What does it take to be an interpreter (or a translator)?

A year ago I found (while reading “From Our Lips to Your Ears”, one of my favourite interpreting blogs) a very interesting radio programme on language-related topics: “Talkin’ About Talk”. It was broadcast in 2005, the Year of Languages in America. There are different topics covered, e.g. bilingualism, translation and interpreting, dialects, threatened or dying languages, language learning, etc. Here you can find all the radio scripts and download the episodes. Actually, I’ve listened only to “What does it take to be an interpreter”?, but I would like to download some other episodes (like “Is British English Superior to Ours?”, which is about British VS American English, a topic that has always fascinated me; “Do you have to go abroad to learn a language?”; “What does it mean to be bilingual?”; “Can you make a living loving languages?”; “What does it take to learn a language well?”; “How good is machine translation?”; and “How are dictionaries made?”).

“What talent it takes to translate one language into another — listening and speaking at the same time! You can’t pick up a dictionary. And you can’t just spit out words like a robot. The interpreter’s job is to convey meaning. And since a lot of meaning is expressed by tone of voice or the nuance of words and phrases, his job is far more than translating word for word.

[...]

A translator needs somewhat different skills. But again, strong knowledge of two languages is just the beginning, because translating can get very complicated. There’s the question of technical terms. Lawyers file writs of mandamus. Physicians treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The terminology can be pretty daunting, and for translation you need to understand what it means. Because, like interpreting, translation isn’t about words. It’s about what the words are about. Simply looking things up in a dictionary isn’t enough. Not even close.”

(http://www.cofc.edu/linguist/archives/2005/10/what_does_it_ta_1.html)

A Podcast About Translation / Un podcast sulla traduzione

Speaking of Translation is the first podcast about translation I’ve ever found on the Net. I think Eve Bodeux and Corinne McKay had a very good idea! It is about the translation industry and topics of interest to translators. Episodes are published once a month, and I’ve been following this podcast from the very beginning. There are also interviews with professional translators, like in Episode 2, which is about the ATA (American Translators Association) Conference.

Definitely worth listening!

Speaking of Translation è il primo podcast sulla traduzione che abbia mai trovato in Rete. Penso che Eve Bodeux e Corinne McKay abbiano avuto una grande idea! Il podcast parla del settore della traduzione e di argomenti che possono interessare ai traduttori. Gli episodi vengono pubblicati una volta al mese, e seguo questo podcast sin dall’inizio. Ci sono anche interviste a traduttori professionisti, come nell’Episodio 2, che parla della conferenza dell’ATA (American Translators Association).

Vale decisamente la pena di ascoltarlo!