Although the BBC's no longer updating The Interview on its website, I really like some of the ones they have in the archives. Basically, they find someone who's an expert in their field and talk to them for a half hour show - this includes politicians, writers, professionals, you name it.
For this interview, they found Amanda Galsworthy. You could say that her upbringing was unconventional - Galsworthy's diplomat father literally used his children as an experiment in language-learning. Each one was brought up speaking one language outside of English and were made to always speak in that language at home. Amanda was brought up speaking French and even dreamed and woke up speaking French, making her the perfect candidate to be a French-English-French interpreter, although she fought it.
I was delighted to find that they interviewed an interpreter, and not just any interpreter, but the woman who has interpreted for five French presidents. As she pointed out, simultaneous interpretation is quite an art that must take so much energy and thought, because you have to think about what they just said, what you're saying, and what they're saying while you're saying it. Galsworthy recounts many stories of interesting times interpreting for world powers: an incident with a dog and a phone, diplomats thinking that she spoke passionately for both sides, run-ins with Margaret Thatcher, and a flub involving the Netherlands and Neandertals. If you're interested in listening, here's the link.
At the end of the interview, Galsworthy gives her advice to people considering interpretation:
"You have to have steely nerves. We all get, obviously, stage fright.We're jumping out by and large without a parachute. So you have to know how to manage that stage fright, so that it doesn't paralyze you, but enables you to get the best out of yourself."
Although I think that I personally would prefer to be a translator rather than an interpreter, it still fascinates me. Who knows? Maybe one day, I would feel up to snuff to try the profession, although now I can just enjoy listening to the fruits of a successful career.
For this interview, they found Amanda Galsworthy. You could say that her upbringing was unconventional - Galsworthy's diplomat father literally used his children as an experiment in language-learning. Each one was brought up speaking one language outside of English and were made to always speak in that language at home. Amanda was brought up speaking French and even dreamed and woke up speaking French, making her the perfect candidate to be a French-English-French interpreter, although she fought it.
I was delighted to find that they interviewed an interpreter, and not just any interpreter, but the woman who has interpreted for five French presidents. As she pointed out, simultaneous interpretation is quite an art that must take so much energy and thought, because you have to think about what they just said, what you're saying, and what they're saying while you're saying it. Galsworthy recounts many stories of interesting times interpreting for world powers: an incident with a dog and a phone, diplomats thinking that she spoke passionately for both sides, run-ins with Margaret Thatcher, and a flub involving the Netherlands and Neandertals. If you're interested in listening, here's the link.
At the end of the interview, Galsworthy gives her advice to people considering interpretation:
"You have to have steely nerves. We all get, obviously, stage fright.We're jumping out by and large without a parachute. So you have to know how to manage that stage fright, so that it doesn't paralyze you, but enables you to get the best out of yourself."
Although I think that I personally would prefer to be a translator rather than an interpreter, it still fascinates me. Who knows? Maybe one day, I would feel up to snuff to try the profession, although now I can just enjoy listening to the fruits of a successful career.
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