World-leading interpreter gives talk to MA interpreting students
World-leading interpreter gives talk to MA interpreting students
A world-leading interpreter has delivered a talk to MA interpreting students at the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies.
On Friday June 14 2024 Barbara Bethäusser-Conte spoke on the subject of “Conference Interpreting: Past, present & future. Why AIIC?” for MA students from Conference Interpreting and Translation programmes at the University of Leeds.
Barbara is an experienced freelance conference interpreter, interpreter trainer and translator working with German, English and French as well as a longstanding member of AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters). Her talk aimed to demystify the role of interpreters, address common misconceptions, and highlight the challenges and opportunities presented by technological advancements, such as AI.
Barbara began by explaining the broader societal importance of the interpreting profession and emphasised its crucial role in facilitating global communication and understanding. However, many freelance interpreters face difficulties given the lack of public awareness of what interpreters do. Therefore, fostering public relations and spreading awareness is essential to ensuring the interpreting profession's sustainability and recognition.
Its origins can be traced back to ancient times, but the most significant developments occurred in the 20th century with the end of World War II, the subsequent Nuremberg Trials (1945-1946), and the foundation of AIIC in 1953. These events marked the transition from lengthy consecutive interpretations to more efficient simultaneous methods. Barbara noted the pivotal role simultaneous interpreters played during the Nuremberg Trials and shared an anecdote from 2014 when she met Siegfried Ramler, a Nuremberg interpreter, at an AIIC event in London. Ramler recounted the immense pressure he and his colleagues were under when interpreting for the first international war crimes tribunal in history.
Returning to the more immediate past, Barbara described the changes the profession underwent during the COVID-19 pandemic. In pre-pandemic days, “remote” or “distance” interpreting were dismissed by the profession. The various lockdowns and social distancing rules necessitated a shift to online interpreting platforms. Barbara shared her experiences of adapting to remote interpreting and teaching via Zoom, recognising technology's role in progress despite initial resistance. The surge in remote interpreting platforms post-pandemic has diversified access to international conferences, allowing broader participation, especially from underrepresented regions and languages.
In the same vein, she elaborated on how AI tools can support the interpreting process by providing translations in real-time or creating glossaries. AI and modern technology have and will continuously shape the profession in the future, but Barbara stressed that they cannot measure up to a thoroughly analysed and well-nuanced human interpretation with appropriate intonation and engaging delivery. She projected that the demand for interpreters would continue to grow, particularly for less commonly spoken languages, driven by globalisation and the increasing need for multilingual communication.
Finally, she explained the process of becoming a member of AIIC, which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2023. Candidates must have proof of 150 days of work, be sponsored by existing AIIC members they have worked with in each of their language pairs and agree to the Association's professional standards and ethical codes. Alternatively, those who are new to the profession can apply to become pre-candidates and attend AIIC events. Barbara encouraged aspiring interpreters to engage in networking and professional development opportunities provided by AIIC, emphasising the value of collective agreements and community support within the organisation.
In closing, she reaffirmed the irreplaceable human factor in interpreting and urged interpreters to advocate for their profession whilst embracing technological changes. Her talk provided an excellent opportunity for interpreting students to gain advice from an industry professional on the past, present and future of conference interpreting, as well as the advantages of joining a professional organisation like AIIC.
by Marie Moelkner, MACITS 2023-24.
For further general information about AIIC, please visit: www.aiic.org
Outreach contact information for future conference interpreters:
https://aiic.org/site/about-us/outreach?language=en_US&
For the UK & Ireland Region:
