Full name: MAI THI VAN ANH

Date of birth: 29th, june, 1979

Group: FHTM112

Requirement: Write an essay of about 600 words about your difficulties in

interpretation skills and how you dealt with these difficulties

Interpreter is the process of translating spoken languages from source languages into
target languages. Interpreting is a complex task where the interpreter is routinely involved
in comprehending, bringing, and producing style at the same time. In oral interpreting,
Consecutive interpreting is the interpreter waits for the speaker to stop after several
sentences before rendering the statement in the target language from memory and individual
notes, mainly based on what are called symbols or ideograms. While, simultaneous
interpreting is the interpreter does not wait for the speaker to complete a statement or even
a sentence in the source language but talks at the same time in the target language, just
seconds behind the speaker.
An Interpreter must understand and master the source language and target language.
An ability that must be shared by the interpreter because it will not be able to convey the
message correctly without learning the language. Not only that, professional interpreting is
the process of listening to a spoken statement in one language, analyzing its content and
responding precisely the same message with spoken words in another language.
Difficulties in interpretation skills and how you dealt with these difficulties,
specifically:
The first, Complex or Technical Vocabulary. Many times, conferences have technical
or complex terms. In fact, there would also be vocabulary that would not be found in normal
situations.
In order to get through this type of challenge, the I have to learn these words and
concepts. This allows the interpreters to practice and work on the transcriptions before the
conference so that they are ready to go.
The second, memory information. Memory can be split in two types: short and long-
term memory. Short-term memory is important for the interpreter to retain what I have just
heard, while a good long-term memory helps genuine understanding and an accurate
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conveying of the message.
The interpreter needs a good short-term memory to retain what he or she has just
heard and a good long-term memory to put the information into context.
In order to get through this type of challenge, I must be concentrate well during the
task to be able to receive and understand the incoming message and then express the
meaning in the target language. During the process of interpreting, I have to listen carefully,
understand the message, remember it and think fast and reproduce the translation soon.
There is no time to consult any dictionary. These overlapping series of cognitive processing
activities require high level of concentration.
The third, Unclear Speakers or Accents
When a speaker mumbles, has a heavy accent, or a bad connection (in the case of
VRI) then this can really stress out an interpreter. This case of ideally I would stop and ask
for clarification.
Finally, Interpreters would have access to the material beforehand in order to get
familiar with terms, names, concepts…etc. in order to have an idea of how best to interpret
the material. In reality, I was not given the slides, nor could I even see them as I was
interpreting. This case of, I must be note-taking in consecutive interpreting and find word
simple to explain bout concepts, terms, names, …
Therefore, to be a good interpreter, I need have to excellent: listening skills of the
language I interpret; Speaking skills in the target language. This requirement includes clear
diction, voice projection, and discourse structuring; memory and note-taking skills. I must
be aware of the different techniques I can use to gather and organize the speaker’s
information, so I can afterward relay in the target language; interpersonal skills. I deal with
humans, so I must pay attention to aspects such as body language, non-verbal cues, and
cultural differences, to name but a few.