Issue #10                                                                www.interprenaut.com                                                         March 2012  

Welcome to the 10th issue of The Interpreter's Launch Pad. This newsletter is designed to bring resources, tips, and a bit of fun to the lives of professional interpreters.

Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for countdown!

Q: Interprenaut, what's the best game for interpreters?

A: Spring is arriving (in the Northern hemisphere). So get out and play! There are lots of fun games and exercises that interpreters can play to improve their skills, but my favorite has to do with synonyms and paraphrasing. One of the most difficult tasks that an interpreter is faced with is to interpret a phrase that either (1) has no simple linguistic equivalent or (2) has one, but the interpreter cannot readily summon it from her/his memory.

A fun game to help develop this skill is called Taboo... especially when you play it with other interpreters. In this game, you have a card with a word on it and a list of terms that are "taboo" -- forbidden to say. You have to get others to say the word without using any of the terms on the card that would commonly be used to describe it. It's great practice for paraphrasing in just one language, but it's even more fun to do it with two languages. And, you get lots of practice at thinking quickly on your feet, which is an important skill for interpreters too.

Next time you get together with interpreters, consider breaking out this game or even writing your own cards for an entertaining way to practice!

Do you have questions or issues of importance to the field of interpreting that you'd like to see Interprenaut address?  

Send them along. 

Misinterpreting George Washington   

It's a dark and rainy night. You're handed a document for sight translation. The ink is blurry on the wet paper; the handwriting is nearly illegible. It's also in a language that you don't speak natively. These are the articles of surrender proposed by the French army. By candlelight, you must decipher, comprehend and interpret this information orally into yet another language you didn't grow up with, so that George Washington and his men can determine whether the terms of surrender are acceptable.  

No pressure, right? 

Back in the 1754, Jacob Van Braam was hired to interpret for Washington. He was a member of the Dutch army and came to know a brother of George Washington who had served in the British army. Apparently, his French was excellent. His English, however, needed some work.  

When doing a sight translation, Van Braam unfortunately misinterpreted a single French word l'assassinat into English, leading to a major misunderstanding. Washington wrote, "We were wilfully or ignorantly deceived by our interpreter in regard to the word assassination, I do aver, and will to my dying moment; so will every officer that was present. The interpreter was a Dutchman, little acquainted with the English tongue, therefore might not advert to the tone and meaning of the word in English; but, whatever his motives were for so doing, certain it is, he called it the death, or the loss..."

Had Van Braam rendered that term properly, Washington would never have surrendered Fort Necessity to the French. Van Braam's error is not an inspiration for interpreters to emulate, but it's important to note that even the best interpreter could have stumbled under such difficult conditions. These are the types of challenges that interpreters "in the field" are faced with every day -- sometimes, changing the course of history in the process.   

Who inspires you?

Which ear is your "interpreting ear?"

Click here to take a quick, three-question poll to share your feedback with others.  

The results will be shared in next month's newsletter! 

Do you have a question you'd like to get input on from colleagues around the world?
Send me your suggested topics for next month's feedback section.  

• Give back to your colleagues. The Jenner sisters discuss how important it is to participate in the profession, but they also provide very specific suggestions for ways you can support the many volunteer-based associations in our field, not just by becoming a member, but by lending your skills and talents, or even starting your own group if you wish. They practice what they preach -- both authors are very active in associations. 

• Trust your colleagues. One of my favorite lines in the entire book is this: "If you are afraid that colleagues might steal your client just because you tell them your client's name, then you have not created a strong enough working relationship with your client." This statement displays a clear understanding of the importance of relationship-building and marketing, which are often lost on many freelance professionals (and even large companies). What a refreshing change from those who constantly view their colleagues as competitors, which leads to a lack of trust.    

Xin Jin (Mandarin) was recognized for leading interpreting at the World Expo for a six-month period, while Nadesan Sundaresan (Tamil) was applauded for his work at a detention center for asylum seekers.  

What a great initiative... and one that more associations around the world will hopefully take up!

Do you have interpreting news to report from your part of the word?  

Send it along, so that your fellow interpreters can hear all about it.