News from France

Met A. in Tokyo yesterday. A. is living in France. She does interpreting and teach Japanese. She contacted me in regards to the interpreter meeting of October. She is enthusiastic, she requested we meet, she agrees with my analysis of the deer situation of French Japanese interpretation, confirming that over there same as here, interpreters shun at getting in touch with each over. They are rocks, and usually feeble ones as in Japan. She is exactly how others should be. Open, thoughtful, willing to discuss, share, investigate, and try creating something. At the same time, I understand she does not exactly get what an online group is, and I have already suspected that many actually do not get the idea right. The Internet is a post-office cum reference tool, but the communication potential, the creative side of it all is lost and blank stares, a white or grey zone at best. The conversation was cheerful but the prospects are not. There's a casual strong suspicion down there that communicating among peers means danger, risk, just like here in Japan. Add to this in Japan the church like set-up where the top-notched interpreters like popes in their tiny realm high in the sky manage a small cast of sheepish priest passively waiting for the agencies to call and bestow them with opportunities to work. It's hopeless. There is a need for at least a dozen people like A. to start something. And it's pretty much out of reach. Everything that is discussed here, this monologue, should be discussed among peers. There should be no need nor even time for writing down a blog like this because enough opportunities for dialogue would make blogging redundant.

A mismanaged OPI assignment and some lessons

Technically, phone interpreting will be performed in the long run doing simultaneous. Meaning that the OPI interpreter who does not do simultaneous will be out. But we are not there yet. It came as an urgent request. IR meeting over the phone, in less than 24 hours. I told them I don't do IR. IR is daunting. I will do rocket science, quantum physics, Italian cuccina, but IR, God forbid! They pleaded. I said OK. Now, a few hours later on, the client calls, wants me to use two phones because they don't have the proper system for call-in confcall. Weird I think. Juggling with two phones will add stress, but who cares. Now, I understand that the client abroad won't lead the conversation, but only listen. However, he is not over the confcall but hooked to my mobile only. Now I hear for the first time that their contact here will converse with the Japanese side and I will translate back, meaning that they have tried in hurry to set a make-shift environment for ... remote, simultaneous interpretation! Add to this minor technical glitches like your standard echo thanks to their speaker phone. No one is managing the conversation, no go sign and now they start chatting full speed after angrily asking me to put my second phone mike on mute. I tell them I do interpretation, consecutive at that, and I am not in charge of technicalities. It won't go that way, anyway. I explain the situation abroad. They will end up listening to a summary of the conversation by their local agent later on. Good for them. I am now out of the loop, glad for this and angry at the management mess. But again, simultaneous OPI will lead, which does not mean that consecutive, liaison type of interpreting is dead. But the clients must be taught about the difference and get guidance on how to make things run. Do I have to go deep into learning IR? Do I have to go into simultaneous? Why not for IR learning, granted they say consecutive IR will be in demand from now on. As for simultaneous, a little bit late probably. And consecutive? It is not a poor version for B grade interpreters unable to do sim, it is a full-fledged, unrecognized specially in its own, and a fascinating one at that. But you cares?

Simple

A phone call from the UK. A prospect wants an interpreter in Tokyo for 30 minutes. I tell him I charge 3 hours minimum whatever. He doesn't get it.

Echoes of a potential assignment. A "very simple" assignment the prospect argues, "simple" meaning no reaons to charge expensively. Simple. What's in a word? Yet another need for a mere "linguistic helper". What will they do to justify not shelling money into that bastard costly interpreter.

A gloomy November it seems. Crisis, coming end of year? Both? 10% less inbound travelers in Narita airport. At last a tangible fact to chew on the fat of worry.

Should I go again into mentioning the Liaison Interpreting Handbook? Excellent stuff. Maybe I go commenting line by line next time. The discussion in the 12 years that passed since the publication of the book moved to community interpreting, the term "liaison" disappearing in the process as it seems. I would love to chat with the authors and hear their opinion on what happened since then.

Getting ready for next monthly meeting of the interpreters' forum. I my end up alone debating with myself. Not a single reaction to propositions, not a fart, nothing. Passivity magna. The patient is mindless, dead on arrival. Well, maybe some people will pop up but the total lack of stamina is no stamina.

Good courses yesterday. Some of the students are really good, exceptional. This is "encouraging" as they say. Courage then.