I'm a Good Interpreter...I Think

What makes a truly “good” interpreter? A seeming command of multiple languages? Expertise in expressive or receptive skills? Making complex concepts simple to understand? Always knowing just what to say/sign as well as when and how to do so?

Surely, we’ve all watched other “good” interpreters at work, sometimes with admiration, wonder, or maybe even a tinge of jealousy. But why do we label them “good”? For that matter, why do we label ourselves “good”? (you know we do!) Do credentials, certification or background in themselves define us as interpreters, or are there other intangibles that affect who we are and how we go about our work?

Get ready to do some self-scrutiny as we discuss the various definitions of a “good” interpreter (and not so good) and focus on qualities that make them that way. After that, delve into a discussion of the characteristics of interpreters that cannot be defined by a simple testing process, but that very well can determine if we, or others, are as “good” as we think. By the end of this webcast, you may very well replace “I’m a good interpreter!” with, “How good an interpreter am I”? Join me as we seek to find the answers together.

Presented by Earl Harden, TX BEI Advanced

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