Thursday, December 06, 2007
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Interpreting
Interpreting is really hard, and I love it. I've decided my brain is a masochist - it enjoys being chopped into pieces and made to do three things simultaneously.
And I can't decide if I prefer simultaneous interpretation out of French or out of German. German is definitely my stronger language - it just flows, I can think more freely in it, and stuff just instinctively sounds right or wrong. I can think in French too, but it's a bit slower and I know the rules as rules, so get hung up on them. My vocabulary isn't as extensive in French, either. So you'd think interpreting out of German would be easier. But it isn't always and I'm trying to work out why.
I think it's because I instinctively understand the German. So whereas I hear jambe in French and know it means leg in English, when I hear Bein in German, my brain gets confused: "What do you mean, you want me to translate Bein? Bein is Bein. What do you mean, but what does it mean? Bein means Bein, you silly sausage. A Bein is a Bein is a Bein." And this goes on for what feels like hours, until I finally convince my brain to think outside the German box and provide me with leg.
I love it - it's challenging and exciting.
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Comments (5)
My father-in-law is a very skilled simultaneous translator--a skill I admire very much! His three languages are English, German (his native tongue) and Mandarin.
:D
RYC: I used pre-packaged mincemeat, and I'm pretty sure it said "beef" in the ingredients. I'll double-check tonight.
RYC: It says "beef." But that well may mean "suet."