Language is complex, and when abstract or nuanced concepts get lost in translation, the consequences may be catastrophic.
That’s the main takeaway from Ewandro Magalhaes’ TED talk on interpreters and the way they juggle two languages (and, let me add, cultures) at once. It’s definitely worth a listen and watch, explaining the history and intricacies of interpretation.
“On the surface, it all looks seamless, but behind the scenes, human interpreters work incessantly to ensure every idea gets across as intended.”
And, fellow interpreters, isn’t that what we love about our job? Knowing that we’ve done a good job if nobody really notices us, if we just blend in because our interpretation is on point. Knowing that we’ve prepared an assignment so thoroughly that, in the booth, we can simply render in another language what we’ve already researched (hopefully) without struggling.
“Interpreters are also skilled at keeping aplomb in the face of chaos.” And I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.
Ewandro Magalhaes: How interpreters juggle two languages at once | TED Talk