There is quite a bit of talk lately among those of us in the interpreting profession about the professionalization of community interpreting. In Great Britain and Canada, community interpreting, also referred to as “public service interpreting” is an umbrella term encompassing any kind of interpreting...
In the small county seat where I work several times a week there is a traffic circle. It is a small oasis in a not-very-attractive little town. In spring and summer there are shade trees and flowers. There is a central fountain, and a number...
“Your honor, the interpreter needs a repetition.” I am flustered, under attack and have not heard the final half of the defendant’s sentence. “Really?” comes the sarcastic sneer from the opposing attorney. “What for? If you can’t translate, then tell the defendant to speak really slowly,...
It seems only yesterday that parts of the judicial system in Miami were not yet even starting to understand the widely-accepted social mores of the 21st century. The terms, “sexual, ethnic and gender harassment” in the work place were not yet commonly known. I was...
What is a person to do? “I don’t know anyone. What do they expect of me? How am I supposed to behave? What is a 4H Club? How do you play kick ball? Why do they do math problems so strangely? Is school really over at...
I must admit, it simply rubs me the wrong way to think of interpreters getting stars in their eyes when encountering or assisting in high-profile court cases. Sure, there’s a mixture of nerves and excitement in knowing that we’re going to be involved in something...
If you have been a conference interpreter long enough chances are you may have found yourself in a situation where comments or jokes privately shared with a partner in the booth eventually got across to the audience. I once had it happen twice in a...
Her poise did not disguise her youth. Articulate as she was, one could not help but feel her insecurities. She was introduced as the interpreter for her step-father. Her first confident words were “I don’t think I can do this, but I will try. I...
Maybe it was spring fever, but I don’t think so. I definitely felt what I can only describe as a breath of fresh air during the 34th NAJIT Annual Conference May 17-19, 2013, in St. Louis, Missouri. So often nowadays I hear interpreters talk about the “graying”...
The recent weather-related tragedies in Oklahoma have been of particular interest to our family, given that my youngest brother has lived in Tornado Alley for nearly two decades. The world has borne witness to the incredible stories of strength in the face of adversity, and...
