I was suggested to go back home in France by a top level simultaneous interpreter and trainer because that is where the work is, supposedly. The problem is that this lady assumed something she had not a clue about. But the unshakable arguments line up was an interesting although deja-vu list.
1. Why are there so few non-native Japanese interpreters? Because the learning curve to acquire Japanese is higher than the learning curve of Japanese people to acquire English.
2. Why do you get no assignments in Japan (out of local agents) if you are non-native? Because the paying side (Japanese) wants to perfectly understand the interpreter.
3. How do you improve on prosody in Japanese? (Puzzled at first). Listen to comics, manzai and rakugo.
Comments:
1. I reckon that many Japanese native put way much more efforts into learning a language although most fail. But they do put efforts. However, it is the first time I heard the argument of "difference" in learning curve. If learning English (for instance) is attainable, why the struggle and the national complex? Anyway, the pride factor of interpreters must be taken into account. The point here is that mysterious Japanese language is implicitly not accessible to it fullness unless you are .... well, you know the story. Japanese is very difficult, but the difficulty is internally defined, just like fluency is in the eyes of the beholder who carries the truth. This said, there is no acute incentive to learn the language in your home country, and this applies to any language, not only Japanese. The incentives to learn foreign languages in Japan is a matter of pride and complex, nothing to do with a national strategy. But as far as strategies are concerned, national ones will fail as they have always done, except maybe for some countries like Korea with English. Japan has failed and will fail more as country because of national complex. Fluent Japanese of mysterious languages rule.
2. This is interesting coming from a professional, because it is the same implicit discourse as your next door fish monger who believes, nay, it's not even a belief because it is way beyond thought, that Japanese cannot be yours, only us. The proof is that listening is mostly focused to how you say things, not what you are talking about. The wrapping paper, yes, what's inside the box, no. Or put it straighter : you can't perfectly speak Japanese if you are not Japanese, and Japanese people only understand perfect Japanese, the way they themselves speak the language.
3. I thought and wrote about that already, that the best speakers are comics, and some rare vendors. You don't find "best speakers" among businessman, among university teachers, among politicians (terrible these!). Now, how does manzai speak melt into professional interaction? That is still a mystery.
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