Conference interpreter, Paris-based member of AIIC, EN<>PL, EN<>FR, PL<>FR, RU>PL, RU>EN, RU>FR. Former semi-professional chess player, author of several original mathematical theorems, globetrotter. Canadian, Polish and British national, a Pole by choice. Monika: Jan, let’s first talk about your working languages and...
A beautiful find from a holiday in the Algarve. Spotted in the Old Town of Albufeira, a town on the Atlantic coast. I have been trying to find out what this place is exactly but no luck so far…
Is there a term in your language to describe a phenomenon in which successful people are resented and criticised because their talent and achievements elevate them above others? PS Count Smorltalk tells me tall poppy syndrome is a bit like the Scandinavian Jantelov.
As spotted in an Esselunga store in Florence.
Last year, a “translation table” explaining Brit-speak was making the rounds on the internet, with some poignant and humorous (and mostly true) examples of how non-Brits may misinterpret the British. You know, things like “I’m sure it’s my fault” as actually meaning “It’s obviously your fault”...
Last week I met a freelance colleague, a conference interpreter, who divides her time between Brasil and Sweden, spending six months in each every year. She seems to be much in demand, which is hardly surprising if you consider her language combination. Having lived, studied and worked in 15 countries on 4 continents, she has two native languages...
In Europe and America, there’s a growing feeling of hysteria Conditioned to respond to all the threats In the rhetorical speeches of the Soviets Mr. Khrushchev said ‘we will bury you’ I don’t subscribe to this point of view (Sting, Russians, 1985) The famous words “We will bury you” were used in 1956 by Soviet...
Do interpreters make the best parents? Michelle Hof, interpreter, mum and blogger, certainly thinks so. And what does she think is the most important reason why we make the best parents ever? “We will not let our children grow up to be interpreters.” Well, that’s what we may think. They will of course make up their own minds...
I’ve just read in the Guardian that Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured) and Chris Martin have split up. If you don’t know who Gwyneth Paltrow is, where have you been in the last 15 years? If you don’t know who the hell Chris Martin is… does Coldplay ring a bell? Except they didn’t split up. They ”consciously...
“This unhealthy genius-lust drives people to say things like, ‘My nine year old is reading Flaubert’ before adding, ‘in translation, unfortunately’ thus turning their ghastly boast into an even more ghastly humblebrag.” — I’ve just read in an article about how some parents want their child to be a...