The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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14 The Linguist Vol/59 No/5 2020 thelinguist.uberflip.com FEATURES divided into four groups and a range of languages were spoken among the chaperones," says Hinds-Mingo. "Some of the contestants spoke two or three languages, so they would also help each other. One spoke broken English and her chaperone didn't speak her mother tongue. She still served as an interpreter of sorts by learning to make sense of the contestant's English." Isa explains: "Usually they have interpreters in the major languages, like Spanish, French and German, but they're not going to bring an interpreter just for one contestant, who may not even make it to the semi-final." When a suitable interpreter is not provided, the national pageant might step in – as with Miss Venezuela International 2006, who required a Spanish Sign Language interpreter – but local organisers do not always have funds to pay fees, board and travel costs. Isa advises the women he coaches to learn a global language to ensure they have a way of communicating. Linguistic ambassadors Interpreters also fill another key role: enabling contestants to showcase their national languages on an international platform. This has become increasingly important in recent years, especially to countries trying to raise their global profile. Candidates are seen as cultural ambassadors, representing their national culture, traditions and language. In the Philippines there has been an interesting shift in this respect. In 2010, the local organisers, Binibining Pilipinas, were accused of forcing Miss Universe contestants to speak English, with Venus Raj saying that she was banned from using an interpreter – a claim Isa questions and describes as "crazy" if true. By 2017, however, Maxine Medina had become the first Filipino Miss Universe contestant to use an interpreter. When she chose to speak in English anyway, she was lambasted for not taking the opportunity to showcase the national language. The head of Philippines' language commission, Virgilio Almario, was "so annoyed" that he criticised her publicly: "Even if she didn't win, at least Filipino would have been heard by the entire world. It hasn't been heard yet." For Medina, however, the pressure to prove her abilities in English may have dwarfed such concerns. The winner has to do interviews and speeches around the world, so the ability to communicate in a global lingua franca is an advantage. And despite former Miss Universe Catriona Gray's assertion that you don't have to speak English to win, it is hard to find a single title holder who couldn't speak it well. "It is important that they show that they can communicate in English," says Isa. "But they also want to give a good answer, so they would be best served to have an interpreter there when they want their point to come across well." The fates of the Venezuelan candidates Dayana Mendoza and Irene Esser illustrate this perfectly. Both had limited skills in English when they competed in the Miss Universe pageant, but while Mendoza impressed the judges with a successful answer in English, taking the 2008 crown, Esser's answer was deemed "incomprehensible" and she was pushed into second place. This puts interpreters in a delicate position: they need to be available in case contestants need them, but they aren't necessarily required to interpret everything. "Often I was there to fill in the gaps. I would always be present just in case," explains Hinds-Mingo. "If they wanted help, they knew I was there, but I took cues from them." There is also a suspicion that contestants who speak English may ask for an interpreter in order to gain more time to consider their answer. It seems that the pressure on both interpreter and contestant is great when it comes to questions of language and communication at international pageants. Such assignments are not for everyone, with long hours, high visibility and many additional responsibilities, but as long as the linguist is aware of the expectations before accepting the role, it can be a rewarding experience. Hinds-Mingo was attracted by the cultural opportunities, with highlights including a traditional Mongolian wedding and a multicultural dance performance. Her Miss World colleagues had their own reasons for taking up the assignment – many were young and drawn to the glamour, but there was also a senior UN interpreter who was looking for something completely different. For Hinds-Mingo it was well worth the effort. "Very few people get to experience this universe and although I was absolutely exhausted it was good fun," she says. "As a linguist, just being surrounded by all these different cultures and languages was amazing, and meeting fantastic people that you would never otherwise meet." CROWNING GLORY Miss Universe 2018 Thai contestant Sophida Kanchanarin (centre) with the runners-up © SHUTTERSTOCK