The Linguist

WINTER 2023 The Linguist 7 @CIOL_Linguists FEATURES Do you have a particular memory that sparked your interest in languages? I grew up in Egypt and my mother discovered my talent for languages at an early stage so she nurtured that and sent me to a bilingual (Arabic/English) school in Cairo. At primary school, I translated a song into English and sang it to my music teacher. He liked it and let me sing it at the end-of-year concert. So I was ten when I did my first translation. Tell us a bit about your current work… My work has three components: conference interpreting, training interpreters and consulting. Communication skills are vital to all aspects of my work. Conference interpreting entails a number of skills: language, analysis, memory, search and coordination, to name some. It is demanding but I enjoy it greatly. I started training interpreters after doing a Master's in interpreter training at the University of Geneva. I like how I can be creative with the subject matter and the way I offer my training. I also enjoy the interaction with colleagues. It is gratifying to know I have contributed to a colleague's set of skills. I started acting as a consultant interpreter during the pandemic, helping clients to hold meetings online. I work with the client to understand their needs, form the interpreting team that fits best and make sure everything runs smoothly. Do you have a top tip for interpreters? I always say, to remain relevant we need to keep up with developments in our profession. You give presentations at interpreter events around the world. How do you prepare? I start with something that interests me or something I have noticed and think would be useful for colleagues to know about. Then I start putting the pieces together, designing then practising my presentation. I think it is important for interpreters to share their experiences as it is good to learn from one another. Also, continuous professional development is key in this day and age when the pace of developments is very fast. What pressing issue for interpreters is most in your thoughts at the moment? Developments with generative artificial intelligence. I see it as a tool that could help with speeding up preparation, for instance, but it is concerning that some see it as a way to automate the interpreting services. You've spoken recently about the importance of professional partners. What are some of the key benefits? Interpreters are communicators. Expanding our professional network and forging partnerships with professionals from other domains can be beneficial. We can go the extra mile for our clients through recommending good services of other professionals. At the same time we can help our colleagues and expand our knowledge. You have lived in several countries – where do you feel most at home? I am quick to adapt, so I feel at home pretty quickly. I moved to Birmingham in 2006. The multicultural nature of Birmingham helped me to fit right in. It has a lot to offer in terms of culture, history and also nature. After you raised concerns with Zoom they made an update so that interpreters would no longer be recorded without their consent. Well done! Do you think there is increasing awareness of such issues? I was definitely not the only one who reached out to Zoom to alert them to how their update infringed on interpreters' intellectual property rights. I don't know if there is an increasing awareness, but it is crucial that interpreters know their rights and advocate for them. Who has been your biggest inspiration? My mum. She was resourceful, resilient and a ray of sunshine! What are your plans for the future? When I started out, I set manageable targets and when I achieved one, I moved on to the next. At the moment, I don't have a next target, but I plan to continue learning and contributing to the interpreting profession. Maha El-Metwally is speaking at the CIOL Online Conference on 21 March 2024. See www.ciol.org.uk/ciol-conference-season-2024 Candid interview with an interpreter trainer: from taking on Zoom to raising awareness about the implications of automation Maha El-Metwally Meet our members

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