Letter to Count Smorltalk Dear Count Smorltalk, This could be the beginning of a wonderful friendship. Because I believe you need a friend. I believe you must be terribly lonely. In your Trolley Folly post, you painted this sad self-image of a suitcase-lugging, colleague-bugging conference interpreter who had to wrestle through the work day. What...
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...
Preparation is the invisible work that contributes to the success of meetings large and small – and one of the main reasons why interpreters are so often heard but not really noticed. Preparation is essential, whether working face-to-face with people in a hospital or immigration office, or in a booth at the back of a meeting room. But before...
Recently I realised that I have been interpreting for 34 years and perhaps it’s as good a reason as any to write a few lines for this great blog. But what should I write about? The fee-battle – still raging, but a lost cause if you ask me? The lack of solidarity between interpreters – not really an issue, they tend to be nice to each...
I’ve just read a very disheartening interview with an anonymous conference interpreter, who was basically explaining the doom, gloom and misery of working in this field. Indeed, it is a difficult profession, with no financial guarantees, with no major possibilities of career development. Indeed, it is often a thankless job, since the interpreter...