[Joseph Matthews]

Leonisa – as in the case of our colleagues cited above, you also highlight important challenges an interpreter faces in properly navigating through the various cultural contexts of idiomatic expressions as well as the goal of maintaining sound mental retention to ensure nothing is left by the wayside while interpreting. I especially like the emphasis you gave to the fact the interpreter can suddenly be faced with “stressful and emotional situations” which can be very unsettling. The interpreter has to stay calm and focused throughout such instances because, as Lesly well states – “the stakes are high”.

[Joseph Matthews]

Reaching out to you Cristina as well as to Lesly as both of you hit on something key for all of us. I found Cristina’s comment on certain “cultural expressions or sayings that have no translation” very interesting, as well as a similar comment on the part of Lesly that alludes to this very same issue. This makes the job and goal of the interpreter of “conveying the message right” all the more challenging as the language always follows the evolving culture, and not the way around, as some might think. Finally, Cristina focuses on another key challenge of for all interpreters (especially me) which is keeping sound mental retention of all that is said and how best to convey this in its sequential order and content.

[Joseph Matthews]

In my experience, the subject of the differences between interpreters and translators and their respective challenges is material for a dissertation so I will keep to my cardinal “A-B-C” rule which is: “Appropriate”, “Brief” and “Clear”.
As for translators – there are two key categories – the first being those that translate written statutory and legal documents, etc. These people are usually certified and bonded depending on the jurisdiction and their work has to be laser sharp accurate in grammar, syntax and structure, avoiding cultural idiomatic expressions where possible, due to the final decisions / rulings a government, corporate legal entity or judicial court may issue based on said translation. The translator in this case has the benefit of extra time to “get it right” – which is something that the interpreter does not.
The other type of translator, in my case for example, is in the business world where this person translates simultaneously in person or via teleconference for his/her offshore shareholder on one side and with a Union representative, Central Bank specialist or potential joint venture partner, etc. on the other. Here the line often gets blurred between this type of translator and the interpreter because of the similarities of time constraint, need for technical accuracy, etc. The big difference I see between the two is this type of translator is never neutral as he/she represents the interests of the offshore legal entity while the interpreter has to be neutral while always keeping an astute and transparent balance between the patient and the health care provider. Another difference that I have already noted in this training course is the “business translator” develops his own style, code and approach to the task which of course can vary a lot. The interpreter, however, follows a established and standardized set of codes, demeanor, ethics and protocols which levels out the playing field – no matter the forum or task at hand.
It is in the last point above that I find my greatest challenge in this course, as follows. How do I NOT allow my decades of experience of simultaneous translating in the business world to create dangerous “blind spots” or “comfort zones” that may impede my “step up to the ladder” in becoming a proficient interpreter which, in my opinion, brings the “complete package” to the table in this field of correctly, properly and transparently conveying the message at hand from one language to the other.

[Joseph Matthews]

Hi there Lesly and Cristina. Interesting to see that you are both form Colombia and both also reside in R.I. Small world indeed!

[Joseph Matthews]

Hello there Leonisa!
By your being from Cape Verde and now residing in Boston, MA and I having grown up in the state of Virgina but now living in Brazil for many years – you and I can both appreciate Fernando Pessoa’s famous call to all when he wrote: “Navegar é preciso!” Although we have all followed his call and are spread out over the world – we now find ourselves together in this digital forum to learn the skills of medical interpretating. I look to working with you, our fellow classmates, instructors and coaches over the next 10 weeks. Success!

[Joseph Matthews]

Greetings to all – my name is Joseph Matthews. I am an expatriate American citizen and retired business executive who has been living and working in Brazil since 1976 and currently reside near the São Paulo metro area. My target language is Brazilian Portuguese in which i am fluent. I came to Brazil with an academic background in Latin American Studies and International Business seeking an international career with Brazil as my base of operations.
I promptly discovered that in the business world, the key critical success factor is information which, in turn, is driven by sound, concise and effective communications – regardless of the language. Over these years, I have had the privilege of being exposed to and involved in dynamic bi-lingual forums ranging from Agribusiness to Union Contract Negotiations. Upon retiring recently, I often wondered how I might continue using these linguistic skills in a post-retirement venue albeit with a focus on altruism. After all – I was mentored well in my younger years and the only way to repay those mentors – is to help others – as I was helped.
The answer suddenly came to me last year while closely watching my son who works in Rio as a professional interpreter in various fields. I witnessed, in every call he would take, there was always a patient or a customer on the line with a specific and even urgent need that he was able to address through his formal linguistic training. It was right then and there I decided to follow in his footsteps to provide that same degree of help that interpreters around the world perform every day. I know translating is not interpreting – so I will have a steep hill to climb, yes, but what is life, at any age, if there are no challenges to face, right? I look forward to working with you all in this course!

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