When his homeland erupts in a fiery coup, Navorski is stranded at Kennedy Airport. What makes matters worse is the fact that while authorities at the airport cannot understand Navorski's language, he in turn does not speak English.
In a situation such as this - where two people do not share a common language they understand - an interpreter facilitates communication.
Who Is an Interpreter?
An interpreter is someone who mediates between speakers of different languages. Interpretation is oral translation or translation done verbally.
Depending on the requirements, an interpreter can either do consecutive or simultaneous interpretation.
Consecutive: In consecutive interpretation, the speaker speaks for about 10 to 15 minutes, say in English. The interpreter, seated next to the speaker, takes down notes in symbolic language.
When the speaker halts after 15 minutes, the interpreter reads out whatever the speaker has said in the other language, say French.
Thus the speaker and the interpreter take turns alternatively.
Simultaneous: Simultaneous interpretation is usually done during big seminars and conferences. If delegates in the audience do not understand English, they can switch on the headphones that are attached to their seats and choose the language that they understand, say French.
When the speaker addresses the audience, the interpreter does the interpretation that the person in the audience can hear via his headphone.
The time difference of translation from one language to the other is of a few seconds.
The interpreter sitting in a sound proof cabin outside the auditorium, hears the address via a headphone, does a quick mental translation and talks into the mike in front of him in the other language.
Normally, there are two interpreters in a cabin. The first interpreter works for half an hour and then the second one takes over.
What It Takes
To be an interpreter, it is better to undergo formal training at the post graduate level. In India, only Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, offers a Master of Arts degree in translation and interpretation.
The university has a laboratory equipped with the equipment required for such training. As you are constantly working with people, good language and communication skills are a must.
Always keep your eyes and ears open. Read on all topics - from science and arts to literature, commerce and medicine.
In India, there are no specialisations in the field. Today, you may get an assignment on banking, tomorrow a pharmaceutical seminar. So be prepared for all fields and domains.
Employment Opportunities
Thanks largely to the entry of several multinational companies the need for interpreters is on the rise in the private sector. Most companies hire translators who double as interpreters when there are visitors in town.
Various consulates, trade commissions and chambers of commerce require the services of interpreters as well. Depending on where employed, an interpreter may get the opportunity to travel abroad, meet several heads of state and other visiting dignitaries.
Interpreters also find employment in the fashion industry, hotels, airlines, travel agencies and international bodies such as the United Nations and World Health Organisation.
Money Matters
In India, since this sector is not organised, the business is irregular. Most interpreters compromise on rates to get assignments.
A freelance interpreter can earn Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 8,000 per day. A full time interpreter earns per industry standards.
Depending on the place of employment, a beginner may earn Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000 per month. As an interpreter, you get the opportunity to meet people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Don't be an interpreter of maladies, be an interpreter of words instead!
(With inputs from: Dnyaneshwari Talpade, French Translator, Atos Origin India Pvt. Ltd.)
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