may )e a 'iscerni)*e mo-e in some regions an' some 'iscip*ines towar's ho*'ing meetings in "ng*ish on*y - especia**y where "ng*ish f.*fi*s an aspirationa* f.nction/ th.s conferring stat.s. B.t *ang.age 'eman' is far from static. A*ongsi'e tra'itiona* conference *ang.ages *i e 1rench/ :panish/ an' #erman/ the ".ropean >nion a*so nee's interpreters for CAech/ 1innish or Po*ish. Chinese is .se' more an' more wi'e*y. An' internationa* )o'ies *i e the Internationa* Crimina* Co.rt re6.ire interpreters in the *ang.ages of the cases they 'ea* with. It is therefore e2treme*y har' to pre'ict whether there wi** )e high 'eman' for a specific *ang.age com)ination. Q: ill machines replace interpreters!

?achine trans*ation has )een the ,o*y #rai* of the *ang.age professions since the 196Bs. Impro-ements to e2isting systems ha-e come incrementa**y rather than in the form of a ma4or )rea thro.gh. ?achine trans*ation *en's itse*f to high -o*.me traffic of the same in' of te2t/ for e2amp*e the trans*ation of ten'er 'oc.ments or weather reports. :po en *ang.age is far more comp*e2 than written te2t. :ignificant progress has )een ma'e on -oice recognition/ ).t c.rrent techno*ogy is sti** -ery a *ong way from )eing a)*e to rep*ace a h.man interpreter. At the same time/ interpreters ha-e *arge*y )enefite' from recent 'e-e*opments in techno*ogy. 0ermino*ogy an' meeting 'oc.ments are now a-ai*a)*e on e*ectronic me'ia an' can )e carrie' on *aptops. A*so/ -i'eoconferencing is increasing*y .se' these 'ays. A*tho.gh it may change the way interpreters wor / the profession has em)race' techno*ogica* inno-ation.

.essage Board /ackie 'ate: 1 No- CBBD 11:EB 0ub/ect: Interpreter7s s i**s I am won'ering if an e2ce**ent interpreter can )e traine' 4.st )eca.se of the strong 'etermination/an' 'efinite*y with the har' wor . 1eply vanilla 'ate: CC No- CBBD 1F:C6 I thin those are the most -a*.a)*e 6.a*ities an interpreter sho.*' possess/ for the s i** re6.ire' is )ase' on a gen.ine craftsmanship. ,owe-er/ *ang.age ta*ents/ which in most cases gi-en to *ang.age masters/ wi** )e of great he*p. 1eply

&hat 'o yo. thin ( - :hare yo.r -iews a)o.t this artic*