The Complete Interpreter

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just a translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself and share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

In this episode, I talk about why consecutive without notes is a useful exercise, even if you graduated ages ago.
Here are some of the benefits:
- warm-up/firing up your neurones
- activating relevant vocabulary
- practising analytical skills
- practising visualisation to help you when you do consec WITH notes
- improving or maintaining your memory
- practising 'macro' (i.e. big picture) skills, rather than 'micro' skills.

For more detail on how to approach consecutive without notes, take a look at the Listening & Analysis resource on the ORCIT website, and watch this video from Andy Gillies.

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!
 
Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just an interpreting or translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself and share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

This episode is all about the EU accreditation test for freelance interpreters. I've shared some thoughts about how to be well prepared on the day, and also how to plan your 'campaign' when you sign up for the test.

Here are some of the resources mentioned in the podcast:
- 2023/2024 test calendar
- website with all the relevant information about the accreditation test (eligibility, FAQs)
- language profiles
- EU Speech Repository
- EU audiovisual portal (news clips and meeting recordings in multiple languages)
- EbS (Europe by Satellite), European Union's TV information service
- SCICtrain - resource containing demo videos by EU interpreters
- the podcast episode about the UN exams

You may also find these resources useful:
- my growth mindset challenge can be found by scrolling down the home page
- my podcast episode about reframing stress
- my podcast episode about getting over mistakes
- my course on dealing with acute stress

If you're working on consecutive, Julia Poger (who can be found on LinkedIn) and Helen Campbell sometimes organise refresher courses. You may also find Andy Gillies' book useful.

I run regular consecutive practice sessions, along with a dedicated website ('Consecutive Club').

This episode is part 3 of a collection dedicated to the EU accreditation test. You can find part 1 (the institutions' perspective) here, and part 2 (tips from successful candidates) here.

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!

Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just an interpreting or translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself and share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

In this episode, I talk about the dreaded 'ums' and 'ers' that can interrupt the flow of our interpreting.

Quick summary:

To increase your awareness of 'ums'

• record yourself audio/video
• get a friend to listen and hit the table or hold up a paper
• tap your own leg
• use a rubber band whenever you say ‘um’

Why do you 'um'?

• habit
• anxiety/nerves
• trying to remember what to say (consec)
• trying to find the right word (retour) - say sth generic
• keep the attention of the audience, signal that your sentence isn’t fnished
• being overwhelmed by speech & density (simultaneous)

Tips for reducing 'ums':

• slow down (consec)
• pause (we think faster than we speak. We think pauses sound huge. We sound more confident with pauses. Pauses don’t sound long in sim - you think they do because you have the other soundtrack as well)
• put your tongue behind your teeth instead of saying um
• LOOK UP - it’s harder to say um while looking at someone
• use sticks to shape sentences
• Consider your interpreting technique (salami; pauses in different places; plan chunks; improve your note-taking; improve your stress management)

Hope you found it useful.

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!

Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just a translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself and share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

In this episode, I talk about two fun ways to work on your retour that didn't exist when I last worked intensively on mine, ten years ago.

These are:

1. Sight 'translation' (interpretation, really) using DeepL or Google Translate to help you with the output - use with caution!
2. Using flashcards on an app such as Quizlet or Anki to help you develop rapid reflexes when working into your B language.

I've talked about these methods in a lot more detail, with examples, in a blog post.

If you're interested in how new technology can help you with language learning, why not join Josh Goldsmith and Kerstin Cable's new AI Language Club?

For weekly live group classes and a website packed with content for English retourists, check out my membership site Rock your Retour.

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!
 
Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just a translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

This episode is all about memory!

To improve your long term memory and recall of facts and vocab:
- create mental images, using all your senses
- create a mental image or story using rhymes, humour, or something outrageous
- use the 'loci' technique
- when reading information you want to retain, use the biggest screen possible
- revisit information you want to remember (e.g. use a flashcard app like Quizlet for vocab)

To improve working memory:
- try puzzles like crosswords, sudoku, or mental arithmetic
- try games (board games, memory games, chess)
- apparently, exercise, relaxation, and sleep are all good for working memory (or perhaps a lack thereof is bad for working memory...)
- problem-solving exercises
- try remembering the last 10 Prime Ministers in your country, and putting them in alphabetical order in your head

Food for memory:
- green leafy veg
- oily fish (2 portions per week)
- berries
- tea and coffee?
- nuts and seeds, especially walnuts and sunflower seeds
- soya (?)
- a square of dark chocolate!

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!

Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

For this episode, I interviewed five freelance interpreters who have recently taken (and passed!) the EU interinstitutional accreditation test.

A big thank you to Andrea Alvisi, Gavin Darroch, Jonathan McGregor, Charlotte Ford, and Raquel Jones.

They share lots of information and tips about :
- the format of the exam
- the difficulty of the speeches
- facing the panel!
- how long they spent preparing for the test
- what sort of activities they did to prepare
- the resources they used
- how they managed their stress

Here are some of the resources mentioned in this episode:
- 2023/2024 test calendar
- website with all the relevant information about the accreditation test (eligibility, FAQs)
- language profiles
- consecutive and simultaneous marking criteria
- EU Speech Repository
- the podcast episode about the UN exams
- Andy Gillies book about consecutive
- Rozan's book about consecutive (PDF)
- my Consecutive Club programme (weekly live classes + symbol brainstorming)
- IBPG practice group
- Histoires du Monde podcast

You may also find these resources useful:
- my growth mindset challenge can be found by scrolling down the home page
- my podcast episode about reframing stress
- my podcast episode about getting over mistakes
- my course on dealing with acute stress

Don't miss part 1 of this podcast, in which I get the institutions' view on the accreditation test. Cathy Pearson, Head of Multilingualism at DG LINC (European Parliament) was very open and gave very valuable advice.

Look out for part 3, where I will talk in more detail about preparing for the test.

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!
 
Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just an interpreting or translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself and share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

This episode is all about the EU accreditation test for freelance interpreters.

I'd like to thank Cathy Pearson for graciously agreeing to give up so much of her time to be interviewed for the show, as well as Marilena Iannidinardi and all the EU evaluators who contributed to the episode.

Here are some of the resources mentioned in the podcast:
- 2023/2024 test calendar
- website with all the relevant information about the accreditation test (eligibility, FAQs)
- language profiles
- consecutive and simultaneous marking criteria
- EU Speech Repository
- EU audiovisual portal (news clips and meeting recordings in multiple languages)
- EbS (Europe by Satellite), European Union's TV information service
- SCICtrain - resource containing demo videos by EU interpreters
- the podcast episode about the UN exams

You may also find these resources useful:
- my growth mindset challenge can be found by scrolling down the home page
- my podcast episode about reframing stress
- my podcast episode about getting over mistakes
- my course on dealing with acute stress

Look out for the second part of this podcast (coming soon), where we'll hear from successful candidates, and I'll talk about preparation strategies.

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!

Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just a translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself and share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

In this episode, I talk about a relatively simple model that can help you visualise the process of change (e.g. creating a healthy habit, or trying to quit an unhealthy one).

The model is based on work by Prochaska and DiClemente (1983).

If you're stuck in the 'relapse' stage of the cycle, here are some things to try:
- approach what's happened as a fact-finding mission, and try being curious rather than judgemental. What triggered the relapse (stress, circumstances in your personal life, overwork,....)? What emotional state were you in?
- acknowledge your feelings (frustration, anger, shame?) and avoid suppressing them, which may lead to your getting stuck in denial for a LONG time!
- get some support. Talk about what's happened with a friend or accountability buddy.
Focus on your original intention. Why did you want to change? Is it still worth the effort?
- if so, start by taking the smallest possible step towards your goal. The first step is often the hardest.
- consider whether you need to make changes to your environment (e.g. remove temptations) or develop new stress relief methods to support your efforts to change.

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!
 
Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just a translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

In this episode, I talk about the many benefits of preparing practice speeches in your B language:

• discovering, activating, and retaining terminology and whole chunks of idiomatic language
• practising and improving your pronunciation and intonation
• if you're working from a bullet point outline, practising reformulation

...and many more!

Two websites I mention:
Speechpool
procon.org

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!

Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]

Hi! Welcome to the Complete Interpreter podcast by the Interpreting Coach.

Why 'Complete Interpreter'? Because you're not just a translation machine, you're also a person and a business owner, and I hope to help you take a 360 view of yourself share some great tried-and-tested strategies to improve your interpreting skills, mindset, and marketing.

In this episode, I talk about how a simple mindset technique can help improve your performance (in exams, or in the booth, for example).

One of my students actually tried this before her final interpreting exams a few years ago, and found it extremely helpful. Like all the techniques I share, it's simple, safe, and free!

Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! I love talking about mindset and stress management.

Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)

Support the show

My website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/
Twitter: @terpcoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/

Or email me at [email protected]