The Complete Interpreter

Support the showHi! 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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is for interpreter trainers.I've tried to think about which approaches I think are successful in the classroom, and which are likely to yield less good results:- telling rather than showing- never moving on from the 'what' to the 'why' and 'how' when giving feedback- taking too long over feedback- making each class a testLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/Or email me at [email protected]

Support the showHi! 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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is dedicated to interpreters who work into a B language ('retourists').Based on my experience of coaching retourists, I've drawn up a list of approaches that I think don't necessary yield the best results:- not using intonation strategically-not doing enough language enhancement- not doing any B > B practice- focusing too much on vocabulary to the detriment of interpreting techniqueLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.Sign up for my workshop to create an action plan for the EU testSupport the showWhy '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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is dedicated to creating a stress management strategy ahead of an important exam, e.g. the EU's interinstitutional accreditation test, or the UN test for freelances.DISCLAIMER: I am neither a doctor nor a psychologist. My background is in personal fitness training and nutrition. Where I suggest exercise, diet changes, or supplements, please exercise common sense and consult your doctor first.I have added chapter markers so you can find your way around. Here are the aspects I've addressed:The four pillars of health, without which stress management techniques are a sticking plasteridentifying stressors: drainers and nourishersmotivationhabituationstress management techniques for stressful situationsmindseton the daysummary: creating ritualsIf you'd like more detail on the techniques I mention in the podcast, or you want to discover more powerful mind/body techniques, you can access my e-course here.Use the coupon EUtestcoupon for a 50% discount!Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.Support the showSign up for my workshop on salami technique, 8th May 2025 6.30 pm (UK)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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is about relay: what annoys you when you're taking relay, what you find helpful, and your tips for being a good relay for other interpreters.It covers the same content as a shorter episode, but with more thoughts, stories, explanations...and echoey sound! You can find the shorter version here.This was the first time I ran a survey so I could incorporate your thoughts and experiences into the podcast, and I really enjoyed it! Many thanks to everyone who contributed.Your top pet peeves were:Relay too fast/read out"undigested", relay follows syntax of original, leaves words in original language etc.unclear pronunciation/strong accenttoo hesitant, lots of pausesunfinished sentencesmumbling/poor enunciationconvoluted syntax, chaoticnot quick enough off the mark, or not releasing the channel fast enough at the endThe top things you found helpful when taking relay were:"cleaning up" the output, i.e. salami/adding structure/KISS - basically, not being a parrotclarity, avoiding ambiguitypronunciation, especially of NAMES, figures, difficult conceptsclear enunciationall sentences finished, complete ideas'good pace' - evensimple language, avoiding idiomscalm and confidentsummarising/being concisepausing between sentences, or using intonation to separate ideasgood intonationMore than 3/4 of respondents said they adapt their output when they know they are being taken on relay. Here are the top suggestions:Chunking!! Keep sentences short, with simple grammar.Remove padding and stick to the main point (i.e. simplify, edit)Pronounce names especially clearly (slow down); figures tooSlow downAvoid weird and wonderful idiomsStay calm even if you don't feel calmStart quickly - don't leave relay-takers hangingSome of the resources I mentioned in the podcast:My podcast episode about clarity in simultaneousMy podcast episode about being concise in simultaneousThis LinkedIn post by Ilhem Bezzaoucha about catching names when interpretingSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.Support the showSign up for my workshop on salami technique, 8th May 2025 6.30 pm (UK)This episode is about relay: what annoys you when you're taking relay, what you find helpful, and your tips for being a good relay for other interpreters.There's a longer version of this podcast if you're still thirsty for more. It covers the same content, but with more thoughts, stories, explanations...and echoey sound! You can find the longer version here.This was the first time I ran a survey so I could incorporate your thoughts and experiences into the podcast, and I really enjoyed it! Many thanks to everyone who contributed.Your top pet peeves were:Relay too fast/read out"undigested", relay follows syntax of original, leaves words in original language etc.unclear pronunciation/strong accenttoo hesitant, lots of pausesunfinished sentencesmumbling/poor enunciationconvoluted syntax, chaoticnot quick enough off the mark, or not releasing the channel fast enough at the endThe top things you found helpful when taking relay were:"cleaning up" the output, i.e. salami/adding structure/KISS - basically, not being a parrotclarity, avoiding ambiguitypronunciation, especially of NAMES, figures, difficult conceptsclear enunciationall sentences finished, complete ideas'good pace' - evensimple language, avoiding idiomscalm and confidentsummarising/being concisepausing between sentences, or using intonation to separate ideasgood intonationMore than 3/4 of respondents said they adapt their output when they know they are being taken on relay. Here are the top suggestions:Chunking!! Keep sentences short, with simple grammar.Remove padding and stick to the main point (i.e. simplify, edit)Pronounce names especially clearly (slow down); figures tooSlow downAvoid weird and wonderful idiomsStay calm even if you don't feel calmStart quickly - don't leave relay-takers hangingSome of the resources I mentioned in the podcast:My podcast episode about clarity in simultaneousMy podcast episode about being concise in simultaneousThe longer, unedited version of this podcast with more stories, thoughts, quotes, etc.This LinkedIn post by Ilhem Bezzaoucha about catching names when interpretingSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.Support the showWhy '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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is dedicated to impostor syndrome.Here are some of the approaches I suggest (I've added chapter markers to help you navigate):OBJECTIVE METHODS to fight negative self-talkCheck the facts/zoom outFeedback (client, peer) - keep a file. Document your successes.Questioning your assumptions/expectations - journal of self-discoveryIs my reaction based on fact or conjecture? Am I just making up stories in my heard?Develop the thought: does this person’s opinion matter to my happiness or job security? What would happen if they thought badly of me? PRACTISING SELF-COMPASSIONHow would you talk to a friend?AffirmationsLearn to accept praise (thank you)Embrace progress, not perfectionCelebrate your successes. Don’t belittle yourself.GET HELPOpen up to trusted people (and get a reality check or emotional support)Life coach or therapy – low self-esteem REDEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ i.e. progress, not perfectionChallenge yourself to fail - did it hurt? e.g. write with wrong hand, art course.CPD RESOURCESAndy Gillies fantastic CPD website: https://interpreterscpd.eu/contributors/Andy's post about doing simultaneous for his studentsSkilliga (directory of courses, webinars etc.)Rock your Retour - membership site for English retouristsStress management ecourse - 8 science-backed body techniques, 5 'mind' techniques to help you with performance anxietyOTHER MATERIALMy blog post about art: "What art taught me about interpreter training"My podcast about what to do when you have a bad day in the boothLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is dedicated to linguistic interference.Here are some of the exercises I suggest:- in simultaneous, start every sentence in a different place from the original.- try making your EVS (décalage) longer.- practise sight translation, giving yourself time to think about whether the output sounds natural.- do gap filling exercises (Cloze tests).- in simultaneous, press pause after an idea, then reformulate it, looking for concise and natural formulations, as opposed to parroting.- work on your target language (collocations, particularly).- when you encounter a tricky word to translate, where it's tempting to use a calque (e.g. précarité in French), look it up and consider the various contexts in which it is used. How can you make sure you're expressing the idea, rather than translating the word?- think about how speakers frame/introduce ideas in your source language(s). Can you think of good ways to render these introductory phrases in your target language?Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is dedicated to one of my hobby horses: analytical skills.I gave several examples from a French speech on the EU's Speech Repository. It's by Michael Picq (speech number 32840). Here are some of the exercises I suggest:- listen to a speech and enter the information in a 4-column table (links, main info, secondary, details)- listen to a speech then write the outline (e.g. bullet points)- work on summarising texts/speeches - do a 'bare bones' simultaneous, just getting the main ideas across- pick an interview, listen to the question and the first few words of the answer. See if you can anticipate what the speaker will say next.- gap filling exercises (Cloze)- listen to a speech in chunks and ask yourself questions: why is the speaker saying this? What are they likely to say next? Is this fact or opinion? What biases does the speaker have? etc.- get a speech transcript and annotate it. You can write little notes based on your background knowledge, or link parts of the speech with arrows, or circle the logical connectors, etc.I highly recommend the Listening & Analysis resource on the ORCIT website (orcit.eu) for more 'theory' and exercises to help with analysis.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of target language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about the strategies you might consider when interpreting from a language with a Subject-Object-Verb word order (e.g. Japanese) into a language with a Subject-Verb-Object order.Look out for a rare outing from my German! 😁 There's a whole section you will probably want to skip [from 14:41 to 23:25] if you don't have German in your language combination. For those of you who want to brave it, here's the sentence I discuss:"Trotz freundlichem Lächeln fürs Foto war den beiden Briten, angesichts des geänderten Blicks auf die Berge, eher zum Heulen zumute."Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of target language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about how conversation classes or 'language enhancement' can help you improve your B language, and the sorts of exercises you could do with your tutor, e.g. :- preparing a speech in advance, and incorporating 4-5 phrases and one or two useful idioms- watching a video or listening to a podcast, then giving an oral summary- chatting about everyday stuff, e.g. an item you saw on the news- role plays- describing a picture, going from the more concrete to an abstract discussion- listening to your tutor giving a rather informal speech, and turning it into a more formal registergap filling exercisesHere's the link to my blog post (for interpreting students) about working constructively with a tutor.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of target language, and marketing.With Easter just around the corner, this is a lighthearted episode investigating whether chocolate can improve your mood and cognitive function.[You may notice that I use the terms 'flavanols' and 'flavonoids' interchangeably in this episode. That's because flavanols and flavonols and subclasses of flavonoids.]Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of target language, and marketing.This episode is devoted to a discussion of exercises that can be useful in the 'early simultaneous stage' - particularly for improving split attention.A bit shoutout to Andy Gillies and his book Conference Interpreting: a Student's Practice Book, as well as the fantastically useful interpretertrainingresources.euYou can find Robin Setton's article here, and Karla Déjean Le Féal's article here. I also mentioned Cyril Joyce's early sim exercise in this episode, and Roderick Jones's methodical approach to using consecutive as a basis for early simultaneous.And of course I suggested the ORCIT website, which contains useful material not only about simultaneous, but consecutive without notes, note-taking, and public speaking as well.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about why you should get used to exam stress 😉, or rather, how the habituation effect can attenuate your response to stress - and also, why habituation is sometimes a bad thing!Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about collocations: identifying them, exploring them, and practising using them. Collocations can make you sound more natural in the target language, and if you get them wrong, can mark you out as a non-native speaker.I think collocations are best practised in context (so rather than trying to memorise a list, for example, try preparing a speech on a specific topic and thinking about what collocations you could use).I tried out several tools for you:Visual Thesaurus of English collocationsJustTheWordCollocaidfraze.iteapfoundation.comforbetterenglish.comskell.sketchengine.euBut honestly, the two most useful tools, in my opinion, are a good old collocations dictionary, and ChatGPT.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 deliberate practice: what it is and how to do it!Here's the link to the paper by Elisabet Tiselius, titled 'Deliberate Practice: the Unicorn of Interpreting Studies'.Andy Gillies's book, containing all manner of exercises to work on every aspect of your interpreting, is Conference Interpreting: a Student's Practice Book.And Ericsson's paper:K.A. Ericsson, R.Th. Krampe, C. Tesch-RömerThe role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performancePsychological Review, 100 (1993), pp. 363-406, 10.1037/0033-295X.100.3.363Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of target language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about speakers with strong accents.This is a subject I love, and so I may have become a bit carried away and shared lots of anecdotes (or....what some people may consider waffle) at the beginning of the episode. 😊Here are some suggestions for dealing with speakers with strong accents in simultaneous:don't try to 'translate' - in seeking a balance between sentence-level, 'micro' interpreting and 'macro' interpreting ('the big picture'), err towards the big picture.interpret defensively, i.e. don't commit too early. Give yourself time to understand whole ideas - this may involve having a longer décalage.Keep your output simple. You might want to summarise more than usual.Use salami technique to give yourself more space for listening.Say what you HAVE understood and/or know to be true.Listen out for big ideas in the speech, e.g. is a proposal good or bad? Is the budget increasing or decreasing? Is an amount more or less than last year?Pay attention to anything that conveys the speaker's OPINION, including linking words, intonation, and facial expressions or body language.Make sure you use your background knowledge to fill in the gaps in what you can hear/understand.If necessary, use what the audience knows to interpret in a way that is less explicit, but that the audience will still understand.Even when you're not interpreting, listen to the rest of the meeting to make sure you're up to speed.Prepare the assignment very thoroughly, and if you have the speakers' names, search for them on Youtube to see if you can find videos to practise from.These three things will help you improve your comprehension of strong accents:exposure. Get some practice! (If you're looking for interpreting practice with a variety of English accents, why not check out my collection of modules (E4T) focusing on specific topics, and designed to help interpreters improve their English C? Topics include vaccination, fake news, the circular economy, the gig economy, taxation, and supply chains. Just scroll down my home page to find the links to each module.).enlarging your vocabulary.making sure your working memory is in good shape.I mentioned the following podcast episodes:Tips for keeping your memory in top shapeShort decalage vs salami technique in retourBeing concise in simultaneousHere is Tony Rosado's blog post about heavy accents.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The InterpretinSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 how you can tweak your diet to keep your energy levels high and avoid the dreaded post-lunch slump! I also discuss the importance of avoiding blood sugar spikes and troughs.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.This episode is for those of you who have just begun simultaneous. There are a few habits or approaches that I think it's best NOT to fall into. See if you agree!1. too short a décalage2. trying to say EVERYTHING3. sticking exactly to the sentence structure and word order of the original4. 'translating'5. not having a pure clientLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.Have you ever been in a stressful situation and felt completely frozen, or panicky? Panic is not a helpful reaction when you're in the booth and you need to be thinking clearly so as to analyse the speaker's message and convey it confidently.In this episode, I talk about how to find a way out of your body's 'threat response' (= fight or flight) when faced with a real or perceived threat.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about how you can let the audience know a new speaker has begun talking (in simultaneous). Here are some ideas:say 'Question' and 'Answer' if it's an interview in that formatUse the speakers' name or 'function' (e.g. 'the German delegation:')use appropriate intonationuse question tagsuse 'turn-initial discourse markers' such as 'well', 'now', 'right'mark the transition between two speakers more explicitly, with phrases like 'in answer to your question', or 'let me address that point'.change the pitch of your voice, i.e. have a lower voice for one speaker and a higher pitch for the second.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 New Year's Resolutions (or intentions, or goals...however you want to describe them) and how to make them stick.The blog post that prompted this episode is by Nick Wignall. You can find it here.And the German podcast recommended to me by Anja is called Betreutes Fühlen.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.For this episode, I interviewed our colleague Sylvie Levi Roos about her long career, in which she worked as a French booth interpreter with two B languages. We had a long chat about how she developed and maintained two retour languages, and what her top tips are for retourists.Many thanks to Sylvie for sharing her time and wisdom with listeners!Here are some of the resources mentioned in the podcast:- EbS (Europe by Satellite), European Union's TV information service- Le Monde in English- Journal Officiel de la République française- TV5 Monde- the podcast episode about memoryLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.This episode is more of a chat than anything else. Don't expect to learn a lot! I talk a bit about questions you can ask yourself to review the year, and think ahead to 2024. For example:What achievements are you most proud of?What lessons did you learn?Who made the biggest impact on you?What could you STOP doing in 2024?What brings you energy and joy, and how can you incorporate those things into your day?What are your learning/process goals for next year?Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 how visualisation can help you take fewer notes in consecutive in the following situations:when the speaker gives an explanation (especially about a familiar topic)when the speaker tells a storywhen the speaker says something personal.If you'd like to look at the 'apple visualisation scale', click here.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about how I maintain and improve my retour skills by working with a practice partner.Here are some of the resources that come up:Podcast about the UN examsPodcast about EU interinstitutional testPodcast about preparing speeches in a B languageSpeech Repository speech about organ donationLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about asking for feedback - not always an easy thing to do!Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 dealing with slow speakers in simultaneous.If you have French in your combination and you're interested in trying out the same speech I used, you can find it here. I tried the section between 02:35-08:13. Afterwards I thought it probably wasn't THAT slow! 😊Here are some of the tricks and strategies I mentioned:slowing down your output!judicious use of fillers (e.g. Ladies and Gentlemen, NOT 'um', 'er', 'you know', 'like', 'I mean', etc.)repeating/paraphrasing something that's just been saidallowing yourself to be very complete and explicitexpanding phrases, e.g. 'economic or military in nature'using intonation/emphasis to make sure the shape of the sentence is still clear (i.e. the big picture)using rhetorical questionsAnd above all:don't be a parrot (in terms of copying the sentence structure of the original)use salami techniquetry to anticipate and use your background knowledge to make sense of the originalwhere possible, communicate to the speakers that they don't need to speak excessively slowlyLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, designed for English retourists, I go through some exercises and strategies to help you describe acts of violence, conflict, etc. in English.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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, use of language, and marketing.In this episode, I talk about Latin words or phrases that are commonly used in English.ad hoc: for a particular purposead lib: improvisead infinitum: for everalma mater: your universityalumnus/alumna: graduate of a particular universitybona fide: in good faith, genuinecarpe diem: seize the daya caveat: condition, objectionde facto/de jure: in reality/in lawdeus ex machina: a plot device (in a play or book) to resolve an impossible problemergo: thereforee.g. (exempli gratia = for example), i.e. (id est = in other words)etceterain camera: behind closed doorsin situ: on the spotmea culpa: it's my faultper capita: per personper diem: daily (e.g. daily allowance)persona non grata: an unwelcome personper se: in itself, specificallyprima facie: at first sightquid pro quo: 'this for that', an exchangestatus quo: state of affairsverbatim: word for wordvice versa: the other way roundMens sana in corpore sano: a healthy mind in a healthy bodyPecunia not olet: money doesn't stinkPlenus venter non studet libenter: a full belly doesn't like studying!Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 (which may only be of interest if you're really into linguistics), I talk about 'like' and 'so', two meaningless fillers...or are they? 😉Apologies for the sound quality. I recorded this episode in a different place, and the sound is quite fuzzy.By the way, if you want to see a map of bread 'rolls' (or barms, teacakes, stotties, or baps), click here.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 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 showSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 examsYou 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 stressIf 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 showSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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/videoget a friend to listen and hit the table or hold up a papertap your own leguse a rubber band whenever you say ‘um’Why do you 'um'?habitanxiety/nervestrying to remember what to say (consec)trying to find the right word (retour) - say sth generickeep the attention of the audience, signal that your sentence isn’t fnishedbeing 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 umLOOK UP - it’s harder to say um while looking at someoneuse sticks to shape sentencesConsider 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 showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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:Sight 'translation' (interpretation, really) using DeepL or Google Translate to help you with the output - use with caution!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 showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 headFood 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 showSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 stressHere 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 podcastYou 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 stressDon'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 showSupport the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 examsYou 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 stressLook 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 showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 languagepractising and improving your pronunciation and intonationif you're working from a bullet point outline, practising reformulation...and many more!Two websites I mention:Speechpoolprocon.orgLet me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 'echoic memory' (your memory of the sounds you hear): how it works, whether you can improve it, and how some interpreters use it to give a more complete rendition in simultaneous.By the way, in this podcast, I mention the legend of Echo, a nymph from Greek mythology cursed (by the goddess Hera, who doesn't come across as a particularly warm and cuddly character) to only be able to repeat the last words uttered by others.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 the UN interpreting exams, both freelance (GLR or Global Language Roster) and staff (CELP).I couldn't have produced the episode without the assistance of many colleagues, including UN examiners Gillian Curry and Alice Ryckmans, Zilin Cui (Chinese booth), Olivier Quénette (French booth), Jonathan McGregor (English booth), Cory Bou (English booth), Maisie Greenwood, Aimee Linekar and Kirsten Coope. I am grateful to them for their time and generosity. Any errors in the podcast are my own.*Here are some of the resources mentioned in the podcast:- UN website- UN Digital Recordings Portal- Interpretation Station- Chris Guichot de Fortis: interpreting in degraded mode- 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 - Josh Goldsmith's blog post about UN Digital Recordings Portal- free online courses about UN-related topics- an interesting blog post about the UN exams from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies- Emily and Amelia Nagoski's book on Burnout- The Inner Game of Tennis (a guide to 'peak performance')* I mentioned in the podcast that it might be possible to take 3 languages in one day for the English booth CELP; it seems that this isn't, in fact, possible, and that you'd have to do the 3rd language on a separate occasion.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.This episode is about making mistakes and learning to move on from them. It was inspired by Stefano, who wrote: "I wonder if you could consider the topic of "Managing bad performance or errors". Let me give you an example. Yesterday I hesitated during the translation of an interview on TV. It was nothing major. Still, I could not sleep last night. What can I do?"It's really important to understand whether your mistake(s) affect your client to the point where you need to do something about it, or whether you're the one who is badly affected.If you make persistent or significant mistakes at work, such that you consider the general standard of your work unacceptable, consider:- working on your C language(s)- playing with your décalage to avoid false starts and language interference- improving your background knowledge and meeting preparation.If mistakes weigh on you for reasons to do with mindset rather than objective performance criteria, try the following:1. Have a clear transition between work and home (especially if you work from home!):- cycle commute or walk to work if you can- take a shower and get changed when you get home- try a power nap- call a friend to vent- journal: write about what happened- write a list of what you are grateful for today- try meditation- use short rituals to bookend your day2. Explore your expectations. Are they unrealistic? Are you a perfectionist?- try the "double standard" technique to practise self-compassion- reflect on the effects of your expectations: do they help you or hinder?- if you messed up, acknowledge your feelings rather than squashing them down3. When the stressor has gone, the effects of stress on your body still linger.- the best solution is physical exercise, or:- diaphragmatic breathing- affection: a hug, playing with your pet- spending some time outdoors- doing something creative (art, music, cooking)4. If your sleep is disturbed by repetitive, intrusive thoughts:- make sure you have a good sleep routine (wind down before bed, avoid screens, the news, etc.)- don't take work to bed- write a detailed to-do list for the next day- if you had a bad day, put your feelings on paperIn this episode, I mentioned Emily and Amelia Nagoski's book, Burnout.You can find my Growth Mindset Challenge on the home page of my website (just scroll down to Free Resources).If you're interested in my Mind & Body Techniques for Acute Stress course, which is a selection of scientifically-backed techniques to help cope with particularly stressful situations, you can find it here. Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.Before we get any further: this is episode 3 of 3 on this particular subject, so please listen to episodes 1 and 2, if you haven't done so already.In this episode, I talk about activating formal vocabulary in your B language.Here are some of the exercises I suggest:selecting 5 or 10 formal words (verbs, nouns, adjectives), researching them in a dictionary and collocations dictionary, and inventing example sentences to anchor them in your memory.preparing a speech of your own in your B language, and incorporating some of the formal words you've chosen.preparing a speech of your own in your B language incorporating formal features (for example, a speech at an inauguration or prize-giving ceremony).choosing a suitable text in your B language, such as a blog post, and rewriting it to make it more formal.choosing a suitable speech in your B language and doing a simultaneous reformulation exercise, making the speech more formal.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 discuss some approaches to refreshing your retour skills.Here are some approaches:•Immersion (or at least, getting in ‘the zone’)•Activation – practising constructively•Reflection – don’t practise randomly; reflect on your progress•Consistency; refreshing and maintaining a retour require regular, consistent effort over the long termAnd some tips:•Write a plan and SCHEDULE time for your retour•Include some fun activities!•Make yourself accountable•Find a practice partner, practice group, membership site, or coach•View this as a long term exercise (part of CPD/maintaining your professional skills)Some of the courses and practice groups I mentioned:•August short course (can accommodate English and French retour): CCIC•Interpreting Coach Spring BooStcamp (English enhancement)•Rock your Retour membership site (English)•L’Atelier du français B membership site (French)•Practice groups, e.g. IBPG, PiPs, AmeriVox, etc. – see list here.If you'd like to join my free Focus Sessions (co-working) on Fridays at 5 pm CET, you can register here.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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.Before we get any further: this is episode 2 of 3 on this particular subject, so please listen to episode 1, if you haven't done so already.In this episode, I talk about vocabulary-building to improve the formal register of your B language. Here are some of the exercises I suggest:learning a short passage in your B language by heart (suggested by Andy Gillies)brainstorming formal versions of logical connectors (e.g. 'thus' or 'therefore' instead of 'so')researching and learning stock phrases for certain situations, such as the start of a conference, the beginning of a speech by a politician, etc.researching more formal verbs, for example in speech transcripts or mission statementsthinking about phrasal verbs and their single-word equivalents, often derived from Latin (e.g. 'postpone' instead of 'put off')finding neutral and/or formal equivalents for 'good' and 'bad'brainstorming more formal synonyms for concepts such as go up/go down, make, do, help, change, etc. Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 strategies for simultaneous: salami technique (also known as segmentation or 'chunking') and keeping a short décalage to try to avoid omissions.Both of these can be successful techniques for retourists (although I have a personal preference 😉). You can improve your chances of success with targeted exercises.For salami technique, work on:identifying units of meaningreformulating units of meaning out loudexercises to improve your analytical skillssummary exerciseschoosing to start each sentence in a different place in simultaneous (as an exercise to help you get away from the word order of the source material)sight translationFor a short décalage approach, work on:sentence finishing exercising'cloze' or gap filling exercisessight translationB>B reformulation exercisesbackground knowledgesyntax - make sure it's rock solid.You can combine both techniques by learning to manage your décalage so that you can shorten or lengthen it if necessary, and by remembering that salami technique doesn't necessarily meaning chopping a long sentence into lots of smaller ones. Sometimes, it just means rejigging the syntax of the source material to give you more options in the target language, i.e. removing instances of subordination (e.g. relative clauses) and using open syntax with clauses connected by 'and, but, so' (or their equivalents).Hope this episode gave you some food for thought.You can find lots of suggested exercises in Andy Gillies' Conference Interpreting: A Student's Practice Book.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 generic terms, i.e. words that describe a type, category, or class of thing.Another way of looking at it is that this episode is all about different ways to say 'thing'!To increase the flexibility of your retour, and your ability to describe or talk about virtually anything, you need to find general terms for specific vocabulary.For example, you may already have a collection of useful synonyms such as these:goal: target, objective; ambition, aspiration, dreamthought: idea, concept, notion, impression, considerationtask: job, exercise, mission, undertaking, pursuit, venture, projectWhen you're interpreting, you choose a word based on the speaker's meaning, register, and tone.How about coming up with some synonyms for these ideas?componenteventwaydevicetopictoolcharacteristicskillthingThe ability to generalise is a coping strategy in simultaneous, regardless of whether you're working into your mother tongue or a B language (retour). But like many interpreting skills, it can be useful to devote some time and effort to practising this skill deliberately (as opposed to assuming you can do it instinctively, as you may be able to do in your A language).Another exercise you might like to try is this:Choose a newspaper article that is deliberately quite technical or that contains unknown or very specific vocabulary. Go through the article out loud, replacing these terms with an appropriate generic equivalent.Another option: choose a picture or short video of a device, machine, or process of some sort, preferably one that you are unfamiliar with, or where you don't have all the precise terminology at your fingertips. Can you describe how the device works in your B language?Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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'm focusing on improving your formal register (in a B language, in particular).To me, this involves:increasing your awareness of formal vs informal registerVocabulary-buildingActivating your shiny new formal vocabulary!To improve your sensitivity to register, try the following:Shadow someone speaking in a formal style.Listen to experienced interpreters working in the same kind of setting as you (e.g. if you want to work for EU institutions, listen to European Parliament TV).Choose an article written in a formal style (e.g. an academic paper, an extract from a book or medical journal) and go through it with a highlighter to identify formal turns of phrase .Choose two articles on the same subject from two different publications. Read them and compare and contrast their use of language to try to identify instances of formal language.When creating glossaries or working on vocabulary enhancement, make a note if a term or phrase is particularly informal or formal.In this way, you will be working on identifying, mimicking, and recording formal phraseology.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next! Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: 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 what it means to interpret 'clearly' (in simultaneous, mostly, although many of the principles apply to consecutive as well).Here's a quick summary.To me, 'clarity' involves both acoustic clarity (the audience needs to HEAR and UNDERSTAND what the interpreter is saying), and semantic clarity (the words you use, and how you put them together).To improve acoustic clarity:- say each word clearly and accurately- pause in the right places- use your voice!If you struggle with pronunciation, enunciation, or intonation, you can try exercises such as reading out loud or shadowing, or work with an accent coach.To improve the semantic clarity of what you're saying:- make short chunks- if it works in your target language, use SVO sentence structure; start with the subject; keep the subject close to the verb- make sure the LINKS between ideas are clear, and use intonation to emphasise them- avoid fillers- use appropriate and precise vocabulary (think about the needs of your audience)To make improvements in this area, you might like to play with your décalage to give you more time to think, practise salami technique, and/or do sight translation or reformulation exercises.A final point: in order to achieve all of this (precise vocabulary, clear links, short chunks, etc.), you need a CLEAR UNDERSTANDING of the speaker's message, which comes from a combination of your understanding of the source language and your ANALYTICAL SKILLS, and a good idea of your audience's needs.Being clear is about being PRECISE and CONCISE, and I've devoted a whole podcast episode to being concise. :-)If you'd like to join my free Focus Sessions (co-working) on Fridays at 5 pm CET, you can register here.Let me know what you'd like me to talk about next!Sophie (aka The Interpreting Coach)Support the showMy website and blog: https://theinterpretingcoach.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/interpretingcoach/Twitter: @terpcoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-interpreting-coach/Or email me at [email protected]