When I hear fellow interpreters say they entered the profession for their calling to help others, I worry. I guess, in a sense, we do help people. We are a communication bridge, making it possible for a voice to be heard in a different language....
This article by Athena was first published in November 2014. We liked it so much that we decided to share it with our readers once again. Enjoy! Those who know me outside of interpreting know that acrobatics (specifically, partnered “Acroyoga”) is my not-so-secret other love. I...
The Couch is a learning place, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. The pandemic demands that we adapt but not everyone seems to be willing to do so. Can you help our colleague communicate his concerns...
The Couch is a learning place, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. Travel time is a new thing for our colleague's clients and questions abound. Can You help? To all the sages at NAJIT who read The...
The Couch is a learning place, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. Our colleague is curious about what is expected of her as a medical interpreter due to a conflicting situation she heard about. Are...
Below is an anonymized compilation of comments received by The NAJIT Observer in response to Bethany Korp’s blog post “What I Wish They Knew,” published November 25, 2016. Thank you to all who responded! I wish that everyone… … understood the function of interpreters and respected...
By Armando Ezquerra Hasbun ©2017 It is bound to happen. You spend most of your professional career trying to get where your ambitions lie. And then you spend most of your time trying to improve, to catch up, to seek elusive perfection in your craft. And in...
This post was originally published on August 2, 2013. It remains just as relevant. Enjoy. We humans are biologically programmed to walk into a situation and immediately start to assess it, right? In fact, what we see around us will often dictate how we conduct ourselves...
Have you ever met the interpreter who knew everything? I have. Well, not really. As a matter of fact, it’s not possible to have met such an interpreter, because nobody knows everything. That is the sad reality of being human. But I have most assuredly...
Originally published in January 2015, this post remains relevant. Please enjoy. On this blog, we dedicate a great deal of time and effort to the profession of interpreting for the courts. We tell stories, share experiences, propose new ideas, and issue calls to action. This week,...