In the fast-paced world of interpreting, there’s one thing that seems to fly over everyone’s heads – briefing! And the debate over this essential practice has been raging in Australia since forever. A whole decade later, can you believe it’s still a hot topic even in those so-called professional development workshops? Seriously, people, are we really still questioning whether interpreters deserve a heads-up before diving into an assignment?
Who’s causing all this fuss? You’d think it’s some clueless folks like tradies, gardeners, or maybe non-English speaking clients, but nope! Surprise, surprise – it’s those interpreter booking officers at the “large and well-established language service providers.” Yeah, the ones that scored those fancy government Standing Offer Arrangements, but can’t seem to figure out how to work with interpreters. Talk about irony!
Now, let’s cut the drama and get down to business. Briefing is the real deal. Here’s why it matters so much:
SL prediction in interpreting requires cognitive resources. Our findings suggest that, when cognitive resources allow, interpreters engage in enhanced linguistic prediction in SL comprehension to facilitate the delivery of interpreting.
Planning ahead: Interpreters predict source language in consecutive interpreting
Cambridge University Press: 28 January 2022
- Predictability is Key: Interpreters aren’t magicians, but if they know what the source language speaker’s about to say, they can work their magic for smoother and more effective interpretations. It’s called “Contextual understanding” – knowing the subject matter, the players involved, the meeting’s purpose, and all those cultural nuances. Without this intel, interpreters might as well be lost in space.
- Terminology and Jargon – We’re Human, Not Robots! In fields like law and medicine, there’s lingo galore that might not have a perfect match in the target language. Briefing helps interpreters wrap their heads around those tricky terms so they don’t sound like malfunctioning bots.
- Professionalism and Confidence: Briefing sets interpreters up for success. When they’re well-prepared, they bring their A-game, radiating professionalism and confidence throughout the assignment. Who doesn’t want that?
“It’s confidential!”
Now, let’s talk about that pesky confidentiality issue. The one principle from the AUSIT Code of Ethics that’s causing all the trouble! Confidentiality has been the go-to excuse to deny interpreters their well-deserved briefings. “It’s confidential,” they say. But hey, ever heard of questioning a relationship counselor, lawyer, doctor, or migration agent like that? Nope, didn’t think so.
Newsflash! NAATI certified interpreters are pros, just like lawyers and doctors. They play by the rules, including the confidentiality one. So, if you trust other pros with your secrets, cut us some slack and let us in on what we need to know. We’re not prying into clients’ private lives; we just want to ace our interpreting mission.
Now, here’s a message for everyone involved:
Interpreters, it’s time to unite! Let’s stand firm on the briefing issue because it’s not just about our egos. It’s about offering top-notch service to our clients.
Government agencies, courts, law firms, and NGOs, listen up! When choosing a language service provider, don’t just focus on the budget. Make sure they communicate well with their interpreters, or else it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Remember that Arabic and Persian mix-up from ABC News during COVID? Yeah, you don’t want to follow in those footsteps.
And to all you language service providers out there, do yourselves a favour! Train your booking staff on the importance of briefing. It’s pretty awkward to hear them say things like:
“I’ve never had anyone asking for a brief before!”
“Wow, this is the first time! Never heard anything like this before!”
Trust us, it’s gonna happen many times, because it’s the industry standard, it’s the recommended practice, it’s the foundation for any legal or medical interpreting service, and it’s just common business sense if you want to stay in the game.
So folks, let’s get our act together and make sure briefing becomes the norm, not the exception. It’s time to bridge the gap and make the world of interpreting a smoother, more efficient place for everyone involved. Cheers to a better future in the language industry!
References
- AUSIT Code of Ethics – https://ausit.org/code-of-ethics/
- Planning ahead: Interpreters predict source language in consecutive interpreting – Cambridge University Press: 28 January 2022 – https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bilingualism-language-and-cognition/article/planning-ahead-interpreters-predict-source-language-in-consecutive-interpreting/B356BC392A57C19385E32D15D0030FA5
- Working with Interpreters – University of New South Wales https://www.arts.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/Final_UNHCR_Working_with_interpreters.pdf
- Communicating via an interpreter – Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health https://ausit.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AUSIT_Info-sheet-Communicating-via-interpreter.pdf
- Conducting Proceedings with Interpreters – Judicial Council on Cultural Diversity https://jccd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Conducting-Proceedings-with-Interpreters-FACTSHEET.pdf
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