Why should we be careful when choosing our interpreter?
Why should we be careful when choosing our interpreter?
What is oral interpretation?
Oral interpretation is communication for the two persons who do not speak the same language. An interpreter works as a bridge between them when they want to get their ideas across to each other. Oral interpretation is both skill and an art of considerable practical and aesthetic value in the modern world.
Why is interpretation still needed in the modern world?
Although more and more people have learned a second language, many communicative occasions still need interpreters, such as, international conferences, symposiums, business negotiation and other diplomatic activities. Interpreters are still in great demand, because interpretation is a demanding skill that requires the interpreter to have a good command of two languages and rich knowledge in many fields. A computer or a machine of any kind can never replace a human interpreter. Translation is not a mechanical process.
Speakers of different languages use different means to meet their communicative needs. They may have the same ideas, same intentions and emotions, but they express them in different ways. An interpreter should be very clear about both ways of communication in the two languages and be able to change from one to the other all the time.
Before taking an interpreter task, we have to make a full preparation. Usually, we try to find many possible materials on the subject we’ll work on, mainly through reading and listening. First we should get familiar with the special terms on the subject.
Romanian/English into Chinese Interpretation
Romanian/English to Chinese interpretation is quite a different process from Chinese into Romanian/English in many ways, such as, in way of thinking, emphasis and culture. First of all we need to understand the basic meaning.
Examples:
Este imbracata mortal./ She is dressed to kill.
误：她穿戴好了，准备谋杀。
正：她穿得太显眼了。
Iubirea este oarba./ Love is blind.
误：爱情是盲目的。
正：情人眼里出西施。
Justitia e oarba./ Justice is blind.
误：法律是盲目的。
正：法律面前，人人平等。
When the interpreter gets the meaning, he has to rethink it in terms of the target language Chinese, when expressing the meaning. It is impossible to attain exact equivalences. The interpreter needs to look beyond single words, segments of sentences, or even complete sentences before he translates the passage.
Examples:
Ne asteptam la un vorbitor mai in varsta sa ne prezinte acest subiect.
We expected an older speaker to talk about this subject.
没想到讲这个题目的人这么年轻。
El a fost un impatimit al extremului.
He was a fool for danger.
他是天不怕地不怕。
Batranul nu este acasa decat pentru rude.
The old man is not home to anyone except relatives.
除了亲戚以外，老人概不见客。
Most errors made by interpreters come from the failure to understand the general meaning of the whole sentence. The following errors are taken from translated TV dramas:
You have a visitor.
有人来了。（误：你有个来访者。）
Give me a break!
你快算了吧！（误：让我休息一会儿吧。）
You are right.
你说得对。 （误：你是对的。）