but it works great for people, especially interpreters. And don’t worry, I heard that satisfaction brought that cat back.
Over 90% of our interpretation relies on the same common language that gets us through our days, which is why if you put a gun to someone’s head and ask them to interpret, they can get most of the things right (assuming they speak the languages). In fact, that’s how I started my first interpretation (no guns). Without any prior experience, I was asked to interpret for a conference only minutes before it began. I got up and did it, which turned out to be nowhere near scary or impossible as I had thought.
From that 90% onward, are diction, expressions, idioms, jargon, and specific knowledge that can only be accumulated over time. While this newsletter addresses that 10%, something else that I find tremendously helpful and satisfying, is curiosity. You can go through life by sticking to what you know. Or, you can begin to notice things in life that are unfamiliar or novel:
Why does he say things like that? It’s interesting how she uses this word. That’s something I never knew; what else can I know about it? What’s the best way to say that in Mandarin/English? I like this expression; maybe I can try and use it next time…
Our brain screens out the unknown so we can function more efficiently, but curiosity opens our eyes to the opportunities of the vast unknown and channels knowledge inward. Even if you are not planning to be a serious interpreter, you will have no shortage of uses for curiosity. So, be curious, unless you are a cat.
(* No cats are harmed in the production of this newsletter)