How interpreters juggle two languages at once - Ewandro Magalhaes

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Language is complex, and when abstract or nuanced concepts get lost in translation, the consequences may be catastrophic. Given the complexities of language and cultural exchange, how do these epic miscommunications not happen all the time? Ewandro Magalhaes explains how much of the answer lies with the skill and training of interpreters to overcome language barriers.

Lesson by Ewandro Magalhaes, animation by Andrew Foerster.

In 1956, during a diplomatic
reception in Moscow,

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev
told Western Bloc ambassadors,

"My vas pokhoronim!"

His interpreter rendered that
into English as,

"We will bury you!"

This statement sent shockwaves
through the Western world,

heightening the tension between
the Soviet Union and the US

who were in the thick of the Cold War.

Some believe this incident alone
set East/West relations back a decade.

As it turns out, Khrushchev's remark
was translated a bit too literally.

Given the context, his words
should have been rendered as,

"We will live to see you buried,"

meaning that Communism
would outlast Capitalism,

a less threatening comment.

Though the intended meaning
was eventually clarified,

the initial impact of Khrushchev's
apparent words

put the world on a path
that could have led to nuclear armageddon.

So now, given the complexities of language
and cultural exchange,

how does this sort of thing
not happen all the time?

Much of the answer lies with the skill
and training of interpreters

to overcome language barriers.

For most of history, interpretation
was mainly done consecutively,

with speakers and interpreters making
pauses to allow each other to speak.

But after the advent of radio technology,

a new simultaneous interpretations system
was developed in the wake of World War II.

In the simultaneous mode

interpreters instantaneously
translate a speaker's words

into a microphone while he speaks.

Without pauses, those in the audience
can choose the language

in which they want to follow.

On the surface, it all looks seamless,

but behind the scenes,

human interpreters work incessantly

to ensure every idea
gets across as intended.

And that is no easy task.

It takes about two years of training
for already fluent bilingual professionals

to expand their vocabulary
and master the skills necessary

to become a conference interpreter.

To get used to the unnatural task
of speaking while they listen,

students shadow speakers

and repeat their every word
exactly as heard in the same language.

In time, they begin to paraphrase
what is said,

making stylistic adjustments as they go.

At some point, a second language
is introduced.

Practicing in this way creates new neural
pathways in the interpreter's brain,

and the constant effort of reformulation
gradually becomes second nature.

Over time and through much hard work,

the interpreter masters a vast array
of tricks to keep up with speed,

deal with challenging terminology,

and handle a multitude of foreign accents.

They may resort to acronyms
to shorten long names,

choose generic terms over specific,

or refer to slides and other visual aides.

They can even leave a term
in the original language,

while they search for the most
accurate equivalent.

Interpreters are also skilled at keeping
aplomb in the face of chaos.

Remember, they have no control
over who is going to say what,

or how articulate the speaker will sound.

A curveball can be thrown at any time.

Also, they often perform
to thousands of people

and in very intimidating settings,

like the UN General Assembly.

To keep their emotions in check,

they carefully prepare for an assignment,

building glossaries in advance,

reading voraciously
about the subject matter,

and reviewing previous talks on the topic.

Finally, interpreters work in pairs.

While one colleague is busy translating
incoming speeches in real time,

the other gives support
by locating documents,

looking up words,

and tracking down pertinent information.

Because simultaneous interpretation
requires intense concentration,

every 30 minutes, the pair switches roles.

Success is heavily dependent
on skillful collaboration.

Language is complex,

and when abstract or nuanced concepts
get lost in translation,

the consequences may be catastrophic.

As Margaret Atwood famously noted,
"War is what happens when language fails."

Conference interpreters of all people
are aware of that

and work diligently behind the scenes
to make sure it never does.