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A while ago I wrote a blog post with tips and suggestions to support you when trying to pass the DPSI Exam. I was honoured and happy to see how many people read it and liked it. Many comments followed and many messages and so many of you wanted to know about Simultaneous Interpreting. Yes,…
In line with our recent focus on interpreter mental health, Sobrina Soloman, a highly experienced and qualified interpreters, has kindly shared her own recollection of interpreting within a challenging assignment. The following text is a great source of ‘food for thought’ for new and experienced interpreters alike, stimulating self-reflection on how each of us would…
WHO DO YOU TURN TO WHEN A JOB LEAVES YOU REELING? (Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to maintain the confidentiality of the matter at hand. I have strived to hit a balance between sharing my experience and ensuring that no-one’s personal information can be identified through my writing. If, by any chance, someone in…
WHO DO YOU TURN TO WHEN A JOB LEAVES YOU REELING? The assignment On one occasion, not long after obtaining my Level 6 Diploma in Community Interpreting, I was asked to attend a hospital assignment in person. The patient was a young child, only just turned pre-school age. The child was being admitted into day…
WHO DO YOU TURN TO WHEN A JOB LEAVES YOU REELING? Interpreting is an incredibly complex profession. When one chooses to go down this path, there is so much to learn. You need qualifications to ensure you conform to the industry standard in terms of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. You need experience to help…
In December 2019 I decided that I should transform my hobby and passion for languages into something serious and get a qualification. This is how my journey started. Before telling you more, allow me to introduce myself – I am an economist with a PhD in Management and an entrepreneur. Languages, however, play an important…
Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, interpreters mainly worked using two channels – telephone and face to face. Most settings used these two methods on a regular basis. In the absence of a physical interpreter, custody sergeants would regularly charge detainees using a TI interpreter, doctors would dial in to obtain a qualified interpreter for their…
Making a living as a self-employed or ‘gig’ worker is tough. Anyone who’s ever tried it for any length of time will confirm this. From the lack of stable income, unpredictable working conditions, no holiday pay or sick pay, the see-saw of busy periods versus hardly any work coming in, to the practical issues of…
Interpreting for the NHS – what a broad term. For a linguist who has recently obtained their Level 3 qualification, it may not seem that way. Maybe they’ve got some telephone interpreting experience already, having helped GPs during routine appointments (Sore throat? High temperature? Here you are – a week’s course of Amoxicillin), or maybe…
You’re sat in the garden on a wicker chair, reading a book. Maybe you’re in the living room, watching Homes under the Hammer. Or perhaps you’re in the kitchen, loading your slow cooker with onions and peppers, preparing the evening meal for the family. The phone rings, you introduce yourself with your ID code and…
‘I’m terrified of the simultaneous interpreting part of the exam. I feel like I don’t know how to prepare’ or ‘What if the professional doesn’t give me a chance to catch up’ or even ‘What if I get lost and completely mess up? They’ll think I’m incompetent!’. These are all thoughts that have been expressed…
Earlier this week, Mark Lewis, a highly experienced ex-police employee, ex-hostage negotiator, counter-terrorism specialist and former thebigword Police contract manager took the brave step to face the interpreting community via a webinar to discuss the new national police framework from his seat as National Police Contract Manager for Leicestershire Police. PERFECT FOR THE ROLE Seeing…
