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
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/322362
Vol/53 No/3 2014 JUNE/JULY The Linguist 19 FEATURES is unacceptable when your words are being broadcast. My years of interpreting experience and confidence in my note-taking skills were fundamental to managing the setting and keeping anxiety to a minimum. My faith in my ability to understand the terminology and convey the interview in the same manner as the professional footballer was key to ensuring that my performance was consistently professional. Team talks and tactics Following this initial experience, I was surprised to learn that sports interpreting is also heavily dependent on simultaneous interpreting. The Manager and coaches hold daily training sessions, preceded by team meetings to discuss tactics, game plans, strategy, and the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. These are accompanied by videos and images, with the coaches and Manager talking over the top. It is essential that the interpretation fits over the video, as it cannot be played twice, so simultaneous interpreting is the only method available. The setting is similar to working in courtrooms, where chuchotage (whispered interpreting) is used when the venue is not fitted with resources or booths for interpreters. It is important to choose a location where you can hear the instructions as they are issued, but can also be heard by the French- speaking players. Reading around training used. It is full of challenges yet amply rewarding, as you get to hear your work on international media outlets, experience a high-profile setting, and receive a pat on the back after a long interpreting session. When you consider the pre-match, match and post- match work, each interpreting session lasts several hours. Having worked with Newcastle United for more than a year, I am often called on to 'audit' interviews in French and iron out any potential areas that the club would not wish to be published in the media, or to assist in directing player responses, taking on a PR/media role in addition to my work as an interpreter. This is ethically difficult – similar to commercial interpreting, where you are employed by one party in the negotiations and must therefore act as a business facilitator at the same time as an interpreter. As an interpreter abiding by a strict code of ethics, this can be hard. I can understand why José Mourinho saw fit to go into management after trying to juggle such issues as an interpreter. I have always been a football fan, but as a trained legal interpreter and translator, operating my own limited company for several years, I believed sports interpreting to be outside my potential business area. I found a way in thanks to my passion for the sport, skills and insight, a network of acquaintances, and a fair dose of luck. After a BA in Modern Foreign Languages I took an MA in Professional Translation for European Languages and the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting in English Law, allowing me access to the Find-a-Linguist database. Through this, I was contacted by Newcastle United, which had identified me due to my regional presence and accreditations. No one could have predicted that the club would acquire so many players from France – a stroke of luck from my point of view. As any interpreter knows, there is often no job interview. Instead, you are judged by your performance on the first assignment. Passion and knowledge of the setting was essential in order to be able to provide a professional, high-quality service. GETTING STARTED sessions – and a more general passion for football – enabled me to understand the messages conveyed, as well as terminology such as 'locked-on attack formations'. During the match itself, nerves and agitation are coupled with time restrictions. A half-time interval lasts 15 minutes: 5 minutes are occupied by treatment and changes, leaving 10 minutes to issue instructions for the remainder of the game. The various players I interpret for will be scattered throughout the dressing room, and it simply is not possible to convey 10 minutes of instructions simultaneously in such a noisy setting. It is important to develop a working rapport with the Manager, coaches and players. I use a mixed method, speaking at the same time as the Manager, almost on a sentence-by-sentence basis, so as not to slow down the progress of the team talk; and also picking out the messages that relate to each French-speaking player and speaking to them individually using my notes. This often involves talking to players as they walk down the tunnel to return to the pitch. Being able to switch between languages and having the confidence to convey the terms, passion and anger or excitement is fundamental, as it is often the manner in which something is expressed that is more important than the words themselves. The football setting is diverse, as can be seen from the various interpreting modes