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Poll: How comfortable are you switching between translation and interpreting tasks?
Trådens avsändare: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
WEBBPLATSPERSONAL
Apr 25

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How comfortable are you switching between translation and interpreting tasks?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 11:37
Medlem (2007)
Engelska till Portugisiska
+ ...
I only do one of the two Apr 25

I'm a translator, not an interpreter.

neilmac
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spanien
Local time: 12:37
Spanska till Engelska
+ ...
Other Apr 25

I haven't done any interpreting for ages. The two activities are not always compatible and I'd find interpreting too demanding/stressful nowadays.

Luis M. Sosa
WolfgangS
Maria Laura Curzi
 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
Belgien
Local time: 12:37
Medlem (2020)
Franska till Nederländska
+ ...
NA Apr 25

I only translate.

By the way, in Belgium interpreting requires a university degree and is basically only for the happy few: you start in a translation university programme and, after a year or 2, only the ones with a certain level are allowed to continue as interpreter. At least that's how it was in my days.
 
Daryo
Daryo
Local time: 11:37
Serbiska till Engelska
+ ...
When you first translate Apr 25

When you first translate the papers that are going to be discussed then are the interpreter at the meeting(s) where they are being discussed, and then translate 'the final version' - then there is nothing easier than 'switching between translation and interpreting'. Piece of cake!

But that's hardly the 'usual situation'.

Translation and interpreting require different skill sets AND more importantly different mindsets (or call it psychological constitution or ... not su... See more
When you first translate the papers that are going to be discussed then are the interpreter at the meeting(s) where they are being discussed, and then translate 'the final version' - then there is nothing easier than 'switching between translation and interpreting'. Piece of cake!

But that's hardly the 'usual situation'.

Translation and interpreting require different skill sets AND more importantly different mindsets (or call it psychological constitution or ... not sure what would the best term). BTW language teaching is a third 'world apart'. Tried it, not for me!

Only a minority will happily do both, most interpreters I know do not have the slightest interest in translating and I know a number of very good translators who don’t want to go anywhere near interpreting. And a few who were railroaded into interpreting when no else was available and said 'NEVER AGAIN' (see the part about psychological constitution). ▲ Collapse


Cilian O'Tuama
Christine Andersen
 
Cilian O'Tuama
Cilian O'Tuama  Identity Verified
Tyskland
Local time: 12:37
Tyska till Engelska
+ ...
NEVER AGAIN Apr 26

Daryo wrote:

I know a number of very good translators who don’t want to go anywhere near interpreting. And a few who were railroaded into interpreting when no else was available and said 'NEVER AGAIN'


Interpreters have my utmost respect.

Many moons ago I was coerced/persuaded by respected colleagues to do an interpreting job between a US phone company and German market researchers. I had zero experience/ambitions at interpreting. They felt confident I’d manage. I failed. Halfway through the job I wanted to crawl out on my knees and go home in shame without payment. But they paid me. Hats off to good interpreters!

Christine Andersen
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnien och Hercegovina
Local time: 12:37
Engelska till Franska
+ ...
There is Apr 26

Cilian O'Tuama wrote:

Daryo wrote:

I know a number of very good translators who don’t want to go anywhere near interpreting. And a few who were railroaded into interpreting when no else was available and said 'NEVER AGAIN'


Interpreters have my utmost respect.

Many moons ago I was coerced/persuaded by respected colleagues to do an interpreting job between a US phone company and German market researchers. I had zero experience/ambitions at interpreting. They felt confident I’d manage. I failed. Halfway through the job I wanted to crawl out on my knees and go home in shame without payment. But they paid me. Hats off to good interpreters!


Yes, there’s a reason interpreting training/schools take 4 years.

Re. the question, I was doing it all the time, but my volume of interpreting projects was fairly low (in freelancing). As soon as you know what you are doing and are trained, it’s fine.

Daryo
 


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Poll: How comfortable are you switching between translation and interpreting tasks?






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