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FEATURES Release the voice within An interpreter's voice is their tool but it is often neglected. Sandy Walsh on how to train your voice for the job M 10 The Linguist JUNE/JULY convincingly to the hearer. The added problem for actors and interpreters is that they are not expressing their own words and views. But it is they who must hold the attention of the audience and the listener. Over the years, through my training of interpreters, my respect has deepened. They do an amazing job. The abilities they possess are exceptional but, in my experience, many do not have enough trust in the skills they have. In my work as a trainer, with presenters, diplomats and interpreters, I have found that many problems arise from performance anxiety. With interpreters it is a fear of not finding the correct word; with actors it is forgetting the words; with presenters and diplomats it is a fear of not knowing the facts. 'Fear is the little-death', wrote Frank Herbert in Dune. The more relaxed we are the more alert we are, and the better we can do our jobs. We need to train ourselves to switch our focus on to the person who is receiving the information: our listeners. At a recent seminar I gave for the Interpreting Division of the CIOL (see page 31 for details), some points were raised that I have encountered in my work at the European Parliament and Council of Europe. One delegate talked about tailing off at the end of sentences. The explanation is that, although we have finished with the thought, our listener has yet to receive it. As a young actress I was given some sound advice by a director. He told me that I wasn't off stage until I was in my dressing room. In other words, the energy needs to carry through. Similarly, when we are communicating, the idea or thought is only completed when it has been received. At a training session I conducted for the European Parliament I had an interesting Delegates frequently discover they have wonderful voices within them. They just weren't letting them out WORKING IT: A coach can help you to improve the tone of your voice PHOTOS: © ISTOCKPHOTO y introduction to the world of interpreters was at the UN War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, during the trials following the conflict in the Balkans. I had been asked to help the interpreters cope with the high level of stress, which was causing considerable performance anxiety and affecting their vocal health. In addition, it was felt that the interpreters should be enabled to use their voices in a more engaging and interesting way. I felt privileged and agreed to give a weekend seminar. I began to carry out some research into the work of an interpreter and soon discovered the similarities between my work in acting and that of interpreting. The overlap was striking. Both are used as a conduit to convey ideas, concepts and emotions from one person or persons to another, using someone else's words. The actor uses the playwright's words; the interpreter uses the speaker's. Often both actor and interpreter are under time constraints and this is one of the contributory factors to performance anxiety. However, a major difference is that an actor learns the words or reads them from a script and has the luxury of a rehearsal period, whereas the interpreter conveys that information either simultaneously or consecutively. Clearly the overwhelming similarity is that, for both, the voice is essential. For actors, voice development is an integral part of their training. And yet in many professions, including interpreting, voice development is not given its due importance. When we think of voice development, what do we mean? To speak well means something more than producing beautiful sounds with the vocal organs; it involves the skill, as well as the urge, to express one's point of view and to convey it clearly and www.iol.org.uk