Pardon the interruption to your regularly-scheduled programming, but it’s spring! And I must have spring fever, because all I want to do is go around singing. In all seriousness, I wanted to share with you my absolute best getting-the-interpreting-juices going trick, something that I’ve never heard...
The best compliment I ever received on my interpreting wasn’t exactly about the quality of my work or even how well I spoke both languages. The words that made me glow with satisfaction? “I almost forgot you were there.” To any interpreter, this should be...
After 32 years in the same field, I also have my share of war stories. I’ve decided to tell a few. How do you say that, really? One time it was the word "balloons" that gave me trouble. I researched it with my friends in the Brazilian...
After a career as a systems analyst in the petroleum industry, John Estill found himself working as a translator and interpreter while enjoying retirement in rural Ohio. I’ve had the pleasure of working with John on the Ohio Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Interpreter Services. John...
Now that you have an idea of how to attach value to your time and activity, it is time to figure out how to best use banking and government tools to determine your taxes. No, this is not an accounting course. Relax and enjoy. In my...
In honor of the upcoming Valentine’s Day celebration let’s take a moment to examine how we interpreters and translators can continue to stay deeply in love with our professions. As a staffer at a busy courthouse and a moonlighting translator, you would think that...
The Supreme Court and the interpreting profession weigh in on the answer, but they may have to agree to disagree. By Barry S. Olsen and Katharine Allen Seasoned interpreters and experienced translators alike are keenly aware of the different skill sets required for interpreting and translation. Both...
After reading my colleague Gio Lester’s informative blog last week (How Much Is My Time Worth?), you know how to put a dollar value on your time. Now how do you make it pay? How do you learn to manage your time efficiently to accomplish...
Translators and interpreters are a very creative bunch, and creative folk usually do not make good administrators. Yes, it is a generalization, so take it with the duly recommended grain of salt. We have all heard of ROI (Return on Investment). That is what you get...
Breaking into the world of interpreting and gaining acceptance as somebody who learned Spanish in college and beyond has been a quite a journey in self-discovery. Although I’ve learned the language and culture well enough to succeed as an interpreter, the fact is that I...